Evening star., 1942-06-13

who had assumed command OF the
entire force, laid his plans as dark
ness descended that night. We
turned northward, steaming hard,
and at dawn lay south of Guadal-
canal Island, 100 miles due south OF
Tulagi. This position was taken to
screen US from possible enemy
scouts.
We were up before dawn, airplane
motors turning on the flight deck
of the carrier. Scout planes we're
of in the pre-dawn dark. Soon
they were reporting the enemy still
in position, entirely unsuspicious OF
our presence. Immediately dive
bombers and torpedoe planes took
the air, and in less than 80 minutes
were roaring down on the Jap ships.
Surprise was complete. The first
anti-aircraft fire came only with the
second wave Of bombers. Our boys
unloaded, came home, loaded bombs
again. and few of. A few fighters
liquidated the minor Jap opposition
tlltC OCdRldAiC ASAAtCAc'- AAS ooAAAS
ers came back for third trip and
when they had dropped their last
missile IA OF the Is Jap ships were
sunk or beached and burning. This
occupation threat had been removed.
Photographs and pilots reports
indicated enemy loss OF life here
must have been terrific. particularly
on the crowded troop ships that
were blasted from above and below
will give full details on this fight
in a subsequent story.
On the afternoon CT May 6 our
scout planes had exciting news. They
had located, north of the Isle OF
Misima. a Jap carrier and cruiser
force. We didn't know it then. but
this was the enemy spearhead bound
for Jomard Passage.
Rear Admiral Fletcher ordered our
force northeast this time At dawn
on the morning of May 7 we wert
standing eastward Of the Island o.
Tagula. and about l80 miles south
east of the second Jap force.
Again we caught them by surprise
our dawn scouts reporting their
planes still all aboard their carrier
When our striking force of torpedo
planes and dive bombers arrived the
Japs had nine fighters in the air
but obviously they did not expect
attack. Their carrier, believed tc
be of the biggest and newest type
| turned into the wind to launch
planes as our dive bombers started
down. This was fatal move, for il
kept the Jap carrier on a steady
course, presenting a perfect target
Back on our carrier, anxiously
awaiting the outcome I crowded
into the wardroom with officers o.
duty. Loudspeakers there were con-
nected with the Lexington's receiv-
ers turned to the communication
circuits of the planes in the air
There was a tumble of orders ane
meaningless calls between the
planes until suddenly 1t Comdr
Bob Dixon. skipper Of the scout
bomber squadron, identified him.
self to the carrier.
% Planes Shot Down.
Scratch one f1at-top-scratct
one f1at-top," he said, and abrupt!
signed off
The ships loudspeaker system
carried the message to the entir,
crew and the craft rocked witt
cboorc Tho man Lrorr that niyoy
was reporting the total destruction
of the Jap carrier. Our own losse
lit seemed even more of a miracle
then than it does in writing 1t now
were only two scout dive bombers
Our flyers shot down % enemy
planes in widely scattered engage.
ments, and later in the day learned
that a heavy cruiser was sunk a.
the same time: Our luck, it seemed
was extraordinary.
AS If it was to continue forever
we had evene more extraordinar.
luck that evening. At dusk as oul
last patrols were gliding out Of rair
squalls and curtains of low clouds
nine planes, certainly not from oul
carrier, approached us. We were a.
battle stations with every CUR
manned for a raid when to oul
amazement all nine flashed on land.
ing lights.
Later one officer, describing tn
situation. said: They slowed down
and strung out into landing position
like tired birds come home to roost.
The men at the guns Of our car
rier first recognized them as enem.
planes, even though the leader o
the planes was flashing a LANDING
signal with his light. Our gunner