Evening star., 1942-10-30
Destroyer Hit, Z Enemy Tanks
Are Wiped Outon GuodoIconoI
Reds Halt Nozis at StoIingrod
Enemy Still Pouring
Troops on Island,
Navy DiscIoses
~ the Associated PrAs9.

The Navy announced today
that American troops on Guadal-
canal had destroyed IL Japanese
light tanks in the last week and
that in the last two days tor
pedo boats had scored a torpedo
hit on a japanese destroyer
which was engaged in reinforc-
Ing enemy troops on the island.
A communique on the Solomon
Islands activity said land fighting
on Guadalcanal in the last two days
had been confined to small skir-
mishes but American aircraft were
continuing to bomb and strafe en-
emy positions west of the airfield
In the late afternoon of October
28 dsland time) American fighter
planes destroyed two enemy sea-
planes at Rekata Bay On the morn
Ing of October % enemy bombers
attacked the American positions on
Guadalcanal but all their bombs
dropped in the water, the Navy
said, and no damage resulted.
Today's was the second report by
the Navy of torpedo boat action in
the Solomons battle, torpedo boat
attack during the night of October
14-15 being credited with a probable
hit on a Japanese cruiser.
Tank Toll Raised to II.
The IL tanks mentioned brought
to II the number of such enemy
armored weapons destroyed in re-
cent severe fighting on Guadalcanal
Five were destroyed by Army and
marine troops and artillery the
night of October %, when a Japa-
nese made four unsuccessful at
tempts to penetrate the west line
of the American forces.
Today's communique did not re-
port details Of the action in which
the II tanks were destroyed, but
naval quarters in Washington
thought it likely the tanks were
used in two recent assaults in which
the Japanese have succeeded in
piercing the American lines. In both
cases, counterattacks succeeded
almost Immediately in throwing
back the enemy and restoring the
original American positions.
A terrific Jap naval onslaught in
the Solomons area was expected to
break shortly against admittedly in
ferior numbers of United States
warships, but, meanwhile, Allied
airpower lashed out at enemy YES
sells, planes, troops and installations
over the wide battle front.
Jap Emplacements Hit.
The Navy reported yesterday that
the marines and Army troops on
Guadalcanal broke up three addi-
tional japanese assaults Wednesday.
The airfield defenders were thrown
back by one heavy attack but coun-
tered quickly and regained their
positions.
Importance of the airfield, cap
tured by the marines early in Au-
gust and desperately sought by the
Japanese since, has been evidenced
by the almost daily American aerial
attacks on nearby enemy bases.
The latest air bombardment an
nounced by the Navy struck Japa-
nese gun emplacements on Western
Guadalcanal, destroying an anti
aircraft battery and an ammunition
dump.
At the Japanese base in Rekata
Bay, in the Central Solomons, the
American planes set shore installa-
tions aflame and destroyed four sea-
planes, boosting the japanese plane
toll to Alb since the campaign
started.
Enemy Shipping Blasted.
Allied aircraft under Gen. Douglas
MacArthur's Australian command
continued to blast at enemy shipping
in the Solomons. Flying Fortresses
straddle- bombed five unidentified
vessels at the japanese naval base at
BUN, at the southern tip of Bou-
gainville Island, causing heavy
explosion on one ship.
simultaneously. Australian troops
were reported by Gen. Macarthur
to be hurting the japanese back in
New Guinea. A bayonet charge
yesterday resulted in capture of 20
prisoners and helped keep the Allied
advance unchecked.