Evening star., 1942-10-10
Jap Destroyer Sunk; 2 Ships Hit;
Nazis Reported in Supreme Bid
For Final Decision at Sta|inqrad
GuuduIcunuIU Units
Of Foe Reinforced
Despite U.S.. Gains

Corps aviators, defending their
gains in the Solomons, sank a
Jap destroyer, shot down seven
Nipponese planes and damaged a
destroyer and cruiser in spirited
action Monday and Tuesday
night, the Navy announced to-
day.
Dive bombers and torpedo planes
from the American airport on Qua
aalcanal attacked six enemy destroy
ers which had been located by
searching planes as they we're at
tempting to assist enemy landing op-
erations at the northwestern end of
Guadalcanal. This brings to a total
of 38 ships sunk or damaged in the
6olomons area and 238 enemy planes
1oWned.
The enemy succeeded in reinforc-
ing his troops on Guadalcanal, site
of the American air base in the Solo,
mons, despite the resistance from
Navy and Marine Corps Air Forces.
Two u. S. Planes Lost.
In the engagement, which lasted
throughout two nights our forces lost
two planes.
Thursday evening, Navy and Ma
rine Corps dive bombers and tor
pedo planes, assisted by fighters,
went after an enemy surface force
northwest of Guadalcanal and in
this engagement damaged cruiser
OF the Kako class as it and five de-
stroyers were covering additional
landing operations at the north
western tip.
The cruiser received one torpedo
hit and was further damaged by
bombs. In this engagement four
enemy seaplanes we're shot down.
Airplane observers who returned to
the scene the following afternoon
reported that the cruiser was still
burning at that time.
Although our forces on Guadal-
canal have been strengthened the
Navy has said in several communi-
Ques that small landings of Jap
anese still are being made by night
along the outposts of the island.
Text of Communique.
The text of the Navy communique
follows:
South Pacific Gall dates East
longitude).
81. During the night of October
SIS. Navy and Marine Corps dive
bombers and torpedo planes from
Guadalcanal attacked six enemy
destroyers which had been located
by our search planes. These ships
nere attempting to assist landing op-
erations at the northwestern end of
the island. One destroyer was sunk
and another damaged.
"2. During the night of October
7-8, the enemy continued to rein
torce his force on Guadalcanal.
''3. During the evening of October
8 Navy and Marine Corps dive
bombers and torpedo planes, as
sisted by fighters, attacked an en-
emy surface force northwest OF
Guadalcanal. This force, containing
one cruiser of the Koko class ano
five destroyers, was covering enemy
landing operations on the north
western tip of the island. The
cruiser received one torpedo hit and
was further damaged by bombs
Four enemy seaplanes were shot
down during the air battle which
followed our attack and two OF our
planes were lost. Airplane observers
reported the cruiser still burning on
the afternoon of October y.
Other Attacks Reported.
80 Additional details have been
received of the co-ordinated attacks
on enemy ship concentrations and
.Jananese bases in the Northwestern
Solomon Islands which were an
nounced in Navy Department COM
munioue No. IA. These attacks or
October S we're executed slmultane-
ously in three phases, namely:
"(A Carrier based planes from
a Pacific task force attacked enemy
ships in the Shorthand Island area
and bombed the airfeld at kleta
previously reported. "CB) Arm!
heavy bombers from the southwest
Pacific attacked japanese bases IN
nearby islands previously reporteO
go Army, Navy and Marine
Corps land-based airport IN the
South Pacific attacked enemy pos.
sessions at Buka Island, Gizo lslano
and Rekata Bay.
AT Buka the parking area was
bombed and several planes were
damaged.
"At Gizo results were not observed
At .Kekata Bay Beach installations
were bombed and two seaplanes were
shot down. One seaplane and
small launch were destroyed on the
water"
Buka is approximately 375 miles
from the Marine-held airport OF
Guadalcanal and Gizo is 215 miles
1t is a flight of lis miles to Rekata