Evening star., 1942-11-02
How Jap Fleet Was Driven
From SoIomons Told by Writer
Dispotch Is First Direct Account
Of Fierce Seq and Air Bottle

Olen w. Clements, Associated
Press correspondent from Terds,
no,0 1Dith American forces in the
Solomon Islands. gives in the
Jollo,Ding story the first account
direct from the battle area OF the
damage to japanese sea forces,
uhich, In the ,Dords of Secretary
of the Many Knor, "retired from
the scene" OF their latest clash
1oith American ships and planes.
BY OLEN w. CLEMENTS,
Associated Press War CORRESPONDENT.
HEADQUARTERS, UNITED
STATES FORCES IN THE SOUTH
PACIFIC, Oct. % Delayed.-A
huge Japanese armada has limped
away from the Solomon Islands
licking wounds inflicted on 1t during
the last two days by the United
States Pacific Fleet. .-.
At least one large enemy air
craft carrier of a new class was
heavily damaged, another smaller
carrier was hit and a heavy cruiser
badly damaged In the fight.
American dive bombers and tor
pedo planes also pounded the enemy
ships, estimated to have numbered
from 40 to so, which were sent
from two directions to attempt a
knockout blow against United States
Marines and Army units at Guadal-
canal Island.
The battle cost American forces
one unidentified carrier and the
destroyer Porter, both destroyed,
and some damage to other warships.
Personnel losses were e. light, s.ht,,ol1' how
ever. ....- ,~t~.g.-
The Japanese feet came at
Guadalcanal from the northeast.
Two heavy task forces some $50 to
200 miles apart moved, IN. Dive
bombers from Guadalcanal and Fly
ing Fortress planes from land bases
spotted the enemy.
The advancing enemy fleet was
strung out from the Stewart Islands
southwark to Florida Island, which
is northeast of Guadalcanal, and
east to Santa Cruz Island north OF
New Hebrides. japanese cruisers
and destroyers off Florida Island
were hit by Douglas Dauntless dive
bombers from Guadalcanal. site OF
Henderson Airfield, which the Amer
leans captured from the japanese
early in August.
Direct Hit on Jap Crunser.
One japanese cruiser was dam
aged and stopped by a direct bomb
hit. A few minutes later Flying
Fortresses led by Maj. James Ed
mundson, Santa Monica, Calf, bore
down on the Jap forces. An enemy
light cruiser or heavy destroyer was
left burning by these BITS.
Farther away, American carrier
based torpedo planes and dive bomb
ers began working on the Jap car
riers. They sailed in with heavy
bombs.
One American pilot said later the
flight deck Of the big new Jap cer-
rier was completely smashed and
she appear to be sinking.
While the air battle roared, jap
anese dive bombers hit the Guadal-
canal airfield. The Navy said five
attacking planes were shot down
A few minutes later, nine Jap bomb
ers came over, causing slight dam
age to the field.
The Jap Zero fighters appeared
and our Grumman Wildcats rose tc
meet them. The air was filled with
dogfights as the Japs were driven
of.
On the ground, Jap forces attacked
our marines and soldiers, but ouI
foot troops repulsed the enemy. The
marines described the action in this
manner:
"The Japs attacked us and we
suffered IS casualties. Two thousand
Jap bodies present disposal prob
lem"
Carrier Sunk by Second Attack.
The American carrier which was
sunk was first attacked before noon
October 26, of Santa Cruz Island
by 26 planes. The carrier was heavily
damaged, but was taken In tow. A
short time later, enemy planes re-
turned. This time, the carrier was