Evening star., 1942-10-16
Large Number
Of Troops Also
Placed Ashore
U. S. Positions SheI|ed /:
Enemy Ships Sighted
Northwest of Island
Earlier Story on Page A-1.)

\EarHer story on rage ALL
A large number Of enemy
troops with equipment" have
been landed on Guadalcanal Is
land and our positions there are
now being shelled by enemy ar
tillery which already has been
set up on the island, the Navy
announced in a communique
today.
AS the battle for control of the
strategic Solomons ragged, the Navy
also reported that a large group Of
enemy ships has been sighted in
the Buin-Faisi area near Shorthand
Island, 259 miles to the northwest.
The Navy did not state whether
the ships were transports or war
ships, but the implication was clear
that the Japanese were preparing
to land still further heavy REIN
forcements.
approximately 10000 Japanese
troops had been reported on Guadal-
canal before the Japanese launched
their latest offensive earlier this
week.
The Navy emphasized that these
ships are in addition to the various
units in the Southeastern Solomons.
Barest Details Given.
Giving only the barest details Of
the fighting and not indicating
which way the battle might be going,
the Navy announced the following
additional details of the action
there in the last few days:
"(a) During the morning of Oc-
tober IA our search planes strafed
and damaged nine enemy planes on
the beach at Rekata Bay. (Rekata
Bay is on Santa Isabel Island, about
lis miles north of Guadalcanal.)
"(b) During the same afternoon
Navy and Marine Corps dive bomb
ers with fighter escort lert Guadal-
| canal and made two attacks on en-
emy transports approaching the is
land. Minor damage was reported
and one United States fighter was
lost.
"(c) During the night of October
14-15 our positions on Guadalcanal
were shelled by enemy vessels to the
northWard of the island. United
States motor torpedo boats attacked
these ships and reported one prob
able torpedo hit on cruiser"
No Mention of U. S. Warships.
The Navy made no mention Of
American warships engaged in the
area, but presumably powerful units
OF the Pacific Fleet were either
close at hand or en- route to combat
the Japanese onslaught.
Revelation that motor torpedo
boats attacked the ships and scored
a probable hit on cruiser was the
first indication that the fast and
deadly little craft were in the
vicinity. A previous communique
had said that reinforcements for
our fighting men there had been
landed safely.
Although the Japs had attacked
frequently from surface vessels and
had made small-scale invasions at
various spots along the shore, to-
days communique Is the first indi-
cation that considerable equipment
has been landed by the 'Nipponese
! invaders.
1t was the first time the Navy re-
ported American forces being shelled
by enemy artillery from the edges
of the island. Previous shellings
have come from ships in the har-
bors surrounding the islands.
In a communique last night the
Navy said enemy forces including
heavy units" had been sighted In
the vicinity and indicated desper-
ate attempt would be made to re-
capture the islands, which lie in the
direct path between Japan and her
objectives in Australia and New
Zealand. Last nights communiuue
also made known for the first time
ships were included in the attack
ing force.