Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-07-23
Precise|y-Timed Raid
Heaps Destruction on
kahiIi in 70 Minutes

Last Saturday American Arnny.
Many and Marine Air Forces, In
the South Pactfc's greatest CO.
ordinated aerial attack up to that
time, struck on the airdromes
and anchordges OF K1hii,
prime Japanese base IN the Solo,
mon Islands. In this delayed dis.
patch, Left Erickson reports IN
fresh detail hop the raid smashed
the japanese anchorage.
BY LEFT ERICKSON,
Associated Press War Correspondent.
GUADALCANAL, July II de-
layeO Nine Japanese ships, In.
Guiding light cruiser and three
destroyers, were blasted and sunk
off Kahili today in a raid by 1872
United States planes smashing at
the key Japanese base in the
Solomon Islands with the heaviest
air stroke yet delivered in this area.
Both a communique issued the
day after the raid and stories
from South Pacific headquar-
tiers listed only seven ships sunk
and an eighth probably beached)
The United States air command
in the Solomons reported that AZ
Japanese fighter planes were shot
down in futile attempts at inter-
ception and that our losses were
only five planes-three fighters, q
dive bomber and torpedo plane.
Enthusiastic and excited pilots re-
turning from the attack said the
enemy's anchorage at Jakohina Mis-
sion, midway between BUN and
Kahili on Southern Bougainville
Island, was filled with flaming, smok-
ing wrecks.
Cargo Ships and Tankers Sunk.
In addition to the warships
destroyed, three small cargo vessels
and two tankers were sent to the
bottom.
The light cruiser was blown apart
by a direct hit amidships. One OF
the tankers also was shattered down
to the stern by direct hits and re-
sultant explosions.
IF We could give the japanese the
business like this every day he'd
soon have his fingernails bitten of
to his elbow the air headquarters
spokesman said.
Fellow pilots in a Navy Avenger
torpedo plane squadron gave 1t. Bill
Rowbotham Of Long Beach, Calf,
credit for the direct hit which blew
up the light cruiser. 1t. Rowbotham
said both he and 1t. q. g. Lewis
Sanders Of Gordon. Nebr., put their
heavy bombs into the ship.
Ammunition Ship Hit.
II saw fire and smoke shoot up
1000 feet" 1t. Sanders said. 1T
was white smoke. That is an am
munition explosion"
The shrewdly planned Kahili at
tack actually started last night at
o'clock. From then until $50 am.
today q parade of Liberatorss and
Flying Fortresses one by one un-
loaded their bombs on Kahili air
field.
I'VE wanted the japanese to lose
their sleep so they wouldn't feel like
going to work this morning." COM
mented an air headquarters ofilcer.
Besides harassing the enemy all
night, the heavy bombers started
numerous small fires and two large
blazes
At 9:18 am. fight OF Liberators
splashed patterns OF bombs in sa1vos
amid anchored ships. Then Navy
Dauntless dive bombers came in
from the shore behind the harbor.
Operation Precisely Timed.
Following the dive bombers came
the torpedo planes, also carrying
bombs. The precisely timed opera
ton took little more than 20
minutes.
The bombers were guarded by IN
almost impenetrable cover Of fighter
planes.
1t. q. g. Howard Paine, "a, San
Francisco torpedo plane pilot, re-
ported he saw very little antiair-
craft fire, but you can say the
Eau (the Nays Corsair) is the
best damned fighter plane In the
world. One took two Zeros OF my
tail.
THE fighters did a wonderful
job. The zeros couldn't have got
in, If they had wanted to-"
Torpedo plane pilots said 1t.
q. g. Melvin Tegge, %. of Schwert-
ner. Tex, got a direct hit amid
ships on a destroyer. That big
bomb just pushed the sides out Of
the ship-it was q lucky hit"
drawled 1t. Tegge.
1t. q. g. Jack shong, rs, Alma,
Mich, reported his bomb and two
others all hit on the bow of one
destroyer. The bow was lifted in
the water and geyser covered the
whole deck" he said.
Gunners Down Three Zeros,
Bomber gunners shot down three
Zeros. Fighters destroyed II Zeros
and five float biplanes. Marine Cor
sairs accounted for SO, Navy Wild
cast for S and Army Lightnings
for 5.
The Corsair squadron, commanded
by Maj Gregory Weissenberger OF
La Crosse, Wis, bagged II Zeros.
1t. Luther Morgan Of Arlington.
Tex, and 1t. Edward o. Shaw Of
Spokane. Wash, got three each.
Maj. Weissenberger explained the
flight he led didn't get many shots
because they stayed close covering
the last group Of bombers over the
target. There was smoke and flame
all over" he said. II never saw any.
thing so terrible.
Il saw a tanker hit. The ex-
plosion ripped that thing from stem
to stern. In two minutes there
wasn't anything there.
Those bomber boys always say
we are great stuff, protecting them.
Brother, they've got CUTS. With
Zeros all around them they 20 right
down to their target without swerv-
ing. When we fighters get into
trouble we can run. They can't"
The scanty antiaircraft fire indi-
Gated the enemy was surprised
almost completely Dive-bomber
pilots reDOrted the shins u,ara hawaii,