Evening star., 1942-10-20
Secretary Indicates
Greater Role for
Lond-Bosed d Planes
MAP on Page A-2.)
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Secretary of the Navy Knox
said today he believed that the
Japanese had "by no means as
yet" used their maximum force
In the battle of the Solomons.
1T is still good stiff, hard fight" F"
he told press conference when
asked about the Solomons campaign.
In my judgment" he said. "the
Japanese have by no means as yet
exercised their maximum force"
He had no information to add to
last nights Navy communique,
which told of American warships
suddenly reappearing in the Solo
mons.
Mr.. Knox said the communiques
we're being issued as rapidly as in
formation was received by the Navy
Department.
An indication. that land-based
planes may begin to play a much
greater part in naval activity was
given by the Secretary.
Number Steadily Increasing.
Asked If he would comment on
the number of such planes, he said
that information could not be dis
closed, but "the number of land
based planes of the Navy is steadily
increasing"
He described an Office of War In
formation report on effectiveness
and efficiency of American war
planes as extremely we'll done"
First evidence that the United
States soldiers, sailors and marines
awaiting a full-scale assault for
their embattled Guadalcanal air
base were supported by heavy naval
units came last night in the Navy
announcement of an effective sea
bombardment of enemy positions
and ammunition dumps on North
western Guadalcanal october IT,
Throughout October II American
planes blasted at the enemy's island
foothold and for three days, begin
ming October Is, Allied bombers
under Gen. Douglas MacArthurs
Australian command repeatedly
pounded the strong japanese force
of warships, transports and cargo
vessels in the Shorthand Island area.
Japs' Air Losses Heavy.
In two days of aerial combat,
japanese losses in the Solomons
were raised to $40 destroyed planes.
Eight enemy bombers and II Zero
fighters of a 40-plane force were
shot down in an attempt to bomb
the American-held air field on
Guadalcanal.
In a raid on the enemy base at
Rekata Bay on Santa Isabel Island,
us miles north of Guadalcanal,
Flying Fortress bombers and Navy
Marine Grumman Wildcat fighters
strafed and burned II Japanese
seaplanes caught on the water and
shot down a large japanese flying
boat and a twin-engined enemy
bomber.
Retaliating for the American
warship bombardment which start
ed fires on the enemy's Guadal-
canal positions and set off ammuni-
ton stores, japanese ships shelled
United States installations on the
northern coast of the island.
No Recent Landings.
Meanwhile, the Navy added no
recent japanese attempt to REIN
force their troops has been OBJ
served since October IS.
The Allied aerial offensive from
the Australian base experienced a
comparative lull yesterday after
three cruisers and number of other
vessels were believed hit in Sun
day night attack on the japanese
naval formation at BUN on Bou-
gainville Island in the Northern
Solomons.
The Allied bombers, the South
west Pacific command announced
last night, engaged in reconnais-
sance flights north of Australia and
attacked at least one Japanese con-
centration in an undisclosed area.
Jap Counterblows Repulsed.
Gen. MacArthur's headquarters
announced that japanese forces
driven back through the gap in the
owen Stanley Mountains of New
Guinea, concentrated three times
Yesterday near Templeton Crossing
indicating they had reached point
where they hoped to make deter
mined stand against the Allies.
All three of the Japanese counter
blows we're unsuccessful, COM
munique said. For several days the
Allied forces have encountered in
creased Japanese resistance in the
Templeton Crossing area. Although
details of the fighting were not dis
closed, there were indications that
japanese casualties had been rela-
lively large.
Fuel Storages Fired.
The Rekata Bay raid by American
planes included bombing of several
Japanese anti-aircraft batteries
Fuel storages were set ablaze. Two
of three enemy transports previously
damaged and beached on Northwest
Gaudalcanal were destroyed, the
Navy said, by four direct bomb hits
At the northern end Of the Pacific
war front, the sole Japanese foot.
hold of Kiska in the Aleutians was
rocked again with Is tons of bombs
dropped by American flyers.
Army Liberator bombers smashed
at beached ships in Kiska Harbor or
october II but results were in doubt
because of an overcast. II any
enemy aircraft were on the island
they remained on the ground ano
the anti-aircraft opposition was