Evening star., 1942-12-03
One American
Cruiser Lost
In So|omoI1s
Toll Of Foes Troops
May Be 5000 in
Night Sea Bottle
early Story on jap Claims on
Page AID

Page Alp
Ry the Associated Press.
Smashing a Japanese attempt
to land reinforcements on Quad
alcanal Island in the Solomons,
United States naval vessels sent
nine enemy ships to the bottom
in a sharp night battle north of
the island, the Navy announced
today.
Losses inflicted on THE enemy dur
ing the night of November 3O-De-
cember included two large destroy
ers or cruisers sunk, fdur destroyers
sunk, two troop transports sunk and
one cargo ship sunk the Navy said.
The possibility that The two troop
transports were heavily loaded with
Japanese soldiers hedded for the
battle on GuadalcanaI was seen in
reports that no soldiers were landed.
Sucn transports could carry total
of between 1000 and $1,000 men.
One U. S. Cruiser Sunk.
In the sharp night action, which
followed lnterception Pf the Japa-
nese force by United Nations task
force, one American cruiser was
sunk and other United States yes-
sells were damaged, the Navy said.
NO Word as to the number of casual
ties has been received tnor were the
types of the damaged ships indi-
Gated.
CIhe Japanese broadcast to-
Gay claim that an Allied battle
snip, a cruiser of the Augusta
class and two destioyers were
sunk on the night Of November
80 of Guadalcanal. The jap
anese claims were ndt confirmed
BY any Allied sourcet.)
The Navy told of the battle in a
communique which shid that the
task force went out north of Quad
alcanal in the night and found the
enemy troop transports escorted by
combatant fleet units In waters i'm
medlately north of G4adalcanal.
The enemy was Interrupted in
his attempt to reinforSe and supply
his troops on the island. No land
ing was effected" the communique
said.
| Some Japs Rescued.
Some Japanese sailofs floating on
life RATS were rescued by American
| forces the day after the battle.
The Navy said they identified one
of the enemy destroyets sent to the
bottom as the Takhnami. The
Takanami is not listed in the latest
records of James fighting ships, but
was believed to be destroyer Of
about $500 tons displacement.
The lnterception of the Japanese
force was the first naval battle re-
ported. from the Solo1nons since a
Japanese feet was smashed during
Ine nlght OF November IA and Is. In
that battle % enemN ships were
sunk and 10 damaged.
With today's figures announced
japanese losses in the Solomons now
total 129 ships sunk, probably sunk
or damaged. The actual known
sinkings total At.
Marines Wine Out Patrols.
IN an carrier commpnique today
tiie navy announced marine patrols
attacking enemy forces on Guadal-
canal have wiped out another AZ
japanese and captured a quantity
OF arms and ammunitip ipn.
An attack by Marines on a patrol
OF 80 Japanese near the upper IJ,npa
river enoed IN killing 35 of the
enemy and capture of some arm,
ana ammunition. In a nother patrol
encounter in the Matanikau River
area, 20 additional japanese were
killed.
Text Of Navy Bulletin.
The text of the cominunioue No
211. follows: e
South Pacific (all dates are east
longitude.
l. On the night of November 30
december l a Japanese force of
troop transports, escorted bv COM
batant fleet units, was intercepted
and engaged by a task force of
United States naval vessels in the
waters north of GuadaltanaI Island.
2. The enemy was interrupted in
his attempt to reinforce and supply
MS troops on the island and no
landing was effected
3. During the night action which
followed, our interception of the
landing force one U. 81 cruiser was
sunk and other U. S. vessels were
damaged
4. The enemy suffered the fol-
lowing losses during the e1.gage.
ment:
'A) Two large de btroyers (or
cruisers) sunk.
b -Four destroyers sank.
Co Two troop TRANSPORTS sunk.
% One cargo ship sunk.
5. Japanese sailors fescued from
life RATS on the following day identi-
ned one OF the er.emy festroyers as
the Takanami.
No list of casualties has, as vet,
been received. The ndxt of kin of
personnel killed, wounded or miss
ing in the above action will be mott.
fled by telegram as soon as informa.
ton is received"