Evening star., 1942-08-29
Vessels Hauling
Supplies Blasted
By U. 5. Flyers
Dive Bombers Bring
Toll Of Ships Damaged
To At Leust IS
Earlier Story on Page AID

Earlier Story on Page AID
United States naval airmen
operating from bases in the Solo
mon Islands, sank a large Japa-
nese destroyer, severely damaged
and probably sank a second SINH
lar craft and left smaller de-
stroyer crippled and burning"
in an action Thursday afternoon,
the Navy reported in a commu-
nique this afternoon.
The japanese flotilla in the Solo,
mons area consisted of one small
and three large destroyers. which
were believed to be loaded with sup
plies and equipment for isolated
Japanese patrols thought to be
operating near the eastern end of
Santa Isabel Island, which lies
northwest of Guadalcanal and Flor
ida Islands which are occupied by
American Marines.
Patrol planes sighted the vessels.
reported their contact and then
themselves attacked and made one
hit on the small destroyer. Soon,
a striking force of Douglas Daunt-
less dive-bombers arrived from the
new American base on Guadalcanal
in answer to the message from the
patrol planes and attacked the de-
stroyers. The dive bombers noted
that the destroyer previously hit
by the patrol planes was crippled
and burning.
Total Of Is Ships Damaged.
This brings to Is the number Of
| Japanese ships known to have been
| damaged during the past week In
| the vicinity of the Solomons There
| Is possibility that several addition
/ al vessels nave been hit. The jap
anese also have lost approximately
| 50 planes.
Success of Thursdays engage
ment was laid by observers again to
the fact that United States naval
and marine forces have established
an air base for land planes on
| Guadalcanal and do not have to
depend on the presence of carriers
to drive home their attack. The
Douglas Dauntless dive bomber Is a
general utility, single engined ship,
capable of approximately 260 miles
per hour. Carrying crew of two,
1t has a range of about 1000 miles.
Text of the communique, based on
reports received up to IL o'cloch
| noon, follows:
South Pacific:
Il. During the late afternoon Of
August n washington date).
United States aircraft patrol, based
on Guadalcanal Island in the Sol
ONION Archipelago, sighted one small
and three large japanese destroyers.
These ships appeared to be loaded
with supplies and equipment for iso-
| lated japanese patrols believed to
be operating near the eastern end
of Santa Isabel Island.
Dive Bombers Arrive.
z. After reporting contact, the
patrol planes attacked and secured
one hit on the small destroyer.
| 3. A striking force of Douglas
| dive bombers from Guadalcanal an
swered the contact report by pro-
ceeding to attack the three large de-
| stroyers. The attack resulted in
the following damage to the enemy:
"(a) One large destroyer sunk AZ
the result of heavy explosion fol-
| lowing bomb hits.
"(b) A second large DESTROYER
severely damaged and probably
sunk.
4. During this attack the striking
| force observed that the DESTROYER
previously hit by the patrol planes
was crippled and burning.
IS. No further action has been re-
| ported in this area"
| Santa Isabel Island, sometimes
Identified as Ysabel or Bugotu. lies
| eastward of New Georgia and is
estimated to be about IS miles north
| of Guadalcanal. 1t is about lot
miles long in northwest and
southeast direction, with range of
mountains extending its entire
length. The island was declared a
British protectorate in 1900.