Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-05-04
Jdps Pay Dearly
For Land dndAir
Gains in. Burma
Paris Radio Reports
Violent Nipponese Drive
Against Port Moresby

vance IN Burma To-Day, out theli
gains were costly and their air
superiority was seriously chal-
lenged by American fllers
From their hidden base in
India. United States Army Air
Corps .liers, plotting powerful
American flying fortress bombers,
blasted the Jap-held port Of Ran
coon for the fourth time, COM
munique from New Delhi re-
vealed. Huge fires were started
in the harbor area.
The bombing OF RanGoon fol-
lowed an attack by American Vol
unteer Group fiers ard Chinese
pilots against Lashio. southern
terminus of the Burma road which
fell 20 the JapS last week.
NEAR CHINA BORDER
Although the advanced spear
head of the invaders in Burma
reached 10 within 20 miles of the
border of Free China at one point.
the japanese were laying them
selves open TO successful counter
action by United Nations filters
and Chinese troops under COM
mand of American Lieut.. Gen.
Joseph Stilwell.
During the Lashio bombing
the airdrome. which formerly was
an AVG base, was blasted. Bar
rack buildings were set on fire
and q large fuel storage dump
blown up.
American filters in the south
west Pacific scored direct hit
on a Japanese transport at Rabaul.
New Britain. and successfully
warded of new Japanese assault
on the United Nations base at
Port Moresby, New Guinea.
AIR FIGHTING EXTENDED
In his communique revealing
that three enemy bombers and one
fighter plane had been shot down
over Port Moresby. Gen. Douglas
Macarthur said aerial warfare be-
tween the United Nations forces
and the japanese had extended
from New Guinea to the Solomon
Islands.
Omitted Press in q dispatch
from Australia said a new Japa-
nese thrust into the Markham
valley Of New Guinea and in
tensified aerial warfare In the
New Guinea rome were believed
to foreshadow an early test OF
strength between Japanese in
vaders and allied defenders.
VIOLENT OFFENSIVE
(The Cerman-controlled Paris
radio. according to another UP
dispatch from London. reported
the japanese had launched
violent offensive" against Port
Moresby.
CThe UP report from Aus
tralia said the japanese had
moved back into the Nadzab
area, IS miles inland from Lac
on the north New Guinea coast,
and that another enemy force
had marched Is miles southwark
from Salamaua.)
The successes by the United
Nations fliers In the islands above
Australia were made with the as
sistance of American cannon
carrying fighter planes.
The latest attack on the harbor
Of Rabaul followed a similar ac-
ton the day before against Japa-
nese shipping.
At that time a direct hit was
scored on a Jap transport and
another was damaged Two enemy
fighter planes were destroyed.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic,
the Royal Air Force pounded the
vital port Of Hamburg.
Anti-aircraft batteries at the
French naval base of Toulon and
the port of Marseilles were re-
ported to have fired on unidenti-
fled planes over those cities, Word
reaching vichy said no bombs
were dropped.
Toulon Is the base where the
main part of the French fleet, in
cluding the battleship Dunkerque,
Is tied up.
CATHEDRAL CITY BOMBED
The German luftwsffe. in repri.
sal for Raj attacks on German
cities. b m b d and machine.
Rs1nned the cathedral city OF
Exeter IN Southwestern England
waves of 80 NaZi bombers anc
dive bombers rained explosives
and incendiary bombs on the city
All three of the German war
ships that ran the English Chan
rel In February have been SC
crippled that they are still out o.
action. II was revealed in London
In Russia the Red army reported
heavy fighting in progress on Tn,
Leningrad front More than ZOO
Germans were said 10 have beer
Killed In q three-day battle.
a German radio announcement
acknowledged that Russian motor
lied regiments had cut through IN
go A~~L ~ Nazi forces in n