Evening star., 1942-08-30
Marines Now Have Firm Control
Of Six Vital Islands in SoIomons;
Japs Bolster New Guinea Forces
Navy BombersS
Enemy Destroyer,
Hit Two More

United States Marines are now
holding six islands in the vital
Guadalcanal- -Tulagi area of the
Southeastern Solomons, the Navy
announced last night, asserting
that their positions are "suffl-
ciently we'll established" to re-
veal details Of the giant offensive
operations.
The Navy's announcement came
In long communique reviewing the
fighting in the Solomons and 1t fol-
lowed by only few hours an Off
cial report of the sinking in an
aerial attack of large Japanese
destroyer, damaging of second
similar one and crippling and burn
ing of q smaller destroyer. This
action took place of Santa Isabel
Island, about IS miles north of
Guadalcanal.
However. japanese reinforcements
have reached the Milne Bay area
of Southeastern New Guinea and
heavy fighting for that point is in
progress, it was announced at Gen.
MacArthur's headquarters in Aus
tralia.
Planes Pound Jap Warships.
A Japanese cruiser and eight de-
stroyers entered the bay last night
and it was believed they may have
landed some troops.
Allied planes, cooperating with
ground forces, heavily pounded the
Japanese units, inflicting heavy
damages and casualties, a commu-
nique said.
The Japanese warships were first
sighted early Saturday off D'Entre-
casteaux Islands, just north of Milne
Bay. Allied planes were sent out in
an attempt to smash them, but bad
weather blocked any action.
It also was announced japanese
attacks in the Kokoda area of the
Buna-Gona sector to the north were
Tepulsed. Additional ground fight
ing in New Guinea was reported
around Lac and Salamaua where
outpost clashes occurred.
Air activity was extensive, with
Allied bombing attacks on such
widely separated places as the
Dutch island of Amboina, north
west OF Australia: Buka, at the
northern end of the Solomon Is
lands, and Rabaul, japanese in
yasion base in New Britain.
New Airport Captured.
Last nights Navy Department
communique revealed these facts:
The six islands OF Guadalcanal
Tulagi, Gavutu, Tanambogo, Ma
kambo and portions Of Florida
Island have been successfully occu-
pied. fThe communique said that
as Of August 10, major opposition
had been overcome only on portions
of Florida Island, but other sections
Of the Navy report indicated that
the situation there was now well
In hand.)
A new airport, almost completed
by the Japanese, was captured on
Guadalcanal, enabling the Navy air
men to continue the fighting with
out recourse to carrier-based planes.
AL attempts Of the japanese to
date to recapture the American
held islands have failed, and all
enemy troops attempting the re-
capture have been either annihilated
or captured.
The original landing, from the
most modern beaching equipment,
caught the japanese completely by
surprise, and as result, large guam
titles of supplies and equipment
were captured.
japanese Losses Heavy.
The communique indicated that
IN the first two days OF the Solomons
campaign alone the Japs lost at
least II planes and their total
losses for the campaign to date were
put unof1icially at more than 104,
destruction of SO on August % and
Is having been reported by the
Navy last Wednesday.
American losses, as given in the
various communiques and in re-
port by Admiral Ernest ]. King,
commander in chief of the United
States Fleet, were one cruiser sunk
two destroyers and two cruisers
damaged and one transport DAM
aged.
In another release, Maj. Gen
(See SOLOMONS, Page A-5J