IN FLIGHT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 December 1943, Page 4

IN FLIGHT

JAPANESE IN SOUTHERN BOUGAINVILLE DECLARATION BY COLONEL KNOX ALL ENEMY AIRFIELDS MADE USELESS (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.50 a.m.) WASHINGTON, December 21. The Japanese are apparently fleeing from Southern Bougainville, in the Solomons, and attempting to concentrate their forces farther north, Colonel Knox (Secretary to the Navy) told 2 Press conference. This movement of enemy forces was taking place by sea, and land. None of the Japanese airfields on Bougainville were usable, all having been rendered inoperable by constant bombing. During the week ended December 20, 71 American air missions were carried out in the Pacific. Nine were against the Marshalls group, where 19 Japanese planes were definitely shot down and nine probably destroyed, compared with three American planes lost. More than 60 missions, with 1,400 planes participating, were carried out in the South Pacific area. Colonel Knox confirmed that Japanese air opposition in the Pacific was negligible. He added that it was difficult to understand the lack of* Japanese counter air activity. On some missions not a single enemy plane was encountered. Colonel Knox announced the appointment of Admiral Frank Fletcher as commander of the North Pacific area.