Evening star., 1943-02-06
BY CLARK LEE.

dnGlyzeS the latest WODeS in the
struggle for the SolomonS.)
BY CLARK LEE.
NEW YORK. Feb. s (R,.-The
latest round in the battle of the
Solomons appears to have been a
surprise twilight attack by Japanese
airplanes on American surface yes
sels, followed by an air duel between
Japanese and American airplanes.
The first dispatches from corre-
spondents with the American Fleet
do not give any indication of surface
fighting between American and
japanese ships, or any confirmation
Of reports that the Japanese are
again moving on Guadalcanal in
tremendous force
From the location of the battle
as given by the Japanese-approxi-
mately $50 miles south of Guadal-
canal-it would appear that enemy
torpedo planes based on Munda
Island attacked an American task
force of warships, without carriers,
which was cruising below the Solo
mons on January 20. awaiting a
possible new landing attempt by the
Japanese.
No Reports of Carriers.
There are no reports of any car
riers participating in the action
and Japan's twin-engined torpedo
planes-which in appearance are
somewhat similar to the American
Army's B-26s but far below them
IN performance - have sufficient
range to cruise from the Munda
airfield to the point approximately
400 miles south of that field where
the Japanese report the attacks
took place. However, the enemy
torpedo planes must have gone out
without fighter escort.
The japanese claims of damage
to our ships are undoubtedly-as
our Navy has stated-"grossly exag-
gerated," but nevertheless this latest
action is new illustration of the
primary role of the airplane in the
Pacific war It also underlies our
future problems.
Both our Navy and the japanese
Navy have learned that surface YES
sells cannot successfully operate
within range of enemy aircraft
unless the surface ships have strong
air protection. Air control is vital
to the safety Of such operations and
consequently the movements Of
warShips have been drastically cir
cumscribed by the airplane.
Up to the present, the only sur
face fighting between warships in
the Solomons has taken place at
night. including the Savo Island
battle of August 8 which the Japa-
nese won and the later encounters
during October and November when
our surface forces, strongly assisted
by airplanes, caught the japanese
In the slot" between the islands
and turned back enemy expeditions
headed for Guadalcanal.
Ships Stay Out Of Range.
With the exceptions Of the carrier
battles of August and October when
opposing task forces, operating out
OF range of land-based planes
launched their own airplanes
against enemy surface units, both
our ships and Japanese vessels usu-
ally have remained beyond the
range OF planes during the daylight.
Occasionally our own planes, and
now the japanese, have succeeded
In attacking ships at night, but in
general aerial operations are natu-
rally more effective in daylight.
The present range Of most SINGLE
engined torpedo planes and dive
bombers is limited by the range Of
escort fighters, and consequently the
attack planes rarely operate more
than 200 miles from their bases. BY
waiting close to that limit until
darkness approached. both the Japa-
nese and our own ships have been
able to race toward enemy positions
under cover Of night. shell their OBJ
jectives and by daybreak again be
well on their way outside the range
OF anything but big bombers.
The relative speed of ships and the
speed and range of present-day
planes have become determining
factors in naval operations. 1t is
doubtful that the speed of ships can
he materially increased, but the
speed and range of planes are GO
Ing up all the time and each in
crease will restrict further opera
tions of surface craft.
Japs Strengthen Their Positions.
In the six months since our first
landing at Guadacanal, we have
been unable to move farther uu
through the Solomons or to prevent
the Japs from building and consoli-
dating their bases on the islands
northwest of Guadalcanal. BY this
time the japanese positions are un-
doubtedly strongly fortified, much
more so than Guadalcanal. where
our original attack caught the JAP
anese before they had time to dig in
When our Navy eventually is giver
sufhcient equipment to start an Of
fensive in the Pacific. every attack
will be opposed by japanese land
based planes. This will be equally
true whether We follow strategy
of island hopping" or strike di.
rectly at Japan's key South Pacific
bases or at Japan itself.