Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-03
U. 5. Flyers Describe
Flying Forts Attack
On japanese Convoy
3 Waves of Bombers
Reach Ships Off Buno
In AII-Doy Bottle
By MURLIN SPENCER,


SOMEWHERE IN NEW GUINEA.
Nov. 2 Delayed "A Japanese con-
voy headed for New Guinea was
forced to turn back today by Flying
Fortresses and B-25s. which at
tackled in the face OF, intense anti
aircraft fire and enemy aerial re-
sistance.
CThe repulse of the japanese
convoy off Buna was reported in
a comnunique from Gen. Mac
Arthur's headquarters, which
said 1000 japanese soldiers
aboard the ships had been in
tended to reinforce the enemys
New Guinea positions)
Mai. William G. Benn of Wash
lngton, Pa, said one large transport
was damaged and another possibly
damaged by the hard hitting
bombers. Five japanese Zero fight
ers which tried to intercept the at
tack were knocked out of the sky.
Three waves of bombers went
after the convoy, which was guarded
by warships. The attacks started at
dawn and continued until night.
Each wave ran into Zeros which paid
heavily Tor their efforts to protect
the heavily loaded ships.
.. Five Zeros Shot Down.
The first wave included Mai.
Benn, Capt. Scott of Houandale,
Miss; Capt. F. w. Freen of San
Antonio. Tex: 1t. Robert w. Schleh
of Omaha, Nebr: 1t. James G. De
Wolf of Kearney, Nebr: Capt Carl
H. Mustad of Minneapolis; 1t, Lewis
Anderson Of Newark, N. j.: 1t. Will
liam p Thompson, jr., of Canton
Ohio; 1t. John Blaine of Miami,
Fla: 1t Hoover of Atlas, Okla: 1t.
E. H. Sedwick of Coleman, Tex:
1t. w. K. Fox of Eufaula, Okla, and
It. P. F. Owens of Fulton. N. Y.
The last wave over the target just
before dark included Capt. M. T.
Mckenzie of st. Johnsbury. vt;
1t. j. c.. Parkinson of Baltimore,
Md, and Capt. B. M. zubko of
Kearny, N. j.
1T was a good day for us because
1t was daylight action and We we're
able to see what We were doing, :"
said Maj. Bonn, who rode in Capt.
SCOTS plane.
There were nine Zeros there and
four when we left. Five were shot
down"
1t. De Wolf said:
The ships were big ones-about
10000 to 10000 tons each. We blew
of the rudder of one ship and she
stopped completely.
Flyers 18th Mission.
THE Japs were doing some firing
with ack-ack guns and Zeros dived
through their own ack-ack to take
a crack at US. We had to dive
through ack-ack, keep our eyes on
the Japs and drop our bombs at
the same time.
I'm breathing sigh of relief
now because it was my 18th mission
and I'm glad to get over the hoop"
. 1t, Anderson's plane was credited
with bagging one Zero and Capt.
SCOTS ship two. g
IL was the nrSt encounter with
Zeros for 1t. Anderson's crew, al
though it had been on nearly a
dozen missions.
Technical Sergt. v. w. Zekas of
Wilkes Barre. Pa, top turrent gun
ner OF 1t. Anderson's plane, said he
and 1t. Fox, the navigator, both
turned guns on the Zero they bagged
as it made frontal attack.
81 was pretty shaky the first min
ute" Sergt. Zekas said, but after
the guns started chattering settled
down. Zeros we're hiding in the
clouds. One peeked out minute to
take a look and ducked back in
Then zeros fell out of the clouds
like rain.
The one We got seemed to blow up
around the cockpit as the bullets hn
him
Sergt. v. r. Kaylor of Hickory,
N. c., tail gunner. climbed from the
bomber and looked closely at hole
blasted through the tail of the ship
just behind his seat.