Evening star., 1942-08-11
Allies Hold Solomon Island Gains
Beating Off Japs' Counterattacks;
Reds Bases on Black Sea Peri|ed
Fresh Supplies
Are Received
In Australia
n the Associated Press.

4. the Associated Press.
I'VE are holding our own. -. -
In five words, the United
States received news today indi-
eating American marines were
beating off furious Japanese
counterattacks in the 5-day-old
battle of the Solomon Islands,
900 miles northeast OF Australia.
as Allied naval and air forces
covered the long-range invasion.
Australia's Prime Minister John
Curtin, announcing at least an even
break in the struggle that may mark
q turning point of the Far Pacific
conflict said Allied gains so far
apparently had greatly outweighed
losses.
At the same time, an Australian
Government spokesman disclosed
that shipments Of supplies, OF the
''highest possible value" which would
'revoiutionize offensive operations
In the north" had arrived in Aus
tralia.
Many Jap Planes Destroyed.
Allied losses acknowledged yes
terday by Admiral Ernest J. King.
commander in chief of the United
States Fleet. included a cruiser
sunk and damage to two cruisers,
two destroyers and a transport.
But Admiral King declared "a
large number" of Japanese planes
were destroyed and surface units
put out Of action in Americas first
offensive Of the war.
Prime Minister Curtin's brief
statement was the first word from
an Official source in Australia on the
main operations In the Solomons.
Communicates issued by Gen. Doug
las MacArthur's headquarters have
dealt only with air support given the
invasion thrust directed by Vice Ad-
miral Robert L. Ghormley, supreme
commander of Allied naval forces in
the South Pacific area.
In typical Axis propaganda
broadcast, surprising even Japan's
own extravagant claims, the Berlin
radio asserted that the greater part
of the United States troops who at
tempted" to land at Tulagi, In the
Southeastern Solomons, had been
"annihilated' and their transports
sunk
No More Information Here.
With the attacking forces using all
communications to coordinate their
land, sea and air operations, the
Navy in Washington said early to-
day there was no further informa-
ton on the progress of the battle.
Admiral King previously had said
the japanese, although taken by
surprise, had "counterattacked with
rapidity and vigor."
The attack was "our first assump-
ton Of the initiative and the of-
fensive," Admiral King said, adding
that the objective was to wrest back
control of the Solomons, which lie
athwart vital Allied supply lines TO
Australia.
Such a move would be necessary
AZ the first step in a full-scale AL
lied offensive to drive the enemy out
of the whole threatening umbrella
of japanese invasion bases north OF
Australia, ranging from the Solo
mons IN the east to Java in the west.
Allies Widen Assaults.
Widening assaults by Allied bomb
ers were reported striking at the
Japanese on the fringes of the main
hattie theater as United Nations
flyers blasted Rabaul, New Britain,
northwest of the Solomons. and at
tached japanese ships oil Dutch
Timor.
Gen. MacArthur's headquarters
said 13 and possibly 10 japanese
planes had been destroyed in the
last three days at Rabaul, while
Allied bombers hit three enemy YES
sels including a large destroyer OH
Dutch Timor.
Aside from the Solomons, other
ground fighting was developing in
New Guinea, where the Allies drove
back enemy troops in the Kokoda
sector. so miles east of the key
United Nations base at Port
Moresby.
A dispatch from an advanced base
said the attack at TimoT was car
ried out at low level by Australian
manned bombers.
MY bombs made a nasty hole in
q 4,o00-ton ship" said an Australian
fight lieutenant. After bombing
machine -gunned the target and I
saw Japs diving through a hell OF
bombs and bullets into the sea from
the deck and from every other hole
they could find"
III