The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-07-07
Battle
Information
Meager
Germans Capture
Two Localities
in Russia
(By international News servic.)

American land. sea and air forces
continued 10 blast away at Japa-
nese positions in the South and
Southwest Pacific today as Gen.
Douglas MacArthur's headquarters
disclosed the slnkink or damaging
OF 10 Jap wgrships in the battle OF
kula Gulf in the solomons.
Details OF the naval clash. which
began Monday night between New
Georgia and kolombangara Islands,
were still meager but the aunounc-
ed probably sinking OF six enemy
vessels and damaging OF four more.
against the loss OF a single L. 8.
cruiser. pointed to a decisive Vie
tory for the Navy.
Allied planes which Joined in
the battle scored seven hits on a
beached Jap destroyer with 500.
pound bombs and shot down four
OF seven Zeros which sought TO
stem the fury OF the Allies as
sault.
Plaster Positions
Allied torpedo planes and dive
bombers plastered enemy positions
at Bairoko Harbor. at the western
end OF New Georgia Island. with
rs tons OF bombs. Heavy bombers
meanwhile fought OF IL Jap hght.
ers and hurled 90 tons. OF high ex.
plosives on the enemy alrdrome at
Ballale Island. $50 miles TO the
northwest. as Allied Air Forces
pounded anew at the Buin-Faist
naval and air base at the southern
end OF Bougsinville Island.
In New Guinea. 700 miles west OF
the Solomons, American and Aus
trallan patrols bsttled Jap ground
forces in The Bobdubi Ridge area
near the Japanese base at Sala'
maua. American forces near Mas
sau Bay TO the south were attack
ed by eight enemy medium bomb.
ers and seven dIye.bombers which
inflicted no casualties and caused
no damage. Allied bombers bomb
ed and strafed Jap installations In
the Labu lagoon area near Lac,
20 miles north OF Salamaua.
Battle Bombers
Allied fighters battled u Jap
bombers and 81 Zeros which raided
the Allied base al Port Darwin.
Australia. Five OF the enemy
bombers and two fighters were shot
down. two more bombers were
probably destroyed and two others
were damaged The defenders lost
seven planes but three OF the pl-
lots were saved and three others
were seen bailing out
Bombers OF Gen MacArthurs
command again raided kupang on
the Jap.held island OF Timor west
OF Australia. Others attacked an
enemy-occuple village and the
Babo Airdrome, both in Dutch New
Guinea
On the blazing Russian front. the
Germans succeeded only in cap
turing two localities near Belgorod.
80 miles north OF kharkov as
they suffered huge new losses DUR
ing the second day OF their Of
fenslye along a l60.mlle front from
Orel to Belgorod.
A the Nszi drive entered us
third day. Moscow estimated total
German losses TO date as 1,27l
destroyed or disabled tanks ana
3l4 planes destroyed. German
casualties were 1900 men, most
OF whom were killed.
The British air ministry an
nounced widespread mine-laying
operations by bomber command
formations in enemy.held waters
during the night. These operations
followed attacks on Axis railroad
communications in northern France
by speedy mosquito bombers man
ned by Canadian filters.
During the evening squadrons OF
British Typhoon bombers, escort
ed by fighters. attacked enemy
shipping OF Boulogne, France. Late
yesterday other Typhoons Dam
aged two Nazi minesweepers and
an armed trawler of the coast OF
Holland.
Seeks Offensive
Marking the sixth anniversary
Of China's war for survival, Cen
eralissimo Chang Kai-Shek call
ed for an about offensive against
Japan before Nippon has a chance
10 consolidate its gains in the Pa
cific