AGAIN MOUNTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 May 1943, Page 3

AGAIN MOUNTING

AIR WAR IN NEW GUINEA INTENSIFIED JAPANESE EFFORT. NUMEROUS ENEMY PLANES DESTROYED. (Special Australian Correspondent.) ■ SYDNEY, May 17. The air war is again mounting in New Guinea with the return of Japanese activity over almost all parts of the north-eastern sector of General MacArthur’s command. During the past three days, our aircraft have encountered Japanese planes on patrolling reconnaissance and bombing missions over many areas. At least 24 enemy planes have been destroyed in combat and 11 others probably destroyed. In addition, many are believed to have been destroyed on the ground. Significantly. Allied bombing attacks during the past few days have been aimed principally at Japanese offensive bases from Kendari, Celebes, in the west to Kavieng. New Ireland, and Rabaul, New Britain, in the east. An American fighter unit which destroyed 10 enemy aircraft during the Japanese raid on Oro Bay on Friday, has now shot down 225 Japanese planes in its 14 months in the South-West Pacific area. The unit was first stationed in the Darwin area. A young first lieutenant, John Hardy Griffith, Chicago, who made his first kill, had a busy morning. In shooting down a Zero after a desperate dogfight, his own plane was so badly damaged that he was forced to made a belly-landing. He skidded 150 feet over the ground and walked away unhurt. Sixteen bullet holes were found near the cockpit of his plane. Flying conditions over New Guinea have been generally adverse in recent weeks. This enforces a imiting fartor on Australian ground activity in the Mubo area. For the time being, Allied movement is limited by the number of men who can be maintained there with supplies and equipment. Under reasonable flying conditions, a fair force can be maintained, but when the weather closes down over the ranges, the passage of supplies is heavily reduced and reserves dwindle quickly. DAMAGE DONE AT LAE. Six Japanese bombers and four fighters were caught on the ground by Allied Boston attack bombers and Mitchell medium bombers which raided Lae aerodrome on Saturday afternoon. The attack is reported in General MacArthur’s communique today. “Our air crews saw many fires, indicating that extensive damage was done in the raid,” the communique said. “As well as grounded aircraft, enemy installations were targets for Allied bombs. Three separate sweeps were made by our planes.” Liberators made a raid at noon on the aerodrome dispersal areas at Kavieng, New Ireland, while a night raid was made on Vunakanau aerodrome, Rabaul, New Britain. Rabaul and Kavieng are the main bases for enemy bombers raiding Allied positions in New Guinea. Flying Fortresses yesterday again bombed and strafed enemy aerodromes at Gasmata and Cape Gloucester, New Britain, which are intermediate bases for raiding Japanese planes. A bridge over the Kumul River, on the enemy’s New Guinea coastal supply road near Madang, was again attacked by a Liberator unit. Mitchells returning fom a bombing mission yesterday attacked 10 Japanese bombers escorted by two Zeros off the east coast of Papua near Cape Ward Hunt, about 50 miles north of Buna. They shot down a Zero and damaged one bomber. Explosions and large fires visible for 50 miles were caused when our heavy bombers attacked the aerodrome at Kendari, Celebes. Kendari is an important Japanese aircraft assembly point.