Evening star., 1942-11-28
Jap Task Force Demolished Off GuuduIcunuI
BY Gods Help and Teamwork of All Hands

Guadalcanal. One of 30 which were
shot down crash-dived on the
cruiser San Francisco as announced
by a Navy communique.
That night off Guadalcanal the
Japs sent in their mighty sweeping
force. They were engaged by what
seemed a puny screening force OF
American cruisers and destroyers.
The hopelessly outmatched Amer
ican force waded in. Typical Of that
nights action was the work of the
already damaged cruiser San Fran
cisco. While blowing up a Jap
cruiser, she engaged a destroyer on
the side and sank it. Then she
closed in on a Jap battleship of the
Kongo class, called the Pagoda by
our flyers because Of its superstruc-
ture, and hit it 18 times at 5000
yards.
Other Jap units also were hit.
Dead in Water.
The japanese battleship was OBJ
served next morning dead in the
water. She got under way at seven
knots when seven torpedoes were
rammed through her hull and some
heavy bombs penetrated her deck.
The San Francisco received no vital
damage.
This determined action of our
staunch little cruiser force and de-
stroyers prevented any Smelling OF
Henderson Field that night, thus
enabling aircraft to operate from it
to maintain local air superiority.
The next morning, Friday, No
vember l3, two hours before day.
break, 1t. q. g. Martin D. Car
mody, 25, San Jose, Calf, took off
on search and found the japanese
transports by flying beyond his as
signed area despite the fact that
this endangered his return by low
ering his fuel supply. After making
his report-described by 1t. Hubert
B. Harden, Iowa Falls, Iowa, air op-
eratfons officer, as the most accu-
rate of any aerial report of the war
in the Paciflc-he flew his Douglas
Dauntless back to the Japanese
convoy and his bomb was a near
miss off the stern of one transport.
His group attacked other units,
causing heavy damage to two heavy
cruisers, perhaps sinking one of
them. 1t was raging furnace
when the flyers left.
Led Flyers for Kill.
1t. Carmody returned to his car
rier long overdue and later led at
tacking bombers and strafers in for
the kill.
Planes raked the transports with
murderous fire from guns capable
of driving projectiles through thick
steel plate. Discharged from scream
ing dive bombers the machine gun
bullets can sometimes penetrate
several decks and even pass out
through the hull of a transport
After the first group finished
knocking out the escort opposition
a pilot going in inquired of re-
turning pilot, Did you leave any
opposition?"
"A little but nothing to worry
about"
There isn't any task force there
any more. Just some transports.
I'd say about five good ones left" it
was reported by one of the pilots of
the second group which partici-
pated.
A third attack group was told I'D
suggest you attack the good ones
and dump 'em all. Just pick out
any one and go to it."
Carrier Strength Expended.
Apparently the carrier strength of
the japanese had been expended the
day before when 33 planes attacked
our cruiser screening force and as
they were engaged in protecting
transports. The carriers during this
last action apparently had pulled
out and were streaking for safety.
On the afternoon of the 14th 1t.
Macgregor Fitzpatrick, 26, of South
ampton, N. Y. found and downed"
second KaWanishi which sighted
our attack force. His Wingman,
Ensign William K. Blair, 26, of To-
lCAO, odId IL lOOh dOooC IV oilOto
apiece to drop the four motored job
flaming into the water.
During the night of the 14th one
Japanese transport and three cargo
vessels succeeded in getting to Qua
dalcanal attempting to land about
10 miles from the American Hen
derson field positions.
These four ships were met with
gunfire. A heavily damaged Ameri-
can cruiser limped out of port and
completed the utter devastation of
the japanese transports.
That night to complete the car
mage several of our heaviest units
moved into Guadalcanal and gave
the Japanese a taste of heavy cali
ber gunfire. Marines who watched
the engagement off Guadalcanal
said that todays firing was the
heaviest they had heard