Evening star., 1941-12-12
Pilot, Killed Sinking
Haruna, Called First
u. :. Hero in New War
Copt. Colin P. Kelly, Jr.,
Puid Posthumous Tribute
By 1t. Gen. Macarthur
ey the Associated Press.

the score which the Japanese
ran up at Pearl Harbor when he
planted three bombs on the jap
anese battleship Haruna, paid for
the sinking of the ship with his
life.
One sentence in a communique
issued by 1t. Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthur, commander of the Far
Eastern Army. paid posthu-
NOUS tribute to the young Army
flyer:
Gen. Macarthur announced
with great sorrow the death of
Capt. Colin p Kelly. jr., who so
distinguished himself by scoring
three direct hits on the Japanese
capital battleship Haruna, leav-
ing her in flames and in distress"
Just when and how Capt. Kelly
died was not stated, but it is pos
sible that death came without his
knowing that the Haruna had
been mortally damaged. The War
Department in Washington an
nounced that the 90 9,330-ton Ha-
runa was sunk Wednesday, north
Of Luzon.
Capt. Kelly was graduated from
the United States Military Acad-
emy in 1887 and became a cap
tain on September 8, 1910. after
training in various flying and
bombing schools.
A United States naval flyer
who trailed a Japanese battleship
for a long time in the face Of
frequent anti-aircraft fire until
other naval planes could fly to
the scene and seriously cripple"
the huge ship also was officially
cited for his work.
This story was told in the re-
port OF Admiral Thomas C. Hart.
commander in chief of the Asiat-
ic Fleet, on the attack on the
Kongo or a ship just like her of
northwest Luzon Island.
(This was the second Jap
anese battleship which the
United States claims to have
sunk or damaged)
Admiral Hart's account of the
attack ON the Kongo was the
first detailed action by the naval
flyers to be reported from the Far
Eastern front.
The Kongo was last seen out
Of control and we are sure seri-
ously crippled" the announce
ment said. This action already
had been announced in Washing
tom
Macarthur Commends Another.
Gen. Macarthur commended
First 1t. Boyd D. Wagner of the
Army Air Corps, who "distin-
guished himself by his daring at
tack ON q Japanese air detach-
ment at Apart yesterday morn
ing"
When attacked by five pursuit
planes" he said. The snot two
planes out of the air and ma
chine-gunned IL on the ground.
leaving five burning. Wagner
ended his terse report by saying,
My gas was running low 30 re-
turned home.'"
1t. Wagners home Is at Johns
town, Pa. He was graduated
from the University of Pitts
burgh. He entered the air
force in 1887 as a cadet and was
commissioned second lieutenant
on June Is OF that year. He
was promoted to first lieutenant
on October l, 1888.
Admiral Hart's announcement
said 1t. c. A. Keller, plotting a
big plane, sighted the Kongo or
a ship just like her off North
west Luzon and held contact a
long time despite frequent anti
aircraft firs.
Other planes arrived and 1t.
Condr. J. v. Petersen and other
pilots in the attack group pressed
home the assault under heaVy
anti i-aircraft fire.
The announcement said they
made "at least one hit and we
think two. The ship was def
nitely out of control and we are
sure she was seriously crippled.
There was no fire when she
was last seen so she may have
been able to return to port"
Admiral Hart revealed that the
American Navy had lost three
large planes since the war
started-two during the daylight
raid on the Gulf of Davao about
an hour after the Pearl Harbor
attack.
Air Force casualties thus far
have been small, but there have
been plenty of attacks on our
planes" he said.
Giving further details of aerial
fighting, the Army spokesman
said the pursuit ship apparently
that of 1t. Wagner that was sent
to Aparri, on the northern shore
of Luzon Island, found u jap
anese pursuit ships on the
ground and two in the air.
The American pilot shot down
those in the air and machine
gunned those grounded and re-
turned unscathed," the spokes-
man said.
He declared that 1t. Col. Roger
Helsman. native of Texas who
has served in the Philippines be-
fore, has the situation in Davao
province on Mindanao Island
well in hand"
1t. Col. Helsman arrived there
about three weeks ago. Davao,
with a large Japanese population,
has been considered a sensitive
spot, the spokesman added.
There were numerous rumors
OF planned large uprising there"
he said. 1t. Col. Helsman, with
the forces at his disposal, has
$500 japanese males interned.
He reports everything quiet and
under control"
Bullet Holes in Planes.
Admiral Hart's report said most
Of the damages suffered by Amer
lean naval planes were minor bull
let holes.