Evening star., 1943-10-09
Outnumbered U. S.
Force Bags Cruiser
And z Destroyers
BY the Associated Press.

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC
Oct. 9.-An outnumbered force
of United States destroyers, way
laying a japanese task force
bent on rescuing troops from
the Central Solomons, sank ar
enemy cruiser or heavy destroyer
and at least two other destroyers
In a moonlit battle.
The engagement, in which Ameri-
can losses were described as mod
crate" occurred shortly before mid
night Wednesday northwest of Vella
Lavella Island It first was re.
ported today by Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthur.
GA japanese headquarters COM
munique today announced the
evacuation of both Kolomban-
CARA and Vella Lavella Islands.
Domei News Agency, ignoring re-
ports of the American victory,
claimed the transfer of troops
from the two Central Solomons
Islands was carried out success
fully and almost without enemy
interference
The japanese ships. in three
groups, were intercepted by a force
commanded by Capt. Frank Robin
son Walker Of Alabama while at
tempting either to pull off japanese
remnants still holding out against
the Americans on Vella Lavella or
to complete the evacuation of by
passed kolOmbangara to the south
Other Jap Ships Flee.
Without waiting for reinforce
ments, Capt. Walker maneuvered
his forces for battle against the
first enemy group, Gen. MacAr-
thurs communique said gunfre ex-
ploded light cruiser and one de-
Stroyer, torpedo sank a second
destroyer, and two other destrovers
badly mauled, limped away. tSoutn
Pacific headquarters said third
destroyer probably sank. and two
or three other destroyers were dam
aeedD
The second japanese group. prob
ably destroyers, and the third, con-
slsting of barges and small COM
batant craft, saw at distance the
flaming action, then swung around
and retired at high speed
Wake Island. another focal
point in the Pacific war, was re-
ported last night in a TOXIC
broadcast to have been heavily
attacked on two days by Amer
lean ships and planes.
tThe United States Navy has
remained silent since announc-
ing at Pearl Harbor that a ship
plane attack on the Japanese
held island, more than 1000 miles
west Of Hawaii. opened October
3, west longitude time.
tThe Toxic broadcast. as re-
ported by CHS in New York. con-
flrmed the attack began then
October 6, Toxic time-but said
II continued the following day.
Toklo'S version was that the at
tack by large enemy forces
and some 100-odd planes" had
been repulsed This was not
confirmed by American sources.)
25 Jap Ships Sunk in Area.
The Solomons losses increased to
more than 25 the number of war
ships the japanese have expended
in that area since Gen. Macarthur
launched his current offensive June
80. They also have lost approx
mately 1000 planes, more than 500
barges and uncounted hundreds of
men.
The new enemy move was antici-
pated by Admiral William F. Hal
sey'S naval units. For weeks, Ameri-
can flyers and Navy guns have eX-
acted heavy toll of barges sneak
ing enemy troops from their air
base of Villa on southern Kolom-
bangara north to Bougainville by
way of Choiseul.
Rembert James. Associated Press
war correspondent, watched this
mass slaughter" on successive nights
recently from the bridges of diff
ferent warships.
The biggest killing occurred the
night of October l when our de-
Stroyers got 20 Japanese barges," he
said. On that occasion, an esti-
mated 1000 Japanese were trying
to escape and more than half of the
enemy craft sighted were wiped out
After October 3, the barge traffic
ceased. Allied sources then con-
cludcd it would be only matter of
time until the long secluded Jap
anese Navy would come out to try to
save its troops on Vella Lavella
kolombangara and Choiseul.
The scene of the battle north
west of Vella Lavella is bounded bv
that island, Choiseul and Bougain-
vile.
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