Evening star., 1942-10-24
Jap Vessels Massed
In RabauI Harbor
Made Easy Targets
Americans Bock From
Raid Tell Of Blasting
Ten Enemy Craft
BY DEAN SCHEDLER,

SOMEWHERE IN NEW GUM
EA, Oct. % (Delayed).-Just
back from a raid on Japanese
held Rabaul Harbor, in which 10
enemy ships were sunk or dam
aged, enthusiastic United States
airmen reported today that con-
centrated japanese vessels made
excellent targets for their bombs.
The leaders of the two bombing
units. Maj. William Benn of Wash
ington and Maj. Allen Lindberg of
Westfield, N. j., both agreed that the
bombs were ringing the bell with
grand consistency.
Maj. Lindberg's plane was the first
to slice in over the crescent-shaped
harbor of New Britain's key port,
dropping several bombs from low
level on two ships lying side by side.
One string hit transport and
started fires which were burning
briskly when the following Flying
Fortresses made their runs.
Anti-Aircraft Fire Heavy.
1t. David Turner of Flagstaff,
Ariz,, Maj. Lindberg's bombardier
said the flight to Rabaul was beset
by bad weather but the clouds broke
and the moon bes1ned through
brightly just as the raiders were ap-
preaching the mouth Of the harbor
The enemy threw up plenty of
ground fire, 1t. Turner said. but not
always hitting, although We were
bounded around"
I'VE set several bombs for one
ship and the rest for the other"
he said. Our first string was near
misses but the second hit, the bombs
making a huge fash and the YES
sci starting to burn Immediately.
The flames from this burning ship
outlined nearby ships for 1t.
Charles Macarthur of Fayetteville,
N. c., when he came over in the
second bomber, but he was unable
to observe results.
Planes Skim Masts.
The bulk of the direct hits were
credited to Maj. Benn's second at
tacking group which sowed its ex-
plosives from mast height into the
anchored ships while searchlights
swept the sky above them in a
frantic effort to spot them for the
guns
Maj Benn had been over Rabaul
on raids before and he described
this raid as topping the recent
devastating attack on the town of
Rabaul itself.
He said the effectiveness of the
United States air forces in this
theater is increasing because so
many of the men now are veterans
of previous attacks and may be re-
earded as first string" raiders.
Mai Benn rode a plane piloted
by Capt. FRANKLIN Green of San
Antonio, Tex, and was followed by
planes operated by Capt. KerHeth
McCullar, Batesville, Miss; Capt.
Carl Hustad, Minneapolis; 1t. Will
liam Thompson. Canton, Ohio: 1t.
James De Wolfe. Kearney, Nebr.;
1t w. r. Gowdy, Chicago: It.,
Charles -Downer, Alhambra, Calf.
Hit Everything in Sight.
Capt. Green's ship. operating as
the Anderson Co." hit everything
in sight, stopping only when the
bombs ran out. 1t. c. L. Anderson
of Portland, Greg, is Capt Green's
co-pilot and 1t. David Anderson OF
Newton, Miss, is his bombardier,
thus the planes nickname The
Andersons are not related but they
think they have lucky combina-
ton and their shooting on this raid
gave substance to their feeling.
After warming IN on large
merchantmen. 1t Anderson gave
Capt. Green the okay for low level
work ano the big craft nosed down
through the searchlights to a level
OF only few hundred feet. The
bombarGler let loose on a cruiser
and as the explosive struck water
shot almost as high as the plane.
The warship came to dead halt
and started listing while oil poured
from her side where 500-pound
bombs had ripped through her
arn1or.
Bomb Starts Fireworks.
Bombardier Anderson said the
most spectacular part of the show
was two direct hits on large trans
port or cargo snip
AS The first bomb hit there were
at least eight separate. terrific ex-
ploslons aboard her. I could not
tell whether they were caused by
fuel, ammunition or other inflam-
able cargo but the fareups lighted
the entire harbol.
I've never seen anything like the
fireworks from that one ship. When
we were so miles from the harbor
she still was a roaring inferno
1t. Robert Butler of ST. Paul
N. c., bombardiel for Capt. Nc
Cullar made short work of Japa-
nese destroyer, scoring two direct
hits fnat left el,