Evening star., 1943-08-08
Jap Cruiser 2 Destroyers Sunk
Off So|omons in Surface Battle;
Reds Peril Kharkov From 2 Sides
Supplies to Villa
Blocked; No Loss
Suffered by U. S.

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC
Sunday, Aug. 8.-American ma
val forces in an hour-long night
battle sank a japanese cruiser
and two destroyers and prob
ably a third destroyer after in
tercepting the four warships car
rying supplies to the enemy gar
rison at Villa. Kolombangara Is
land, Gen. Douglas Macarthur
announced in a communique to-
day. The Americans suffered no
losses.
The action in the Vella Gulf be-
tween Vella Lavella and Kolom-
bangara Island was fought about
midnight August 6.
Torpedoes and gunfire sent the
enemy ships to the bottom to raise
the toll OF enemy warships lost ir
the current Solomons offensive tc
at least % and possibly 26 warships
Blow to Garrison.
The new naval triumph, following
closely the American capture of the
vital Munda airdrome on New Geor-
gia, had the effect Of weakening the
garrison at tie next logical objec-
tive of the Solomons push-Vila
which is II miles northwest OF
Munda. Villa is eight miles across
the Kula Gulf from another totter-
ing enemy garrison at Bairoko Har-
Dor, New Georgia.
From Munda, American infan-
trymen pushed north to assist other
forces beleaguering the japanese at
Bairoko. This push is being made
without encountering opposition, -
today's communique said.
Yesterday afternoon force of go
Japanese divebombers and fighters
attacked American positions on and
adjacent to Rendoya Island. which
is miles below Munda.
The only casualties to American
forces we're in a field hospital. Anti
aircraft guns shot down three jap
anese divcbomberS and three Zeros
were downed by American. fighters
which suffered no losses. The new
action boosted the enemy plane
losses in the Rcndova sector above
$50 in the present offensive.
Enemy Positions Pounded.
Japanese positions on both sides of
Bairoko Harbor were blasted with
43 tons OF bombs, starting fires and
silencing antiaircraft posts.
At the other end of the 750-mile
battlefront from Bairoko American
heavy bombers struck at Salamaua
the New Guinea base toward which
American and Australian jungle
troops are fighting only 5 miles
away. The bombers dropped 90 tons
In % minutes.
A large fuel fire was started on
the airdrome.
Smoke from it rose 1000 feet.
Direct hits were scored on anti
aircraft positions. Numerous build
tngs were demolished.
Explosions and fires encom-
passed the entire area which was
covered with pail of smoke" the
communique aided.
"a delayed dispatch from Vern
Haugland. Associated Press cor
respondent, said the Salamaua
base was raided by Liberators of
the 5th Airforce in one of the
heaviest attacks thus far. In all,
more than $50 l,0O0-pound bombs
were dropped)
SeapIane Base Raided.
Other Allied bombers attacked the
japanese seaplane base at Rekata
Bay on Santa Isabel Island north
east of Munda and hit it with s.
tons Of bombs. At Bougainville in
the Northern Solomons Is Amer
lean fighter planes attacked 30 Zeros
and downed 7 with a loss of /.
Still other Allied planes wrecked
barges in raids on supply bases on
the Northern New Guinea coast
more than TOO miles west of the Sol
(See PACIFIC, Page AID