Evening star., 1942-11-01
Leading Role Played
By Macarthur Flyers
In So|omons Crisis
TotoI Of l9 jap Worships
Believed Sunk, Damaged
Or Hit in 81 Doys
By the Associated Press.

The crucial phase when the jap
anese made their most formidable
effort to regain Guadalcanal in the
Solomons and then withdrew was
one of the greatest activity on the
part of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's S
small but hard-hitting air force of
Americans and Australians.
Playing strong supporting, long
range role to the Marines and troops
in the Solomons, the Macarthur air
arm carried the war to the enemy's
ships and bases no fewer than %
of the 81 days or nights of the Pc
riod ended October 80 and an
analysis of the communicates showed
they had accomplished the follow
Ing results:
Japanese warships:
Sunk or believed SUNK.
Damaged or believed damaged-9.
Believed hits.
Possibly hit-2.
Total-19
Japanese transports and supply
ships:
Believed destroyed-4.
Set af1re or damaged-12.
Believed hit or damaged-l0.
Total-26.
Grand TOTALS.
Official Breakdown.
The breakdown of the officially re-
ported results achieved against the
Japanese fleet by the Southwest
Pacific command over the Solomons
area during the month showed the
following score:
Aircraft carriers-One probably
damaged.
Airplane tenders-One large ten
der believed destroyed, one small
tender heavily damaged.
Battleships-One battleship or
heavy cruiser hit.
Cruisers-One probably sunk, one
seriously damaged, four hit, three
believed hit, one bombed with un-
observed results.
Destroyers-Two probably sunk;
two possibly hit.
Gunboats-One sunk.
Unclassified warship-One hit.
Transport and supply vessels
Three set afire and believed de-
stroyed, one believed sunk, seven hit
and damaged, five set afire and
ultimate fate unknown, 10 believed
hit and damaged.
In addition launch was sunk.
IS Attacks on Targets.
T'hirty-fve attacks were made on
eight japanese bases and naval con-
centrations in the Solomons area to
support the neighboring command,
while tlreleSs aerial reconnaissance
was carried out within the limits of
the Southwest Pacific area and as
sistance was given ground operations
IN New Guinea. Several Flying
Fortress crews participated in more
than half the attacks.
Neither the total number of
planes employed during any single
raid or during the month, nor the
weight of bombs dropped, was re-
leased for publication.
But Rabaul, on the night of Oc-
tober 9, received the greatest weight
OF bombs dropped in one attack on
one target-60 tons
In addition to the damage inflicted
on enemy Warships and shipping,
Gen. MacArthur's bomber crews re-
ported IS attacks in which airdrome
and dispersal areas, fuel dumps,
wharves and warehouses were set
aflre or damaged by high explosives.
Had Biggest Day October %.
The airmen of this command had
their biggest day over the Solomons
area on October % when 10 naval
or military auxiliary vessels of about
$4,000 tons were sunk or damaged
in Rabaul harbor.
Another big raid was on the night
OF October 80 when q tons of
bombs fell on japanese ships in BUN
harbor scored two hits on a heavy
cruiser or battleship. probably dam
aged an airplane carrier extensively
set fire to an unidentified vessel and
damaged light cruiser,
Positive Identification of all vessels
or land targets attacked and accu-
rate observation of results achieved
was difficult in many cases because
the majority of raids were made al
night.
Throughout all these heavy blows
at the enemys offensive operations
and preparations. the Southwest
Pacific command reported only two
Allied bombers lost over the
SOlOmOnS