Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-03-16
Allied Airmen Blast
Two Jap Troopships
North Of Australia
49 Enemy Planes Attack
Darwin; Orc Boy in
New Guinea Ruided
BY The Associated Press.

by me Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
AUSTRALIA, March 16.-Hard
on the heels Of news that the
japanese were maSSing men and
ships on their island bases north
west Of Australia, Allied airmen
dashed out suddenly in that area
yesterday and blasted two troop
Laden transports in a three ship
convoy bound for Dobo, Gen.
Douglas MacArthur's headouar-
terS announced today.
The threat implied in the new
japanese concentrations was driven
home, meanwhile, by the greatest
burst of enemy aerial activity in this
theater in months-a 49-plane as
sault on Darwin. Australia, and a
l5-plane raid on ORC Bay, New
Guinea.
In the attack on the convoy off
enemy occupied Dobo, in the Aroe
Islands, about 500 miles north Of
Darwin, direct hits were scored on
two Of the ships by Allied bombers
which roared in at mast height and
several near hits were scored on the
third vessel, the Allied communicate
said
Long-range fighters which &C
companled the bombers raked the
transports from stem to stern with
cannon and machine gun fire. caus-
Ing heavy casualties to troops packed
on the decks, the bulletin added.
Stiff Resistance at Darwin.
The japanese smash at Darwin
key Allied base on the northwest tip
of Australia, met stiff resistance
from Spitfire fighters which rose to
intercept them.
The Allies announced they had
shot 2 bombers and q fighters out
of action and so seriously damaged
an additional 3 fighters and bomb
ers that they probably failed to
reach their base
-Four Allied planes were reported
lost in the action, but the pilots of
TWO were saved, said the noon bulle-
tin. II added that the, raid caused
only slight damage and casualties"
1t was the heaviest japanese aerial
stab in several months. Darwin was
last raided March by Is fighters.
six of which were reported shot out
Of action.
The Orc Bay raid was on the
wharf area just at dusk but the
damage was slight and there were
no casualties, Gen MacArthur's
headquarters reported Nine bomb
ers and 13 fighters attacked ORC Bay
March and three days later the
japanese sent a larger crew of "a
bombers and l6 fighters on repeat
mission.
Part of Convoy Missing.
There was some speculation, mean
while, over the whereabouts of the
remains of the enemy convoy of
eight ships which had been heavily
attacked for two successive DAYS
straight as it approached Wewak, in
Northeastern New Guinea. Hits had
been reported on four cargo ships
and one destroyer, but BITS which
Went out again in search of the con-
voy yesterday found no shipping
whatever in that area, a headquar-
tiers spokesman said.
The cOaStline was searched with
out success, meaning that the con-
Voy apparently had either landed it's
troops and supplies and withdrawn,
or was well hidden. Flying Fort
resseS had been hampered in night
attacks by weather and limited
hours of moonlight.
In other far-fung Allied aerial
activity two enemy merchant YES
sells Of 1000 or 5000 tons were at
tackled by heavy bombers in Bitz-
jaroe Bay in Dutch New Guinea,
but results were not observed.
In the Banda Sea, west of the
scene of the attack on the three
transports, one medium bomber at
tackled and damaged a japanese
coastal schooner
In New Britain a Catalina made
a night attack on the GaSmata air
drome, followed by an attack on the
building area by a BIT. The air
drome and installations at Cape
Gloucester also were strafed and in
still other actions in New Guinea
BeaufighterS made 10 strafing passes
over the japanese in the Mubo area,
sweeping a long stretch OF the coast
without opposition