Evening star., 1942-10-07
New Fight Near
As.Japs Land
In Guada|cana|
II Planes Are Begged
And Cruiser Damaged
By U.S.. Defenders
BY the Associated Press

Apparent Japanese despera-
ton to regain-seemingly at any
cost-the Guadalcanal air base,
in the Solomons, from which
they were driven by United
States marines, portended today
a new struggle for control of the
strategic island.
Striving to halt mounting and
costly losses inflicted on their air
and navy strength by American
planes operating from the base, the
Japanese under cover of darkness
have enlarged their Guadalcanal
forces, but at the further expense of
IL planes and a damaged heavy
cruiser.
The landing of enemy reinforce
ments was reported by the Navy yes
terday to have been accomplished
on October and 4. In doing so they
raised their total losses in the two
month -old battle of the Solomons to
230 aircraft destroyed and 30 vessels
sunk or damaged.
Australians Push Ahead.
On another vital front to the west,
an Allied land and air offensive
hourly reduced the Japanese threat
to the important Port Moresby base
on New Guinea's southeast coast.
Pushing northward over mountain
GUS terrain only recently held by the
enemy, Australian troops today held
the mile high gap in the Owen
Stanley range.
Australian advance forces were
still on the offensive, pushing on
toward the downslope to the Jap
anese base at Kokoda across the
mountains from Port Moresby.
The chance of a Japanese stand
in the high ridges seemed hourly
more remote as dispatches from the
inland New Guinea battlefront re-
ported the Australians continuing
their cautious, steady advance on the
trail of the japanese who once
pushed within 80 miles air line of
Port Moresby before being out
flanked and hurled back.
BY yesterday the Australians were
moving up the last mountain grade
north of Kagi within 4 miles of
the gap through the highest ridges.
A report to the Melbourne Herald
estimated that by early today they
had pushed through within miles
of the end of the pass-headed for
the downslope, still without resist
ance.
The Australian advance toward
the enemys main positions in New
Guinea was accompanied by Allied
bombing of Japanese airfields in
BUN and Buka in the northern
Solomons. Medium bombers blasted
Buka's runways, dispersal bays,
buildings and anti-aircraft positions,
causing fires and explosions.
New Attack Appears Near.
A fresh Japanese effort to recap
ture the Guadalcanal air base. from
which the American air attacks
stem, appeared imminent as the
enemy's efforts to reinforce their
scattered detachments on the island
continued.
The Nipponese cruiser, accom-
panied by force of destroyers en-
gagged in landing operations, was
spotted by Navy and Marine Corps
dive-bombers. At least one hit
was scored on the vessel, the Navy
reported, and while one United
States plane was downed, the crew
was saved.
A force of Navy and Marine tor
pedo planes renewed the attack at
daybreak, found the cruiser still
smoking from the earlier bombing
and drove in two torpedos. Mean
while, American pursuit planes
bombed and strafed enemy troops
and supply dumps on Guadalcanal.
Nine Zero fighter planes of force
OF 80 accompanying small group
OF Japanese bombers on an at
tempted raid against United States
Guadalcanal installations were
downed by seven Navy Wildcat
bombers. Anti-aircraft batteries ac-
counted for two more. One Amer
ican plane was lost, but the pilot
was saved as the defenders turned
the enemy bombers back without an
explosive being dropped.
Risking of the larger ships in
stead of the usual barges and small
er craft to land japanese reinforce
ments indicated to naval men that
the enemy may have materially
strengthened his island units for an
effort to retake the air base which
not only dominates the Australian
American life line but also serves as
a base for Allied operations against
Nipponese positions for miles around.
Enemy Dead Found.
The Australian advance forces
moving into the Owen Stanley
Mountains in the wake of steadily
Withdrawing Japanese were report
ed to have found a number of enemy
dead whose bodies bore no gunfire
wounds.
1t was believed that they died
either from illness or starvation
after being cut off by the Allied
advance, which now Is in its 10th
day.
There was no indication that the
entire Japanese forces in the area
were suffering from illness, how
ever, and the success Of their with
drawal was interpreted to mean that
while they might be on reduced ra-
tions they still are able to move in
fair order.