Evening star., 1942-11-21
New j. ). Drive
In So|omons
Appears Near
Grip on GuodoIconoI
Secure Offensive on
Other Islands Seen
By the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
An American drive to wipe out
remaining Japanese bases in the
Solomon Islands appeared near
today as terrific destruction of
enemy troops and ships seemed
to clinch the United States hold
on Guadalcanal.
Announcing for the first time that
the American grip on the priced
island and its strategic airbase is
now very secure" Secretary of the
Navy Knox reported yesterday that
half OF force of $500 Japs landed
on Guadalcanal had been slaugh-
tered and the rest routed.
Possibility of duplication in the
Navys reports of enemy ships lost
in the great American sea victory of
last week also was dispelled by Sec
retary Knox, who declared % Japa-
nese vessels had been sunk. These
comprised a battleship, another bat
tleshlp or heavy cruiser, heavy
cruisers, 2 light cruisers, 6 destroyers
and II transports and cargo ships.
Ten more were damaged
50 U. S. Combat Ships Lost.
The reported American losses of
two light cruisers and six destroyers
In the same battle brought the Ma
tlon's total of destroyed vessels in
the Pacific war to so combat and
As non-combat ships since Pearl
Harbor.
Official announcements of the
Navy and Allied headquarters boost
ed the total Japanese losses to 126
combat and 246 non-combat ships.
Meanwhile. the first American
naval officer to return to Pearl Har-
Dor since the defeat of the japanese
armada estimates that the foes at
tempts to recapture Guadalcanal
had cost the lives of perhaps 10000
Japs on the island alone. From
10000 to 10000 more were believed
killed in the sinking of eight loaded
enemy transports.
Declaring that the marines, SOL
diers and sailors felt that they had
been through everything and have
taken everything the Japs could
Offer 1t. De Witt Peterkin, %,
added at Pearl Harbor last night:
They're optimistic and already
are talking about the next move
westward"
Japs Fighting Savagely.
In New Guinea. westward of the
Solomons. the Japanese fought saw
agely to forestall what seemed to be
imminent. disaster. The fiercest
fighting of the campaign raeed in
the Buna Coma areas where Ameri-
can and Australian troops had
pinned the invaders back against
the northeastern coast.
One United States force was with
IN a mile OF Buna and engaged
heavy fighting and another was at
tempting to wrest landing field on
the outskirts of the village from
the defending japanese. This Sec
ond unit reported that it had met
heavy machine-gun fire within 500
yards of the field.
The Japanese increased their
aerial activity, Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthur's, Allied headquarters re-
ported today (Australian time) and
lashed back at the advancing Allies
with light artillery, mortars and
machine guns.
In the absence of more important
nearby targets, Army bombers from
the Guadalcanal airport attacked
cargo vessels in the BUN area at the
southeastern end of Bougainville
Island November 18, the Navy an
nounced and shot down IA enemy
planes during the attack. No Amer
lcan losses were reported.
Called every Significant"
Describing the Staying or routing
OF 800 Japanese on the island as
very significant" Secretary Knox
told a press conference that the
Americans now outnumber the en-
emy on Guadalcanal.
He declared that the Japanese
"can bring in more reinforcements
and fight their way, but so far they
have been unable to do it."
The Secretary disclosed that two
American battleships had partici-
pated in last Saturday nights bat
tie in which three large Japanese
cruisers, destroyer and either a
battleship or heavy cruiser were
sunk.
"All told,' he added, "the Japa-
nese fleet has been pretty badly
;eI,