Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-20
Defeat of Jap Fleet Sooons Takes Rank as Most Disastrous
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enemy down" in the narrow coastal
strip.
Cleaning this base of the Japanese
would open the way to Allied inva-
sion of two other enemy-held bases
on New Guinea, Lac and Salamaua,
and also the important base at Ra-
baul on New Britain.
In addition to sinking the cruiser
and destroyer, the Allied heavy
bombers dropped 500 pounds of
bombs in the night raid on another
destroyer off the Coma shore and
blasted landing barges. Three Jap
anese Zero planes, rising to defend
the naval units, were shot down.
The historic Solomons naval
battle, which cost the United States
two light cruisers and six destroy
ers, also brought death to an esti-
mated 10000 to 10000 japanese
troops when eight transports were
sent to the bottom.
The enemy transports presumably
carried much fighting equipment.
AS a result of these losses, naval
experts predicted the battered foe
would be forced to take at least
three weeks to recover enough
strength for another full-scale as
sault at the strategic island.
The japanese have admitted loss
of a battleship in the conflict, a
cruiser and three destroyers, but
claimed that eight American cruis-
ers were sunk, one transport and
four or five destroyers.
Comprehensive Account.
The latest report on what Secre-
tary of the Navy Knox recently
called round 2 of the Solomons
campaign makes it possible now to
piece together fairly compre-
hensive account of the sea-air
battle.
Danger signals-Early this month
aerial reconnaissance showed the
Japs furiously gathering ships and
men at their Northwestern Sol
onions bases. They were repeatedly
bombed by United States aircraft of
the Macarthur and Halsey COM
mands. BY November 10 the huge
force was getting under way.
First blood for United States
November IL at dawn American
naval forces bombarded japanese
positions on Guadalcanal for 10
hours. The foe struck back with 81
planes and American fighters and
ships shot down 80 of them.
Attack imminent-Meanw the
enemy armada of transports, cargo
ships and warship force organized
around two battleships plowed blue
water for Guadalcanal In the Off
ing stood more Jap warships, wait
ing for the opportune time to strike.
First thrust repulsed-On Friday
November 49, shortly after mid
night, American task forces which
had been lying in wait, tore into the
heart of the formidable enemy
flotilla. The Japs were approaching
in three columns and the outnum-
bered American ships dashed in
among the columns, guns blazing,
torpedoes hurting at the foe. Much
of the fighting was at point-blank
range. AS the American ships
passed the confused Jap columns
fired on each other. Next day United
States planes finished off crippled
Jap ships.
Second thrust, partly successful
On Friday afternoon, another strong
Jap force headed for Guadalcanal.
The warships arrived after mid
night Saturday morning and bonn
barded American positions without
opposition from our forces. This
was followed by the appearance of
an escorted force of - transports
after daylight Our aircraft sank at
least eight of them, but the other
four went on to the island.
Third thrust, smashed-On Satur-
day night the Japs made still an
other attempt to attack Guadal-
canal. This developed into the bat
tleship engagement, results of which
were reported in yesterdays COM
munique. How this action was
fought still remains to be told here.
Speculation was that it may have
been typical battleship fight, with
the heavyweights of both navies
smuggling at each other over dis
tances of Is miles or more, while
lighter forces of cruisers and de-
stroyers mixed at closer ranges. In
the absence of other information, it
Is possible of course that the Amer
lean force caught the Japs off guard
and smashed them before they had
time to get their ranges for effec-
tive return fire.
The Jap runs home-On Novem-
Der Is, @unday morning, four cargo
transports, presumably those re-
manning from the l2-ship force of
November ID, were discovered
beached on the Japanese sector of
Guadalcanal and destroyed by gun
fire and aerial bombs. Meanwhile
aerial reconnaissance showed the
remnants of Japanese forces in full
fight to the north