Evening star., 1943-07-04
Navy Tells How Attock
On Rendovo Was Repujsed
BY the Associated Pres.

American warships lying in wait
pounced on Japanese force which
tried to shell Rendova Island Friday
night. the Navy announced yester-
day. and drove of the attackers
with heavy gunfire.
This fight, started by three enemy
light cruisers and four destroyers,
probably is but the first of a series
OF brushes between American and
japanese sea squadrons which may
culminate in major sea battle II
the japanese throw more and more
units into their efforts to stem the
Allied South Pacific offensive.
Air and land fighting continued,
meantime, with Army and Marine
forces on the Solomons front driving
steadily toward the enemy's Munda
air base, and American and Aus
tralian forces in northeast New Gui-
nea tightening their ring of posi-
tions around the strategic air field
at 6alamaua.
Like Salamaua. Munda is subject
to attack from at least two sides
by Army groups on Rendova Island
and by Marines pressing up from
the south OF New Georgia Island
where they already have captured
Viru Harbor. The attack by war
ships seemingly was an attempt on
the enemy's part to harass and
delay the Rendova phase of the
operation.
Attacked In Darkness.
The Japanese thus were trying
to accomplish with naval vessels
under the cover Of darkness what
they had failed entirely to do by
heavy air attack on the day the
Army landed on Rendova. At that
time they lost 10l planes of a force
estimated at more than no. What
damage they may have suffered in
the sea skirmish was not reported
here.
All the communique said was: "On
July 3 Saturday Solomons time)
during the night, a Japanese force
consisting of three light cruisers and
four destroyers attempted to shell
| United States positions on Rendova
Island. United States craft replied
to the bombardment and the enemy
ships retired in short order. No
further details have been received
POSSIBLY indicating that the
drain on Japanese air power is
raising difficult problems for the
enemy was report form Maj.
Gen. Claire L. Chennault. COM
manding American air forces in
China, that Japanese planes made
no raids on unoccupied China in
the week Of June 1890. Gen.
Chennault commented, 1T Is quite
possible the Japs don't want to
lose any more planes in China for
a while because they are so badly
needed elsewhere."D
Jap Bomb Damage Slight.
Preceding the Saturday night
(Solomons time) attack, the Navy
communique said, the Japanese sent
over a force of bombers on Friday
afternoon with Zero fighter escort
and attacked United States posi-
tions on Rendova, but caused only
negligible" damage. There was
no explanation as to why these
planes were not intercepted or en-
gagged by the fighter forces which
had overwhelmed the enemy's in
itial attacks the day the offensive
began.
Giving latest information on the
results of those initial attacks, the
Navy said that new reports dis
closed that several crew members
of the transport McCawley were
killed when the ship was torpedoed
by Japanese planes. Previously, 1t
was reported that there had been
no loss of life. The McCawley was
the only ship sunk and she received
her mortal blow from a Japanese
submarine after being first damaged
by the plarfes.
The enemy bombing attack on
Rendova on Friday was the third
successive air action against that
newly won position.