Evening star., 1942-12-30
Gains on New Guinea
May Pinch Off laps
On Guada|cdna|
Comdr. Dexter Reports
Deterioration of Foe
Without Supplies

Japanese relief for their starving
and isolated troops on Guadalcanal
and the possibility of another at
tempt to retake the island may be
settled on the shores of New Guinea,
in the opinion of a Coast Guard
commander who recently returned
from the scene.
Comdr. Dwight w. Dexter, who
recently returned from command of
the naval operating base in the
Guadalcanal-Tulagi area, said that
even when he left, the Japs on the
island already had shown signs Of
privation and near starvation. Ad-
ditional weeks without supplies
should have forced most of them into
small bands, camping in the hills, he
said.
AS for supplies or new attack,
the capture of strong positions on
! New Guinea put the United States
almost astrlde" the japanese supply
line to Guadalcanal, he added, thus
making attempts at reinforcements
or recapture extremely difficult.
Other Reports of Starvation.
His information tied in with re-
ports from other sources, including
a delayed story released yesterday
by the Navy, who received it from
Technical Sergt. James w. Hurlbut
| of Arlington, Va. In that account,
Sergt. Hurlbut reported that recent
raids had showed emaciation and
! starvation.
When the Japs first landed they
were well fed and well equipped,
Comdr. Dexter said, but as the weeks
wore on the clothing became shab-
bier and the men lost their well-fed
appearance.
Their lack of reinforcements and
supplies gave evidence that they did
not have the freedom of the seas
they boasted Of" Comdr Dexter said.
He believes the large battle of the
middle of November, which he
termed Admiral Callaghan's battle -
would have wiped out many of the
supplies and destroyed the means
of getting more.
Comdr Dexter added that, based
on his previous experience in the
island, right now the Japanese are
having all they can do to combat
starvation and disease, let alone
having to worry about the little bit
of hell the marines are giving them
His observations were made at an
informal press conference at the
Navy Department.
The Coast Guard officer, who for
merly attended Central High School
in Washington, was ordered out o1
Guadalcanal November 5 to rest
and recover from malarial condi-
ton and will leave Saturday to be.
come Coast Guard personnel officer
for the 18th Naval District, with
headquarters in San Francisco.
Operated Landing Boats.
Comdr Dexter was in charge OF
landing the original forces that took
the airfeld from the japanese in
early August, and when the ships
left he remained behind with 81
landing boats of the Higgins type
With them he landed additional
supplies and personnel, did water
taxi service for marines going or
raiding expeditions, and picked UP
fallen airmen.
He told one ironic story of a mass
rescue in which United States air.
men dropped all the life preservers
in stock to 6 group of men floating
in the water near Savo at dusk, and
found when the men were rescued
later they were japanese instead OF
American troops.
And the ship that made the
pickup didn't touch at Guadalcana
and I never got my life preservers
back" said Comdr. Dexter.
Although the Japanese had not
completed the airfield and had not
made permanent gun emplacements
on the shores when the marines
came. the field was reported nearly
done, and the gun installations had
been begun.
Set Up Guns.
"All We had to do was set up and
assemble the 3-inch and anti-air-
craft guns they left behind" he
said. There was IL pompom gun,
too. and wouldn't be surprised If
some Jap planes didn't get hit with
their own guns"
Although the boats were equipped