Evening star., 1943-09-23
Allies Land Troops
Above Finschhafen,
Kill Arundel laps
Capture of Huon Base
Would Facilitate
Attack on RubuuI

By the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC
Sept. 23.-Gen. Douglas MacAr-
thur announced today the sea-
borne landing of Australian
troops above Finschhafen, enemy
base so miles northeast of Lac on
the New Guinea coast, and the
destruction of remnants of a
japanese garrison on Arundel
Island, in the Solomons.
Under protection of warships and
planes, the Australians went ashore
against enemy opposition at dawn
yesterday 6 miles above Peacetime
Mission headquarters and Just below
the Song River. At dusk on the
previous day, Japanese bombers and
fighters sought to attack ships in
volved in the operations but were
intercepted between Lac and Finsch-
hafen by P-40s which shot down four
bombers and five fighters at cost
of one interceptor. Lac was captured
q week ago.
Capture of Finschhafen on the
Huon Peninsula, which is more suit
able for ground action than any
other territory previously attacked
on New Guinea, would give Gen
Macarthur control of a gulf within
easy overwater striking distance of
Japanese-held New Britain and its
stronghold of Rabaul.
Within Artillery Range of villa.
On Arundel, directly west of New
Georgia, American jungle troops de-
stroyed enemy troops and reinforce
ments on the islands north shore
ana also on nearby Saga Karasa
Island to move within artillery she'll
ing distance of the Japanese gar
rison at villa across Blackett Strait
on Kolombangara. The japanese
guns at imperiled Villa Immediately
opened fire.
There are no swamps above
Flnschhafen, such as begged the
troops at Buna, ITO miles to the
southeast. The coast line is COM
paratlvely free of reefs, facilitating
sea-borne reinforcement and supply.
There are few beaches but one
OF these was chosen for the land
ing. From the beachhead, the troops
have fairly open country through
which to fight, with the terrain
rising gently in series of almost
ladderlike grass terraces. A coconut
plantation is about 2 miles south of
the landing site.
There is an airstrip about two
miles above Finschhafen, but, at
last report, it was not serviceable.
Sixty miles northwest of Lac at
kaiapit, which air-borne Australians
captured September 18, headquar-
ters disclosed that a japanese pa
troll of 200 was encountered the
night of the transport landings. The
Aussies killed 100 of the enemy and
routed the others.
Supply Road Bombed.
Widespread air blows of the Allies
augmented the latest ground opera
tions. In the Madang sector north
west of Finschhafen, the already
disrupted coastal supply road took,
new pounding Tuesday which IN
creased the number of bridges de-
stroyed to eight.
Across Daimler Strait from Finsch-
hafen. Liberators dropped 60 tons Of
bombs on the airdrome at Caps.
Gloucester, New Britain, and other
planes raided the airdrome at Gas
mata.
In the New Ireland vicinity. re-
connaissance bombers set 5,000-ton
enemy ship .afire, sank 1900
tonner and bombed two other yes
sells.
In the Solomons, 40 American
dive bombers and torpedo bombers
pounded the gun positions defending
Villa.
The Japanese air force caused
slight damage and casualties with
1S flghter-escorted bombers which
attacked allied positions in the Wa
tut Valley, we'll inland from Lac in
New Guinea