The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-10-22

kucn U. S. Sufface vessels SneIleQ enemy positions on the northwest coast Of Guadalcanal Island, SCOT ing hits on ammunition dumps. There was no indication that the OBrien or Meredith were involved in the action. They may have been conveying supplies and reinforce tnents from the south.
 Naval quarters warned that the loss of the American destroyers did not imply that the American fleet has begun extensive action in the Solomons. In fact, they said, Amer lean flyers at present are bearing about 90 per cent of the fighting burden there.
 Y The Navy's communique last night mentioned for the first time enemy warships in waters south of Guadalcanal. It did not elaborate, merely stating: Small units (of the enemy fieet) have been located and attacked in the southern Solomons." It was believed that those attacks were made by American aircraft.
 Patrol planes presumably are con- tinuing to search out such units since they would be a menace to Guadalcanal's supply line to bases in the New Hebrides and New Cal- edonia to the south.
 Contrary to persistent Axis radio reports of big battle raging on Guadalcanal. the Navy said there has been little recent troop activity on Guadalcanal and our aircraft are continuing to bomb the enemy positions" Tn fact there has been no offensive land action reported since October IS (Solomons time) when the last Japanese troop land- ing was made.
 Air Activity Goes On
 But there has been no lessening of intensity of air activity. For the fifth consecutive day American planes raided Japanese troop and supply concentrations on Guadal- canal in an effort to prevent the enemy from organizing for an eX- pected assault.
 North of the Solomons, General Douglas MacArthur's heavy bombers staged another shattering raid on Rabaul, important Japanese base on New Britain Island from which the enemy has been supplying forces en- gagged in the Solomon Islands battle. MacArthurs bombers battered Ra- baul in four raids last week when the Japanese were preparing for their counter r-attack on American forces at Guadalcanal.
 At Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Lieu tenant Colonel Richard c. Mangrum commander of a Marine dive bomber squadron at Guadalcanal, expressed confidence that U. s. korces would hold. He said the Jap- Mnese were losing "lots." The cur- rent fighting started before he left Gnadalcanal.
 Air Battles Daily
 The air battles over Guadalcana! airfleld-daily occurrences for more than c week-continue with the en- eniy getting the worst of them. The first of the latest two raids reported last night came during the early part of Monday afternoon. Two Zero fighters were shot dwon. The Americans lost one Grumman sWildcat" fighter.
 The second attack, during Tues day morning, cost the Japanese two DsInbers and seven Zero" fighters. TWo American fighters were lost in this engagement. Tn this raid the sJapanese tried to "mousetrap" the defenders--a trick they have used before in this war. They sent ap- proxinately 30 Zero fighters over Henderson field about an hour be- fore the bomberS arrived. apparent NV tN draw ups the fighter defense SO ti,s heavier craft coculd do their work unmolested. The Navys an- nouncement did not say whether the ruse worked but naval officers here said that our airmen were s'wise" to such tricks.
 A Japanese seaplane also was de- Rtroyed on Monday, raising to 12 the two. day bag of enemy planes. Japanese aircraft destroyed since the start of the Solomons' campaign last August now total 352.
 The damaged Japanese destroyer reported by the Navy was one of three similar craft attacked by Douglas Dauntless dive bombers vest of Guadalcanal last Monday. Et was in that engagement that the @nefny seaplane was shot down.
 Enemy Cruiser Damaged
 The enemy cruiser was damaged sate that night by naval aircraft. rSsssc,aIe said they believed 1t was