Evening star., 1943-08-03
Yanks Smash Down
Munda's S Defenses:
Approach Air Base
Fy the Associated prasr

NPPiVuwu All DoSC
By the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS n
THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC
Aug. 3.-The battle of Mund:
neared its climax today with
American forces breaking dowl
final japanese defensive posi-
tions after a general advance O.
500 to 1900 yards carried then
almost to the edge of the stra
tegic New Georgia airfeld.
Supplementlng Gen. Dougla
MacArthurS Tuesday communion,
which announced the advance,
naval spokesman for Admiral vii
liam F. Halsey's command in tn,
South Pacific said American troop
reached point close to the eastern
edge of the field"
A portion of Biblo Hill. enem,
strongpoint defending the northeast
approach to Munda, was captured
in the American onrush the spokes
man said. He disclosed that tanks
flame throwers and artillery sup.
ported Marine and Army units il
their advance.
Many Japs Killed.
Many japanese were killed In the
attack. Although there was no indi.
cation of retreat, japanese resis.
tance was not as strong as hereto.
fore.
simultaneously, Allied forces in
New Guinea brought the japanese
stronghold at Salamaua under artil-
lery bombardment for the first time
These new successes were re-
counted in the communique which
also told of one sided aerial VIC
tory over the japanese, of the firing
of an enemy destroyer and of a
heavy bombing of the BUM -Faisi
Harbor and the Kahili Airdrome,
the enemy's major operating base in
the Solomons.
The Munda advance. a general
movement along the whole line, took
the Americans to within at least
1,400 yards of the airdrome. 1t
may have carried them as close as
TOO yards, for their last previously
reported positions were within 1900
yards of the airfield at one point
The communique said considerable
quantities of materials were cap
tured.
Huge Fires Started.
Medium artillery. probably 105-
nm. howitzers, which has been
wrestled into position since the
Allies landed at Nassau Bay. south
Of Salamau, June 30, blazed away
at the Salamaua airdrome, destroy
ing grounded planes, demolishing a
60-foot section of the adjacent
Francisco River bridge and dropping
shells directly on antiaircraft bat
teries.
While the artillery was pounding
the airdrome. heavy bombers drop
ped "a tons of explosives on the
town itself. Numerous fires were
started and damage was heavy.
Other -engined aircraft blew
up a large fuel or supply dump and
started huge fires at Lac, 10 miles
up the coast.
Fourteen Lightning fighters,
escorting bombers hunting barges
along the southern coast of the
Huon Peninsula, pounced on an
equal number of enemy fighters.
Eleven Zeros were shot down. One
more was listed as a probable. Two
escaped. The Lightnings and the
bombers under their care all re-
turned to base.
Ship Set Afire.
Army and Navy planes joined in
heavy blow at the BUM -Faisi-
Kahili triangle. A large freighter-
transport was set on fire, many
grounded planes were damaged,
eight barges sunk and tanker
hit. Divebombers and torpedo
bombers attacked the anchored
ships while Liberators dropped 500
bombs on large concentration of
aircraft on Kahili airdrome. Fires
started on the airdrome sent smoke
billowing 1000 feet into the air.
Japanese fighters tried to break up
the attack, but failed to get through
the strong screen of Allied fighters
The japanese sent divebombers
against American positions on Rem
dova and lost three of them without
inflicting any damage or casualties.
"a Berlin radio broadcast
quoted a japanese imperial head
quarters communique as saying
Japanese planes attacked Rem
dova harbor and sank destroyer,
a large transport, four medium
and six small transports and six
landing boats
In addition the broadcast,
which was recorded in London by
the Associated Press, said the
japanese had damaged cruiser
and set ire to harbor installa-
tons. Nine Allied planes were
said to have been shot down.
(The japanese claims were en-
tirely without conflrmation)