Evening star., 1943-01-09
y. S. Flyers Strike at Bizerte
In One Of Wars Heaviest Blows:
Allies Pound Jap Ships at Lac
Third Transport
Sunk; Few Troops
Landed by Convoy
By the Associated Press.

3o'uSu W SOiIVVy
By the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
AUSTRALIA, Jan. ga badly
battered Japanese convoy-three
of its transports at the bottom OF
the Pacific and fourth dam
aged-was pursued into the har-
Dor of Lac, New Guinea, and
there, along with the landing
area and other enemy beach in
stallations, was given a merci-
less pounding yesterday by al
most every type of plane at the
call of the Southwest Pacific Air
Force command, an Allied COM
munique reported today.
The japanese, trying to reinforce
their remaining New Guinea strong
holds by shipping troops from New
Britain to Lac, succeeded at best in
landing only "fragmentary" troop
elements, the communique indicated
In addition to the three transports
reported definitely lost since the
convoy was sighted and attacked
January 6. 20 more japanese escort
planes were reported destroyed
bringing to 38 the enemy aircraft
shot down in the action.
While the aerial hammering at
Lac continued and American and
Australian troops closed in on the
only remaining pocket of japanese
resistance in the Buna region at
Sanananda, Gen. Douglas MacAr-
thur returned to Australia from the
New Guinea battle front with high
praise for the Australian and Ameri-
can forces under his command.
Twelve Officers Decorated.
He awarded Distinguished Service
Crosses to II American and Austria
liam officers for extraordinary
courage, marked efficiency and pre-
else execution OF operation during
the Papuan campaign" and said in
an order of the day that the victory
which has been achieved would have
been impossible of accomplishment
without the invincible leadership
which they have provided"
Gen. Macarthur also gave high
praise to the magnificent conduct
Of the troops and elements of this
command, operating under dificul
ties rarely if ever surpassed in a
campaign. ="
Through the skill and courage
and indomitable will for victory they
have defeated bold and aggressive
enemy, possessing a marked super
iority of resources and potentialities
in areas of the campaign and COM
bat" the order of the day said
American and Australian airmen, il
added, have set new horizons fol
the air conduct of the war"
The Japanese convoy so severely
mauled by Allied airmen was pro-
tected in its landing effort by 1O1
japanese fighter planes. In addi-
ton to the 80 enemy planes sho,
down, 7 others were reported prob
ably destroyed and Is damaged in
todays communique Allied losses
were mot heavy" the communique
said.
Gasmata Airdrome Raided.
Seven American Lockheed Light
ming fighters were credited with
shooting down four japanese planes
for certain. probably destroying
three others and damaging S out
of the 20 Zeros which they attacked
Another flight of Is Lightnings
opposed by 20 Zeros, also shot down
four, it was reported.
The convoy was first sighted of
New Britain Wednesday. Yester-
days communique said a 14.0O0-ton
transport heavily loaded" with
troops and another transport had
been sunk. A third was damaged
Today,s communique said heavy
bombers had scored two direct hits
or the stern of one transport and
medium bombers sank another. II
was possible that one of the trans
ports mentioned today was the
damaged ship of yesterdays COM
munique.
An Allied medium bomber unit
raided the airdrome at Gasmata
New Britain, during the night and
started fires, the communique re-
ported
The officers cited by Gen. Mac
Arthur we're:
Gen. Sir Thomas Blamey, 1t. Gen
George c. Kenney, commander o1
the Allied air forces: 1t. Gen. Ed
mund Francis Herring, Australian
field commander; 1t. Gen. Robert
Eichelberger, Maj. Gen. Richard K
Sutherland, chief of staff, general
headquarters of the Southwest Pa
ciflc area; Maj. Gen. George Allen
Vasey, Australian field commander
Brig. Gen. Charles A. Willoughby
U. S. A. chief of intelligence; Brig
Gen. Ennis C. Whitehead and Brig
Gen. Kenneth Walker, American all
force commanders; Australian Brig.
adiers F. G. Wooten, and Kenneth
Father and Australian Group Capt
William Caring.