Evening star., 1942-08-13
Allies Achieve Air Superiority as Marines Entrench
To Break Hold of japanese in Solomon Islands
Continued From First Page.

which one ship has been sunk and
two others, including a destroyer
have been damaged in two previous
attacks.
The Navy communique on the
Solomon action said there was sub
stantial evidence that the japanese
since invading the island in jan
uary had base we'll under way in
the Tulagi area.
This presumably was at Tulagi
Harbor. A ma jor enemy installation
there would constitute direct
threat to Australia and islands
guarding the United States-Aus-
tralian supply line.
Guadalcanal Largest.
With the hurricane free. 100-foot
deep harbor in Allied hands, it could
play a big part in the newly gen.
Grated offensive to throw the Jap
anese out of the Southwest Pacific
islands.
Tulagi is 2-mile-long island in
the Florida group. Florida itself
lies between Guadalcanal on the
southwest and Malaita on the north
west.
\ Guadalcanal where the Japanese
established one of their main air
bases in the islands, is the largest of
the SolomonS. Dense tropical jun
giles cover most of its face except
40-mile stretch on the northeast
coast where there is open, undalat-
ing country 10 miles wide. 1t was
thoro ~, ilf,oo Row thot tbc pneyoy
set up base.
Up and down this island rise ex-
tremely steep and rugged mountains
towering up to 5000 feet It is 80
miles long and 80 miles wide
Florida is 25 miles long, rising to
an elevation of $500 feet Like most
others in the Tulagi area it has no
roads for wheeled traffic and only
few trails.
Melbourne Has Alert.
1t was announced at Gen. Mac
Arthur's headquarters in Australia
today that Melbourne had an air.
raid alert last night, but no enemy
planes were sighted.
In the Papuan Peninsula of New
Guinea, where quiet prevailed, it
was disclosed that American Aira-
cobras were used as dive -bombers
for the first time in the South
west Pacific last Sunday during a
blg-scale Allied raid on japanese DO
sitions at Kokoda, go miles across the
Owen Stanley range from Allied
held Port Moresby.
The swift fighters unloaded me-
dunn bombs on the enemy during
6O-degree angle dives and then re-
turned to strafe them in effectively
supporting Allied ground operations
1t was reported.
The bombing and strafing silenced
machinegun nests and DESTROYED a
house, while Australian mountain
forces under the direction of a local
commander, were cleverly out
maneuvering the japanese on the
ground.
Operations against the Japanese
In the Kokoda area began Friday,
the same day American forces chal-
lenged the invaders in the Solomons,
In the opening skirmish eight Japa-
nese were killed and is wounded.
and one Australian was wounded.
japanese Drawn Out.
On Sunday, the Australians made
thrusts with three groups of their
skirmishers who drew out the Japa-
nese and then stepped In behind
them, cutting them off from rein
forcements from Buna on the coast.
1t was then that the Airacobras went
into action and the Japanese were
forced out OF the village. At least
IS Japanese we're killed and many
were wounded.
The Australians land attack be-
gan when one force was sent through
the jungle to the rear to cut off the
Japanese retreat.
In sharp clash this force fell on
colunn moving up to reinforce the
forward Japanese and 20 or Is of
the enemy were killed and many
war trophies seized.
The second Australian force then
attacked Kokoda from the front.
After relieving an Australian patrol
that had been trapped in the bush,
this force advanced from tree to
tree through the rubber plantations,
moving ahead only a few yards at a
time, and gaining but 1000 yards in
six hours. The men eventually
reached the enemy's defense posi-
tions and then retired on order.
Meanwhile the third Australian
force had also moved in behind to
form double road block, and when
the Japanese advanced out of Ko-
koda to attack the force in front of
them the Australians in their rear
moved into the village without firing
shot.
Text Of Communique.
The Navy's communioue said
81. Operations in the Solomons are
still in progress.
%. 1t has been confirmed that
the United States Marines have
landed as scheduled on three is
lands in the vicinity of Tulagi. The
Marines are engaged in consolidat-
ing their positions. Supporting
naval forces have been engaged in
bitter fighting, details of which are
not yet available United States
Army and Australian aircraft are
continuing attacks on enemy land
ing fields and shore based aircraft.
"3. There is substantial evidence
that the japanese had planned and
had we'll under way the development
of an enemy base in the Tulagi area
4. Until more details are avail
able it is impossible to elaborate
further on these operations. All
available communication facilities
are overtaxed by urgent messages
concerning operations.