Evening star., 1943-07-08
Australians Also
Advance; Most of
Helena Crew Safe
MAP on Page A-6.)
By the Associated Press.

AUSTRALIA, July S.-Amerlcan
jungle fighters battled today
within 6 miles of the Japanese
air base of Munda from two new
landing points on New Georgia
Island, where the enemy's hold
has been weakened by crushing
naval defeat.
The new landings were disclosed
today by Gen. Douglas Macarthur
in a communique which also con-
tanned the news that in the war;
ship engagement during the dark
ness of July SIS above Munda in
the Kula Gulf at least nine and
possibly IL japanese cruisers and
destroyers were sunk against the
loss of the cruiser U. S. S. Helena.
"a dispatch. quoting sources
at the South Pacific headquarters
of Admiral William F. Halsey
said no other American war;
ships even were damaged in the
engagement and that most of
the more than 800 reported
aboard the cruiser Helena were
savedD
Australians Capture Hill
The growing weight of the Pa
cific offensive began to tell against
Japan at the other end of the TOO
mile arc as well. Gen. Macarthur
announced that in the jungle fight
on the approaches to the Japanese
cir base at Salamaua, New Guinea
Australian troops captured Obser-
vation Hill between Salamaua and
Mubo after its Japanese defenders
had been killed or demoralized by
106 tons of bombs dropped in less
than IS minutes by Boston attack
planes, Mitchell and Liberator
hombers
The new landings which increased
the peril of Munda were made Mon
day. today's communique disclosed.
After American warships in the
Kula Gulf had shelled Munda's sup
ply base at Bairoko Anchorage be-
fore dawn Monday. the troops
Swarmed ashore at Rice Anchorage,
four miles northeast of Bairoko.
That landing point is above Munda
Monday night other American
forces stormed ashore at Zanana,
miles east of Munda. They famed
out in patrols and latest reports
were that some Of them were fight
ing the japanese along the Barike
River.
1t was before dawn the following
morning that American warships
made contact in the Kula Gulf
above the scene of the latest land
ing operations with japanese
cruiser destroyer force.
Swift and Telling Blows.
The surprised enemy was struck
swift and telling blows by the guns
of our warships. today's communl-
que said.
IN the first phase of the en-
gagement, four or five hostile de-
stroyers were struck by smashing
broadsides that within five minutes
DESTROYED or set afire the entire
group the communique related.
Three or possibly four enemy
light cruisers were then taken under
fire. All we're either sunk or aflre
within Is minutes. One was
beached."
Later, while the cruiser Helena S
survivors were being rescued, our
destroyers intercepted and sank two
of three enemy ships attempting to
escape from the gulf and damaged
the third"
The dispatch from Admiral
Halsey's headquarters said Amer
ican warships trapped numer-
ically superior enemy force in
the narrow gulf at close range
and forced it to f1ght)
Previously, Gen. Macarthur S
HEADQUARTERS had listed the enemy's S
Kula Gulf losses as six ships prob
ably sunk and four damaged.
IL Jap Planes Shot Down.
While Corsair fighters were In the
air Yesterday patrolling above Rem
dova Island, which American forces
seized June 80 within artillery she'll
ing distance of Munda, and over
American landing forces at banana
they encountered japanese bombers
escorted by 58 Zeros. The resultant
dogfights increased to approximately
1870 the number of planes the enemy
has expended trying to wrest mas
terry of the skies over the Central
Solomons from the Americans.
Out of that latest force of raid
ers, the Corsairs shot down three
bombers and nine Zeros at a cost
of only one of their own. The COM
munique today did not make clear
whether the raiders succeeded in
breaking through to their targets.
American planes got in some
heavy blows. Above the Kula Gull
on Kolombangara Island AvengeI
torpedo bombers and Dauntless
dive bombers, escorted by Wildcat
fighters, blasted the japanese air
base area at Villa with % tons OF
bombs. Later Mitchell medium
bombers, escorted by Lightnings and
warhawks, expanded the attack.
Japs Bombed and Strafed.
Over the New Guinea jungle front
In addition to the aerial lombard.
ment of Observation Hill, Allied
planes bombed and strafed the
Japanese at Bobdubi, within
miles of Salamaua, and raided the
supply barge sector of Labu Lagoon
above Salamaua near Lac.
Celebrating on a Navy announce.
fr1ent in Washington, the COM
munioue said four-engined Liberia
tors and Fortresses have struck al
the japanese behind-the-lines all
force in the Buin-Faisi area in the
Northern SoIomons. They dropped
IS tons of bombs while enemy war
ships and shore batteries fired at
them, then fought of Japanese
fighters on the way home. Two
bombers failed to return. The bombs
started fires at the Kahili- -Ballale
airdromes which sent up heavy
clouds of smoke, some rising 1000
feet,