The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-12-12
American Flotilla's Presence Near Manila Causes Jap Ships To Move
Three Air Heroes We're Born in That Battle When Jap Battleship Was
 Sunk; Young Aviator Met Death
BY FRANK HEWLETT CUnlted Press Stan COrrespOndent)

Manila, Dec. l2.-(UP)-Admral Thomas C. Hart commander of the Asatic fleet, revealed today that Japanese battle fleet fled to avoid battle when American warships approached.
 Official communiqueS reported that American war planes have taken 6 heavy toll of Japanese planes and ships.
 THREE JAP VESSELS ARE HIT
 Hart said 2o, ,3OO-ton Japanese battleship of the KonSo class had suffered one heavy hit and two lighter hits when bombed by naval plane The bombs put the warship out of control This success was in addition to the sinking of 20 Haruna Hart added to information released in Washington last night Hart said the American fleet contactedD the Japanese war fleet considerable distance ch Manila. The enemy ships sheered of to avoid battle.
 AMERICAN SUBMARINES SCAN SEAS
 American submarines are ranging the marrow seas of the war zone and are expected to report major successes when they communicate with their home bases.
 American and Philippine planes have struck hard at the Japanese air force; Filipino pilots were credited with shooting down two Japanese planes in action and the Americans bagged II.
 LONE PILOT DOWNS FOURTEEN
 One American army aviator single-handed ac. counted for 14 Japanese planes, shooting down two in the air and knocking out l2 on the ground at ,Aparri on the northern tip of Luzon this morning
 The Japsnese air force continued iss heavy as- tacks radng Batanga, capital of Batanga Province, 50 miles southeast of Manila, twice and causing two more air raid alarms in Manila.
 Out of the heavy air action emerged the frst American heroes of the
 THREE DAREDEVIL AvIATORs
 Three daredevil American aviators flew to fame and to death = today against the Japanese
 Terse statements from military and naval sources m Manila told the story of how American and Filipino ava struck back against powerful enemy assaults The name of 26-yearOld Captain Colin Kelly Jr of Florida, who was killed in actiOn heads the roll of the heroes
 PLANE PLUNGED INTO BATTLESHP
 His diving airplane vanished in a roaring explosion that sank the OOO0n Japanese battIeShip Harna O the Island the pilot plunged his CraIt straight down at the enemy and released stick OK Mgh explosives almost into the mouths of flaming Japanese guns Kelly was only of the defense flyers who made American skill and daring in the air felt against the
 LIEUT. BOYD WAGNER ALSO HERO
 Around the air bases they told of the blows struck Lieutenant Boyd D. Wagner of JOhnstOwn, Pa, who like Kelly flew am army air corps plane Wagner raced north ward to the tip of Island the Japanese sought to under aerial protection in the Ap arri sector Half dozen enemy craft tackled him and two of them went down after fierce dog fight wagner then sreaked toward the enemy landing field and dropped down until his plane was merely skImmlng the uce-sOp his machine gums platterng bullets against Japanese ca. the ground. dozen planes were wrecked whelanas fuel running low Wagner turned back toward his home base
 They were talking tOO of Lieutenant C. A. Keller 0e the IT. S. Navy Air Force and how he shadOwed" Japanese bateshp KOngO class northwest of LuzOn despite steady and fierce enemy antiacraft fire. Keller kept hts bombers led by Lieutenant Commander }. V Peterson arrived and pressed home attack that put the vse o of action.
 \ Filipino Flyers Were Fearless
 But the American flyers were not the only who stood out in the bastle against invasion forces
 Admiral Thomas c. Hart, commander of Che Aaiats tconannsd Esss