SUPERB ACTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 November 1943, Page 4

SUPERB ACTION

THE BOUGAINVILLE NAVAL BATTLE HEAVY JAPANESE DEFEAT SURVIVING SHIPS & BOMBERS PUT TO FLIGHT / (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received This Day, 12.20 p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. “When we scored direct hits, the Japanese ships would blow up like giant matchboxes, flaring when all the heads go off at once,” said the admiral who commanded the United States naval force which, without loss, sank an enemy cruiser and

four destroyers in Tuesday’s battle off Bougainville Island. Two other cruisers and two destroyers were damaged.

The action and its preliminary planning are regarded as reflecting credit on the commander of the American forces, for a Japanese naval bombardment might have had serious, though not decisive, results on the Bougainville situation. Twelve Japanese warships were within 30 miles of Empress Augusta Bay, where the Marines had landed on the previous day, when they were intercepted by an American screening force in rain and pitch darkness. “We got in the first salvo, straddling the Japanese ships at extreme range—twelve miles,” said the American. commander. “The Japanese replied instantly. We maintained a long range, to keep away from their torpedoes, with which they are so accurate. They had planes overhead, dropping white flares through the clouds and we were silhouetted against their flares. We dazzled them with star shells and confused them with smoke screens, but their gunnery was excellent and they had greater fire power. “The main engagement ended at 4 a.m., when the Japanese broke off and fled, with our ships in hot pursuit. The mopping-up lasted for an hour, but we were unable to search for survivors from the sunken enemy ships, because daylight was approaching and we were expecting an air attack. About 70 divebombers and high-level bombers made the subsequent air attack. They made only one run, losing 17 planes to our anti-aircraft fire and fighter interception.” Another American officer said: “It was a superb action, carried out in practice as the books express it in theory.” The damage to the American ships was the lightest imaginable, in view of the importance and scope of the action.

The Tokio radio admits the loss of one cruiser and two destroyers in the battle, but claims that five Allied cruisers and three destroyers were sunk.

A later message states that 19 Japanese warships, including cruisers and destroyers, are stated to be moving south from the enemy naval base of Truk.