Evening star., 1942-02-18
American Flyers
Fell 4Cruft in
Airport Attack
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BATAVIA, Netherlands Indies,
Feb. 18.-Amefican fighter planes
and bombers aiding in the all
important battle for the Neither
lands Indies have struck dam
aging blows at Japanese aircraft
and invasion forces in Southern
Sumatra, the Allied Southwest
Pacific command announced to-
day.
Indies defense forces, meanwhile
brought down five enemy bombers
out of force of 81 planes which at
tackled the vital United Nations
naval base at Soerabaja in two waves
this morning. The news agency
Aneta reported the raid did little
damage to the base and caused only
a few casualties. The alarm LASTED
an hour and three-quarters
A squadron of United States
fighters was credited with bringing
down four Japanese planes without
loss to themselves in an attack on ar
enemy-held airdrome, presumably In
the area around the Dutch destroyed
oil center of Palembang, which lies
only 270 miles northwest of the
Indies capital of Batavia.
Dutch bombers, which the Ameri-
can planes apparently were protect
ing, shot down two more japanese
the communique reported.
Japs Shipping Raided.
In raids on Japanese shipping ar
American-Dutch bomber force was
said to have sunk one large trans
port, scored hits on two others and
rained destruction on fleet oi
troop-laden bargeS.
In Washington the War De-
partment reported today that
American flying fortresses, op-
Grating in the Indies, probably
sank two transports and de-
stroyed two enemy barges in an
attack on japanese ships of
Bengka Island, between Sumatra
and Borneo. No damage was suf-
fered by the American planeso
The report of the air battle
of Bangka Island was the first
in some time that the War De-
partment has received from
Army bombers operating with
the Allied NationsJ
This latter report appeared to
arnplify yesterdays communique
from the Dutch high command,
in which Dutch bombers were
credited with one direct hit on a
transport and a probable hit and
a near-misS on another.
While japanese assault on the
stronghold Island of Java was ex-
pected momentarily, an enemy
bombing plane struck far to the
east of this Indies nerve center in
a raid on Koepang, chief city OF
the Dutch portion of the Island OF
Timor.
Timor lies slightly north and
west of the important Australian
base of Darwin. Three persons
were slightly injured in the latest
raid, which followed reports yester-
day of attacks on shipping in the
Tmor Sea by a large number OF
enemy planes.
Today's communique from the In
dies high command, issued through
Aneta, announced that defense
forces still were offering resistance
to the Japanese invaders in un-
specified sections of Borneo, but
acknowledged that on the Minahas-
sa Peninsula in Northeast Celebes
fighting has almost come to an
end"
The first official acknowledgment
of the japanese occupation of Ma
CAESAR, chief port on the south
western arm of Celebes and 49(
miles northeast of Soerabaja, came
in a special broadcast communique
citing a war correspondent at
tached to the War Department."
His report said the defenders "oc-
cupied new positions after their
withdrawal from Macassar,' and
then undertook reconnaissance and
(See INDIES, Page A-4D