GOOD BEGINNING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 July 1943, Page 4

GOOD BEGINNING

IN AMERICAN INVASION OF SOLOMONS TREMENDOUS ATTACK AGAINST ENEMY AIR BASE AT MUNDA. GALLANT WORK OF UNITED STATES AIRMEN. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, July 7. “The American invasion of the Japanese-occupied Solomons is progressing entirely satisfactorily,” the general commanding the United States forces in Rendova Island told war correspondents. He pointed out that an important success in the initial phase of the operations was the quick emplacement of heavy artillery batteries on the north shore of Rendova and the small islands in Renard Inlet. These batteries had been blasting Munda Point and commanded the waters between Rendova and Munda. The general added that American fighter plane [pilots had done most of the fighting so far. They had taken a- particularly heavy toll of Japanese bombers endeavouring to neutralise our artillery on Rendova.

INITIATIVE HELD BY AMERICAN NAVAL FORCES. IN THE CENTRAL SOLOMONS. (Received This Day, 1.0 p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. United States surface forces continue to hold the initiative in the Central Solomons, following on the ending of the Battle of Kula Gulf. Vice-Admiral Halsey's Headquarters, in making this announcement, added that the American troops mopping up Japanese resistance in Rendova and in southern New Georgia are making progress. The consensus of opinion is that the task of the defeated Japanese naval force was to bombard the United States positions on Rendova Island and so to help relieve the pressure on the enemy air base at Munda. American warships intercepted and attacked before the Japanese task force had reached its target area. An unprecedented use, for this theatre, of artillery and dive-bombers is being made to soften up the enemy resistance on Munda. “Perhaps this blasting will prove an answer to the enemy’s stubborn ‘dig in or die’ tactics, which prolonged both the Papuan and Guadalcanal campaigns,” writes the “Sydney Telegraph’s” South Pacific war correspondent, Mi’ Osmar White. “Never has any Japanese base received such prolonged and concentrated poundings.’’