Evening star., 1942-03-12
japanese Admit Heavy Losses
In Air Attacks Off New Guinea;
Aussies Gain ime for Defense
Toxic Acknowledges
Three Worships
Were Damaged
BY The Associated Press.

CAN6ERRA, AUSTRALIA, Mdren
12.-Two days of violent air at
tack, which Uttered the Japa-
nese-won beach heads Of New
Guinea with the wreckage OF an
invasion armada and battered
potential Japanese bases, gave
direly threatened Australia val
liable hours today to muster
fighting power for a stand on
her own shores.
Japan's first spearhead appar-
entity was blunted by the fierce aerial
blows yesterday at hangers and run
ways of Salamaua and Lac. fol-
lowing up the aerial onslaught the
day before which sank, burned or
beached at least seven ships and
brought to at least 13 the number Of
japanese transports put out of &C
ton of New Guinea and New
Britain.
GA Japanese imperial head
quarters announcement acknowl-
edged that three of its warships
were damaged and six other YES
sells we're sunk or grounded in
the Tuesday landing operations at
Lac and Salamaua.
(The TOXIC announcement said
a cruiser, two destroyers and
three "requisitioned ships
probably captured vessels taken
over by the Japanese Navy
were damaged slightly, and
military transport and two other
"reouisitioned" ships were sunk
or beached)
No Word Of New Action.
There was, however, no word OF
new action today to indicate the
next turn Of the fight, nor any
further news of second strong
japanese convoy last reported head
ed for Port Moresby. capital Of New
Guinea only 300 miles from the
Australian mainland.
The blows by the r. A. A. F. dol
stored by big United States bomb
ers) were believed to have seriously
dislocated the japanese invasion
timetable.
One spokesman declared that the
Japanese would take an even harder
pounding as they came further into
effective range Of fighters and bomb
ers based in Northern Australia.
He said that the attacks yester-
day and the day before. when seven
japanese ships we're officially rec
orded as put out of action, were
only a beginning. The Australians
said two more ships were believed
damaged in the Tuesday attacks.
"a United States announce
SO nent yesterday logged the seven
japanese ships to the credit of
American air forces in Australia
and military sources in Wash
ington predicted American action
would focus in heavy bomber at
tacks on japanese armadas near
the approaches to Australia.
(Ihe Army said yesterday that
eight heavy United States bomb
ers smashed at Japanese ships
Tuesday in the New Guinea har-
Dor of Salamaua, dropping 18
tons of bombs which left two
vessels sinking, four burning and
another stranded. The Ameri-
can forces returned intactD
Moresby Raided Again.
Apparently as advance aerial ar
tillery trying to soften up Port
Moresby for the ships supposedly
approaching 1t. Japanese bombers
again attacked it in daylight yes
terday. The Australians. however,
said the raiders were kept high by
anti-aircraft fire and there were
no casualties.
In further r. A. A. F. raids on
Japanese landing areas yesterday,
a communique said. airdromes at
Lac and Salamaua were the chief
targets and buildings were de-
stroyed along with runways plas-
tered with holes.
All r. A. A. F. planes returned,
It said. although Japanese fighters
tried to intercept them. One jap
anese fighter was shot down.
(The Australian radio, heard
by c. B. S., said Melbourne had
"a realistic daylight air raid test"
this morning in which streets
were cleared, shelters filled and
air raid wardens and fire
watchers manned their posts.
The test lasted IS minutes
The government created direc-
torate Of defense foodstuff in a
move to control the production and
supply Of food to Australian and
Allied forces here and the export