The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-05-01
JOURNALIST
SAW RAID ON
PORT M0RESBY
Thrilled AS Anti-Aircraft
Shot Down % Jap
Planes
BY SCOOP" JONES
ASSOCIATED Negro Press Foreign
Correspondent
SOMEWHERE IN NEW GUINEA.

SOMEWHERE IN NEW GUINEA.
Censored u ANP)-It was the
morning of April - Peeping from
beneath 4 fortified corrugated tin
roofing bomb shelter. l commanded
a rlngside seat for one OF the Japs'
biggest daylight air raids.
l first spotted Toio's formation OF
mixed fighters and bombers flying
from the West. They looked like a
flock OF wild geese flying to { new
season. The raiders grew from
little birds to a more distinguishing
size as they drew nearer. Then the
formation parted into groups head
ing in different directions, bombers
escorted by zeros.
The zeros turned on a floor show
-. began TO dive. zig gag and flip
For whose benefit the performance
was. no one yet knows. The zig-zag-
ging and the Tipping didn't last
long. Our anti-aircraft turned
loose. l ducked out Of the picture
for fear OF being hit from falling
shrapnel from anti-aircraft fire.
The mixed in=of anti-aircraft fire
and exploding bombs from the
planes could be heard. Anxiety and
inquisitiveness was TOO great. With
my tin helmet eecurely on my head.
l peered again just in time TO see
streak Of white smoke (from. a dis
tance) going downward from the
sky as though plane had been
shot down. Anti-aircraft fire was
not so great now as emerged from
the shelter. Looking upwards it
seemed like planes were every
where. From whence they had
come. I yet don't know, but our
fighter planes were in the sky. The
circus-flying zeros now had a prob
lem.
The most impressive. sight wit
messed from the aerial dogfghts
that ensued was when one Of our
Lightnings diving from the clouds
into the fray. Down il came right
through what seewed like a flock
OF Zeros. Ignoring them. it kept on
its downward slant towards the
Japs five bomber formation that
the ZeroS were lowering over and
apparently escorting. Into the
mdS; Of the bomber formation the
Lightning wen, turning on the heat.
The battle disappeared into the
clouds What was the outcome OF
THIS fgacaS l don't know The results
were included in he tally. of VIC
tories that was later issued. Who
ever the pi,oi was he could stand a
few medals.
/. wasn't long before the air
drama was all over, Later at press
headquarters. it was learned (at
the time OF this writing. although
the count wasn't final. that some
thlns like Is bombers and 10 fight
ers were definitely destroyed, and
10 bombers and one fighter were
probably destroyed. II was believed
mat the attack was made by better
than 100 planes.
The morale of the soldiers is the
thing that seemed uncanny and
almost mere dulous. Looking at
them wade The SKY battle was in its
last phase OF dogdghiins | noticed
no sign OF fear on those faces. To
the contrary, they were laughing
and enioying the show as though il
vas another Hollywood act.on-hllsd
Cinema.
Another chapter OF a small phase
OF the war has been closed The
Japs lost more in planes than the
small damage they did here The
attack here was more less morale
booster. Soldiers learned that the
Japs, even in such large force. were
no match for the guns and planes Of
superior nations. The battle and