Evening star., 1942-09-29
Jops Pressed Back
By Ground Attack
In New Guinea
Ry the Associated Press.


appeared definitely under way
in the far-fung Pacific war the
alter today, causing the japanese
invaders to fall back in New
Guinea and inflictine heavy
losses on enemy planes and
troops in the Solomon and Aleu-
tian Islands.
The unleashing of Allied air and
ground power on two of the three
strategic Pacific fronts conceded
with announcement of a conference
of the United States Navy and
air forces high command some
where at sea- The attacks brought
destruction of 40 japanese planes
in the Solomons and Aleutians and
damage to five ships in four days
of raids.
Japs Hammered in, New Guinea.
Taking the offensive for the first
time on New Guinea, Gen. Douglas
MacArthur's ground forces ham,
mered back japanese troops in the
Owen Stanley Mountains with an
infiltrating and outflanking attack
about 80 miles north of the impor-
tant Allied base at Port Moresby.
Gen. MacArthur's Australian
headquarters announced last night
the attacking forces were making
progress" for the first time since
the invaders landed at Coma mis-
sion July 81 and began pushing
through the heavy, crocodile
infested jungles toward Port Mo-
resby, which, If captured, could
serve as springboard for an as
sault on Australia.
Meanwhile Allied air forces con-
tinued savage pounding of the jap
anese bases and supply lines in New
Guinea. These persistent attacks,
an Army spokesman observed, may
have stopped the invaders progress
by smashing vital supply lines.
The aerial assaults on Buna, the
enemy's main outheastern New
Guinea base, set supply dumps and
huts ablaze. Barges were destroyed
by bombs and supply columns
strafed. Airdrome dispersal areas, a
destroyer and a transport ship were
bombed of BUN on Bougainville
Island, in the northern Solomons,
with unobserved results.
Barbados Erected.
The immediate objective of the
land offensive apparently was the
Japanese position near the native
village OF Ioribaiwa. The japanese
had halted temporarily on the
1oribaiwa Ridge. on the Port Mo-
resby side of the mountains, and
had erected barricades on both sides
OF the trail leading through the
mountains. a spokesman at Gen
MacArthur's headquarters said.
The japanese had given indica-
tions OF adopting defensive atti-
tude there, he said. They had felled
trees to barricade the trail and set
up trip wires to warn them of ap-
preaching enemy. At some points
the spokesman said, they were ex-
tremely well dug in. indicating that
their forward momentum toward
Port Moresby had been checked.
Allied patrols found camouhageo
trenches from which Japanese ma
chine gunners co''ld place a cross
f1re on advancing Allied troops. Usu-
ally these small trenches were placed
under trees to give the japanese
cover.
The spokesman said it was posi-
bic the continuous air attacks or
Japanese supply lines forced the
enemy to halt on the ridge because
OF the difficulty Of bringing up sup.
plies.
AZ Planes Shot Down.
The greatest blow to the Nippon.
ese air forces during the activit.
commencing September Is was
struck in the Solomons, where 4:
planes were shot down and three
others damaged, the Navy Depart.
ment said. Navy and Marine Corp.
fighters bombed four ships, settins
a cruiser afire and probably sinkins
transport and, ruined Japanese
gun emplacements.
Without loss of single United
(see PACIFIC, Page A-l2J