Imperial Valley press., 1943-11-29
600
cps
Killed

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS. South
west Pacific, Nov 90 CUP1-Another
1000 Japanese have heen killed in
ground fighting on Bougainvillo
island. it was disclosed today. and
Allied flierS have added a light
cruiser to the long list Of enemy
war vessels torn up by their bombs.
American troops extended the
Empress Augusta Bay beachhead on
Bougainville by half mile in fight
ing between Nov. 10 and 25, dis
patch fom Admiral William F.
Halsey's headquarters said.
The 1000 enemy troops slain
during the period brought Japa-
nese losses there since Nov. l to
at least 1000. Three hundred
American marines and soldiers were
counted as killed, wounded or miss
ing in the six-day period, making
1000 U. S. casualties since the
Solomons stronghold was invaded.
NO PLANES LOST
Without losing a plane and with
out enemy air opposition, U. S. all.
craft Friday dropped nearly 200
tons of bombs on Bougainville and
nearby objectives, flying 200 sorties.
Buka and Bonis aidromes on the
north tock los tons. Other planes
hit south Bougainville with II tons
and shot up enemy positions at the
beachhead.
| Evidence of German aid for the
japanese appeared in a report that
a plane was seen at Buka with a
japanese red ball insignia on the
fuselage and a NaZi sWaStika on the
tail.
The enemy cruiser was hit with
a 1000 pound bomb dropped by &
Liberator in st. George channel
near Rabaul, New Britain, Friday
night, while Allied planes destroyed
or damaged 43 enemy planes IN
other widespread operations, in
cluding those in the Solomons.
CRUISER EXPLODES
Gen. Douglas MacArthur'S spokes-
man said it was reasonable to as
sumo the cruiser sank after a
heavy internal explosion.
Medium bombers made a night
raid on the Rabaul waterfront
first since Nov. 17-and biyouacs at
Wide Bay, so miles from the enemy
sea-air base, causing fires.
Mitchells raided Wewak, New
Guinea, Saturday, two days after
aerial reconnaissance showed loo
planes parked at that center 375
miles northwest OF Finschhafen, in
dicating the japanese were flying
in. more reinforcementS.
In the first heavy attack there
since Oct. %, five enemy planes
were burned on the ground and 25
others bombed and Strafed. Five
barges were destroyed off shore.
Despite the enemy concentration,
half in fighters, no air opposition
was met. One Allied plane was lost
TO ground fire.
USE SECOND STRING
1t. Gen. George c. Kenney, Gen
Douglas MacArthurs air chief, told
reporters in New Guinea that the
Japanese were using their second
string airmen," and predicted ii
would stay that way
"The weather and climate are
tougher than the Jap" he said.
Charts in Kenney's office called
for destruction of 200 Japanese
planes a month"; figure greatly
exceeded during August, September
and October.
Il had the boys make me new
charts to take a thousand Nips
monthly but 1 won't care how soor
these are out of date" he said.
Eight enemy fighters from
formation of bomberS and fighter
that raided the Finschhafen area
were shot down by Allied intercep-
tors while off the coast light naya
units sank five Westbound barge'
loaded with 200 soldiers and ar
tillery. The barges were hit II
Vitiaz Straits and may have beer
carrying enemy reinforcements TO
Huon peninsula, where Australian
troops were chasing the Japanes'
beyond Satelberg. A sixth barg'
was damaged north Of Finschhafen