Evening star., 1943-08-16
46 japanese Aircraft
Downed in Pacific;
Allies Lose Five
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC, Aug.
16.-Allied warplanes, displaying
in the protection of their ground
forces a vigilance equal to the
zeal with which they carried the
attack to the enemy, shot down
48 japanese aircraft-23 of them
bombers - over the Southwest
Pacific battlefront yesterday.
This success, reported in today's
communique from Gen. Douglas
MacArthur's headquarters, was
achieved at cost of only five Allied
planes and no more than three
pilots. The ratio of nearly 10 to /
bettered by far the au-over score of
approximately to l established in
the six weeks since the start of the
Allies new Pacific offensive.
The days victory in skies over the
Solomon Islands and Northeastern
New Guinea supplies fresh evidence
Of increasing Allied aerial might in
a field of war where Gen. Mac
Arthur, cognizant that advances by
ground troops often must be meas
ured in yards, has predicted that
air power will be decisive.
Borneo Port Raided,
In week end of almost ceaseless
activity, the air forces under Gen.
MacArthur's command also:
Attacked without loss the great
Japanese-held oil port of Bank-
papan, on the east coast of Borneo,
flying record round trip of more
than $500 miles to set huge fires
among refineries, reservoirs and
tank ships.
Dumped 80 tons of explosives yes
terday on enemy positions around
Komiatum, south of Lac. New
Guinea, to extend the destruction
wrought by $50 tons of bombs un-
loaded on Salamaua in the two pre-
ceding days.
Heavily machine gunned the
enemy's central airdrome of Kahili
on Bougainville in the Northern
Solomons, damaging many grounded
aircraft.
Bombed Villa. Japan's last remain
ing sirfield in the Central Solomons.
Raided enemy-held villages and
possible supply centers on New Brit
ain and New Guinea.
Sank or damaged 10 more Japa-
nese supply barges off the coasts of
those islands.
Americans Bag "a Planes.
In the strictly aerial combat yes
terday, Americans of the Solomons
Air Command accounted for IL dive
bombers and % fighters, against a
loss Of two Of their own planes.
Twenty-seven of the enemy craft,
intercepted as they winged south
ward toward the New Georgia fight
ing zone, were shot down in the
neighborhood of Vella Lavella
Island. the other seven were knocked
out over their home base of Kahili
by United States airmen, who boldly
waited in ambush for their return.
American Airacobras, stepping out
OF their more usual role of attack
planes in support of ground forces,
waylaid IL two-engined japanese
bombers and 25 fighters bound
across Northeastern New Guinea
toward Allied positions.
The Airacobras attacked from the
rear and, in the words of one pilot,
rolled up the bomber formation
like carpet" shooting down all but
one bomber as we'll as at least three
Of the escorting Zeros. Three Amer
icaa planes were lost, but two pilots
were rescued
Pincers Being Closed.
The air war, for the moment,
dominated the Pacific fighting scene.
On New Georgia American troops
were reported closing a pincers from
north and south on an enemy center
OF resistance or 4 miles below
the japanese base at Bairoko. There
was no detail as to the strength or
effect of the movement.
Dispatches from New Guinea said
Allied troops, in renewed fighting
Saturday, had improved their posi-
tions on ridges overlooking Tambu
Bay, a few miles from Salamaua.