Evening star., 1943-03-06
TWO JAP DESTROYERS sunk IN SEA BATTLE
American Ships
She'll Munda
In Bold Thrust

III 1vuW I'LL 00u
No US. Vessels Lost;
Clash Is First in Area
Between Surface Croft
ALLIES MOP UP remnants of Japs'
large convoy in Bismarck Sea
Page A-3
By the Associated Press.
United States warships boldly
thrusting into the heart of jap
anese positions in the Central
Solomons were officially re-
ported today to have sunk two
large enemy destroyers, follow
Ing up the total destruction Of q
22-ship Japanese convoy in the
Bismarck Sea to the north.
A Navy Department bulletin said
the Japanese destroyers were sent
to the bottom last night in q brief,
fierce battle when the enemy at
tempted to drive of a United States
light naval force bombarding in
stallations at Munda and Villa. No
American ships were lost, the Navy
said.
Munda lies on New Georgia Island,
180 miles northwest Of American
conquered Guadalcanal Island, and
Is the site Of newly built japanese
airf1eld. Villa is on nearby Kolom-
bangara Island.
The battle was the first surfacs
action In that area of the Solomons.
That was not, however, the flrst
occasion on which Munda has been
bombarded by surface guns It was
similarly attacked last January
and at that time our ships wers
counter attacked by enemy planes
but not by surface units.
First Since February Ia.
The action last night, Solomons
time, was the first naval engage
ment In the Solomons area since
the night Of February Ia, when
American motor torpedo boats
clashed with Japanese destroyers
removing troops from Guadalcanal
Island.
Not since November 80, however.
had there been . Tight involving the
use Of large warships on each side.
1t was in the November 30 action.
the battle Of Lunga Point, that the
American cruiser Northampton was
lost and several other ships dam
aged while the Japanese lost six
destroyers, two troop transports and
one cargo ship.
Word of the successful repulse Of
a Japanese plane attack on an
American task force in the Solomons
In mid-February had already come
from the South Pacific In stories BY
newspaper correspondents with the
feet.
Today'S communique statement.
however, gave the Navy's final of
ficial version of the action-five
enemy planes shot down; no damage
to any ship.
Reported by Japs.
This was the attack from which
on February 20 japanese propaganda
lists had claimed highly successful
results. A Toxic broadcast at that
time announced that Jap naval
planes had sunk two enemy Destroy
ers and one large transport east Of
San Cristobal Island, which is south
east OF Guadalcanal. The Japs said
they had lost only three planes in
the attack.
The destruction OF the two de-
stroyers reported in today's com.
munique raised to 60 the number OF
japanese ships sunk in the Solomons
area to date. In addition II have
been listed by the Navy as probably
sunk and 116 damaged grand
total Of 189. BY a count Of Navy
communiques, giving combat results,
the Japs have lost 882 planes In the
Solomons campaign.
Text Of Communique.
The text of the communicate:
South Pacific (all dates east
longitude).
Il. On March 5th:
"(A) United States aircraft bombed
Japanese positions at Munda on
the Island of New Georgia and at
BUN on the southeast coast OF Bou-
gainville
"(B) During the night Of March
5th-6th. a United States task force
composed of light surface units
bombarded Japanese installations at
Villa and at Munda In the Central
Solomons.
Light Japanese surface forces at
tempted to drive off the bombard-
ment group and two large enemy
destroyers were sunk during the en-.
gagement. No United States vessels
were lost.
%. The successful completion Of
the convoy mission of a United
States task force in the South Pacific
now makes possible the following
announcement:
"On February II, a formation Of
seven Japanese torpedo planes lo-
Gated and launched an attack
against the task force. Five of the
enemy planes we're shot down and
M damage tn Tinted States vAxsAlx