The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-09-23
American Airlnen In
 Solomons Smash Japs
tcOntinued from Page l,

rom Page D
 the American invasion fleet pre- sumably giving the enemy the im- pression a huge armada was pre- pairing to land thousands of troops on the island.
 Through Dense Jungle
 While the Marines moved through the dense jungle, Army fighter planes and Marine dive-bomberS aided them by bombing and straflng enemy positions. Their ceaSeless at tacks throughout the day never gave the Japanese a chance to consoh- date their forces.
 The first large enemy land party was met by unit O. Marines com manded by Maj. Lloyd Nickerson, Spokane, Wash. Through field glasses the Marines saw at least a dozen Japanese digging in along the beach Two 75-MM. cannon and severcl machine guns set up by the enemy controlled the beach and road blocked further advance by Nickerson's party.
 But several squads of Marines led by Lieut.. Col. Sam Griffith out hanked the enemy and drove them from their positions.
 Meanwhile, additional units com manded by Capt. John. w. .Antonel- Il, Lawrence, Mass, and Colonel Edson attacked at other points, An- tonellis detachment occupying Ta- Simboko shortly after l p, m.
 The Japanese had abandoned the village, leaivng considerable sup plies and equipment. The Marines spent the rest of the afternoon burning the village and destroying all booty. Artillery pieces were dy- namited or dumped into the ocean; crate after crate of ammunition was demolished; and all medical supplies and food, including several tons of rice, were dumped into the sea.
 Marines Evacuated
 Their scorched earth operation completed, the Marines were evacu. ated by the Navy under air protec- tion. The Japanese made one at tempt to avenge the raid by sending a flight of bombers against the withdrawing units, but all ships and their complements returned safely to base.
 Achievements have been moved in. Supplies and arms are pouring in to various island bases, despite attacks by Japanese airplanes, sub marines and surface warships on our supply lines.
 Daily the newly acquired Marine bases are becoming more nearly im- pregnable, and now the allied air force has opened an offensive on the Solomons stretching northwest ward from the Marine positions.
 In the first month of their inva- sion, the Marines under Maj. Gen. Alexander A. Vandegrift have killed or captured about 3,700 Japanese in the Guadalcanal Island area alone. About 20 Japanese ships have been sunk or damaged.
 In their operations from Guadal- canal Island Navy and Marine dive bombers have damaged or sunk three large enemy destroyers, dam aged a light cruiser, a 14,000 ton transport and 5000 ton transport and scored several near misses on warshipS.
 Destroy Many Jap Planes
 Marine fighter pilots based on Guadalcanal have destroyed 73 Jap anese planes, including A Zero fighters, 9 two-motored bombers, five one-motored bombers and two observation planes.
 American losses in Guadalcanal- based planes have totalled less than 20 in all operations, and the pilots of several downed planes were saved.
 The biggest Japanese land defeat was suffered in the battle of the Tenaru river on the night of Aug. 2l and the morning of Aug. g.
 Then a Japanese landing force was almost wiped out. In all 87O Japanese dead were found on the battlefield. Marine losses were 34 men killed and 75 wounded.
 (Since this dispatch was filed the toll of Japanese ships has seen in- creased materially.
 (On the night of Sept. 13 one of group of Japanese warshipS which shelled Guadalcanal was believed hit. On Sept. IA Boeing Flying Fort rassas nf the Army air force scored possible hits on two battleships. On Sept. 16 Navy and Marine corps dive bombers damaged two cruisers On Sept. 19, the Navy at Washing ton announced yesterday, Navy and Marine Corps Douglas dive bombers damaged a cruiser northwest o1 GuadalcanaD