Evening star., 1943-07-17
Yank Expedition Kills
$50 10 400 Japanese
In New Georgia Trek
3y the Associated Press

ed.-Slim, curley- y-headed 1t. g. g.
72-year-old George Rounds, jr., came
out OF the hip-deep mud of North
ern New Georgia today with the
first eyewitness account of the Amer
leans hazardous and difficult but
successful fighting trek from Rice
Anchorage to Dragons Peninsula.
Mr.. Rounds was with a combined
force OF marine raiders and Army
troops from Guadalcanal assigned
to do this job-a flanking movement
from the northeast against the jap
anese on Munda Point.
The force struggled five days
through the root-tangled, rain
mired jungle, wiped out two enemy
outposts, exterminated harassing
snipers and climaxed the march with
the capture Of four 140-millimeter
japanese naval guns mounted on
the western point of Enogai Inlet.
II never had so much fun in my
life" said 1t. Rounds, the son of
= General Motors personnel execu-
tive of Birmingham. Mich. TT was
seven days of goo and hell, but we
wiped out $50 to 400 Japs. I tell
you those Marine boys are rugged
I don't think there is any kind of
country that can stop them"
Asked for Detail.
A Junior at Dartmouth College
before he volunteered for the Navy,
1t Rounds is a pilot of a Dauntless
divebomber.
A month ago he asked for assign
ment with the troops detailed to
land at Rice Anchorage, on Kula
Gulf. in the Central Solomons in
vasion which began to develop two
weeks later. He said he was bored
by the routine bombing Of Munda
and wanted to learn about ground
fighting.
The Marines and veteran Army
troops made wonderfully success
full landing in Higgins boats at Rice
Anchorage the morning of July S.
ut was pouring rain" 1t. Rounds
related. I'VE got ashore about 2
am We just sat down on our
ponchos and let it rain.
"At dawn we started marching
through mud up to our hips. BY
night We had made six miles to the
Gizo Gizo River. 1t poured rain
again all night, and we had stopped
too late to rig any shelter.
Reached Enogai Inlet.
II was pretty low that night. The
water was running in the top OF
my poncho and out the bottom. I
tried to sleep with my back bowed
and my knees pulled up to my
chest.
Il felt shure we would get an or
der to turn back. I didn't think
any commanding officer could ex-
pect his men to struggle through
that kind of going and then fight
Japs when they found them.
But after I got going on the
trail again the third morning, be-
gan to feel better. and I felt better
about the whole deal each day after
that"
The column advanced only two
miles the second day, reaching the
Tamako River, which flows into the
head OF Enogai Inlet. The next
morning the troops crossed the
stream on bridge Of two logs. The
main force of Marines then headed
north UP the west shore of Enogai
Inlet.
First Japs Killed.
That afternoon the Marines sur
prised a japanese marine outpost
garrison at Maranusa, which is no
more than a clearing dotted with
few small huts. Eight japanese
were killed.
Although foEr guns from the
enemy base at >Bairoko had lobbed
shells at & destroyer escorting the
landing convoy off Rice Anchorage
fhe morning of July 5, the Japanese
fat Maranusa apparently did not
believe 1t possible any force could
have cut it's way through the jungle
toward Enogai. 1t. Rounds said the
outpost was surprised completely
This engagement. however, tipped
of the enemy. On the fourth day
Of the advance the force fought its
way to Triri. Substantial bamboo
huts were taken from the japanese
there and were used as sickbays for
the wounded.
Enemy snipers' fire raised little
hell in our headquarters area before
the snipers were shot down from the
trees" 1t. Rounds said. The next
day the Marines pushed farther
toward Enogai.
Bullets Were Close.
On this day, July 9, headquarters
had to be moved into the Jungle
because, 1t. Rounds remarked,
There were so many dead Japs it
wasn't healthy"
1t was that day, too, that 1t.
Rounds. while watching plane
overhead. heard two sniper bullets
plunk into a tree directly above
him.
Il got myself down fast" he said.
On the morning of July 10 the
advance party Of Marines sent back
an urgent request for food. am
munition and water. 1t. Rounds
joined the detachment carrying a
load of supplies and three canteens
of water each.
Losing its way in the jungle. 1t
Rounds said, the column was half
way to Bairoko Harbor when it
heard firing break out behind. This
was the start of the attack of the
enemy's Enokai gun positions.
Japs Surrendered.
''At the finish more than a hun
dred Japs threw down their guns
and tried to run across a sandspit
to the west" 1t Rounds said. Our
machine guns were bearing on that
sandspit and they moved down
every one of those Japs. Not one got
away"
On the night of July 10 the tired
Americans moved into the enemy's
comfortable quarters. The next day
their rest was disturbed by two
l. u