U.S. CRUISERS LOST

Southland Times, Issue 24874, 14 October 1942, Page 5

U.S. CRUISERS LOST

FIRST ATTACK ON SOLOMONS (8.0.W.) RUGBY, October 12. Allied losses in the Solomons naval battle in August were four cruisers. This is disclosed by the United States Navy Department. The communique says that certain phases of the Solomon Islands campaign not announced previously for military reasons can now be reported. Reconnaissance in June and July revealed enemy activity of much significance in the Japanese-control-led Solomons. An airfield was in progress of construction on Guadalcanar and facilities at other nearby bases were being expanded rapidly. This expansion, together with increased activity in Eastern New Guinea, clearly indicated that the enemy was attempting to establish and maintain control of the air and sea in the

Solomons area. The establishment of such control would have put the Japanese in a position to launch a seaborne invasion of Darwin and would seriously have threatened our supply lines with Australia and New Zealand, as well as the island bases in New Guinea and the Fiji Islands. It was necessary, therefore, that these enemy designs should be blocked by our capturing and utilizing his key positions in the south-east-ern Solomons. This was accomplished on August 7, when United States forces surprised and captured the Japanese positions on Guadalcanar and in the Tulagi area. ENEMY AIR RAIDS Vigorous opposition was offered to the consolidation of our positions. Throughout August 7 and August .8 enemy planes raided our shore positions, transports and fleet units, but these did not prevent United States Marines from seizing most of the key positions on Guadalcanar and Tulagi by the afternoon of August 8. Meanwhile, additional troops, supplies and equipment were being unloaded from transports and supply ships and it was imperative that these operations should be successfully completed. To this end screening groups of Allied cruisers and destroyers were placed on both sides of Savo Island. Additional screening forces were placed near the transports. Early on the morning of August 9 enemy aircraft dropped flares over our transports and supply ships. Simultaneously, a force of enemy cruisers and destroyers skirted the south coast of Savo Island at high speed and headed in the direction of the transports and supply ships, which were silhouetted in the illuminated areas. The enemy sighted our covering unit located to the south-east of Savo and opened, fire with guns and torpedoes, seriously damaging and setting fire to the*Australian cruiser Canberra. Later it became necessary to abandon the Canberra which sank the following morning. CLOSE-RANGE BATTLE After a brief engagement with our south-eastern screen the Japanese altered course to proceed through the passage north-east of Savo Island. Here the Japanese force encountered our north-east screen of cruisers and destroyers and a close-range battle resulted. The action was fought with guns and torpedoes, with the targets illuminated by searchlights and starshells. The enemy fire was heavy and accurate and the United States cruiser Vincennes was hit repeatedly and sank during the night. A third cruiser, the Astoria, was badly damaged, burned during the night and sank the following morning. The cruiser Quincy was also lost. It has not been possible to determine the extent of the damage inflicted on Japanese ships by our screening forces. The enemy withdrew to the north-west without attempting to attack our transports and supply ships. Although the majority of the personnel was saved there were still many casualties as a result of the sinking of the four Allied cruisers. The loss of these has now been offset by an, appropriate reallocation of ships, which has been made possible by new ship construction. Th lost of the Astoria, Quincy and Vincennes makes a total ol nine American ships announced as sunk in the Solomons—three cruisers, two destroyers and four transports, in addition to two destroyers damaged. 9he Japanese suffered 38 ships sunk or damaged. It is now revealed that Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet, visited the Solomons a fortnight ago and presented decorations to several officers and men.

The Astoria, Quincy and Vincennes were heavy cruisers of the Minneapolis class. They were completed in 1934, 1936 and 1937’ respectively and their respective tonnages were 9950. 9375 and 940(1. They each carried 551 men and their speed was 32 knots.

All the cruisers were armed with nine 8-inch guns, eight 5-lnch anti-aircraft guns, two 3-pounders and 10 smaller guns. They carried four aircraft and were fitted with two catapults. In their construction the utmost economy was effected, electric welding having been employed extensively and weight saved In every direction, even to the extent of using aluminium paint internally. Their 8-inch guns were of a lighter model and the weight saved was put into armour. Each of the cruisers cost about .1:3,800,000. JAPANESE IN HAWAII Problem For Authorities (Rec. 8.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, Oct. 12. With approximately 155,000 Japanese living in Hawaii and filling vital positions, these islands face a peculiar problem, says the Honolulu correspondent of the United Press. Except for a few minor instances, thus far the authorities have not interned or attempted to remove the Japanese from military areas. Removal would constitute a gigantic physical problem because the entire territory is a military area. However, only 22 per cent, of the Japanese population are not citizens and the Nipponese occupy important positions in public utilities and business life. Undoubtedly the Japanese possessed an efficient espionage system in Honolulu before the war, but there was little sabotage on December 12 nor has there been since, according to the police chief.