Evening star., 1943-02-16

Capt. Ralph Otis Davis of Bal
timore, Md, commander of the
Chicago, is safe, the Navy an
nounced. Personnel casualties on
the Chicago were described in the
Navy communique as mot large" "
Next of kin have been notified.
The name of the destroyer lost
will not be revealed until rela-
tives of casualties have been in
formed.
japanese losses were described
aS follows:
Two destroyers sunk, % or %
Zeros shot down, II torpedo planes
destroyed, 20 unclassified planes de-
stroyed, 4 destroyers probably sunk,
7 zeros probably destroyed. de-
stroyers damaged, corvette dam
aged and cargo ships damaged.
During the latter part of January
United States reconnaissance planes
located heavy Japanese feet units,
including battleships and aircraft
carriers, between Truk and the Sol
omon Islands. At the same time, re-
ports were received of large groups
of enemy destroyers in the Solomon
Islands and an unusually heavy con-
centration of aircraft at all of the
Japanese bases in the Solomons-
New Britain area.
Strategists believed the fleet might
fight, but subsequent events indi-
he Tor cn1c11r
with evacuation of their troops and
interfering with movements of
United States transports which were
landing soldiers on Guadalcanal.
Cat the time of this action, when
the Japs claimed a major engage
ment was taking place, Secretary
Knox maintained firmly that it was
only skirmishing and that a real
fight was not occurring)
The Navy emphasized in today's
communiQue that there were no ac-
tions between heavy forces. The
active operations of surface craft
were confined mainly TO movements
of destroyer detachmentS under
heavy air cover between Guadal-
canal and enemy bases in the North
srn Solomons preceding the capitula-
ton of the troops on Guadalcanal
who had been largely left without
high officers.
Sunk by Two Air Attacks.
On the evening Of January % a
force Of United States cruisers and
destroyers covering transport move
ments in the vicinity OF Rennell
Island, about 70 miles south of
Guadalcanal, was attacked by enemy
torpeoo planes. In this engagement
the cruiser Chicago was severely
damaged and taken in tow by an
other cruiser and still later turned
lowing day 13 torpedo planes re-
turned to finish of the Chicago and
sank her IN spirited attack. Alert
United States aircraft shot down
IL Of the l3 enemy planes, but not
in time to ward off the attack on
the helpless cruiser.
On January 81 United States
5ombers and fighters attacked al
enemy formation of one destroyer
one corvette and one large cargo
vessel in the Vella Gulf These
three vessels were left dead in the
water, burning and listing. How.
ever, in Navy recapitulation they
are merely listed as damaged since
jhey were not actually seen to sink
On February American dive bomb.
crs, torpedo planes and fighters hi
at an enemy formation Of four de.
stroyers in the Northern Solomon.
area Two Of the destroyers were
believed sunk and a third was lef
burning.
On the same day formation 0.
American planes were attacked by
20 Zeros, two of which were sho
down. In this engagement tVt
American fighters were lost. II
combat not definitely located durin.
the day at least 20 additional Japa.
AcSc planes were destroyed in The