Evening star., 1943-07-02
Jap Plane Toll at New Georgia
Raised to 123 in 2-Doy Bottle;
U. S. Loses Is Aircraft, IS Pilots
Dive Bombers Stort
Fires in Attack
In Mundu Sector
MAP on Page A-6.)
BY the Associated Press.

SOUTH PACIFIC HEADQUAR
TIERS, July 2.-Admiral William
F. Halsey's South Pacific head
quarters announced today tina
1913 japanese planes were sho
down over the New Georgia Is
lands Wednesday and Thursday
against American losses OF q
planes and IS pilots.
A total OF 1ol enemy planes wer
knocked out of the sky wednesday
the day American forces landed il
the Central Solomons, and II Amer
lean planes were destroyed, but
of their pilots were saved.
The next day the Japanese los
an additional % aircraft. American
losses in the continuing air battl
were eight planes, the pilots of thre'
Of which landed safely.
(The Navy Department report
ed today that American dive
bombers yesterday attacked en-
envy positions near Munda, Jap
.anese air base, miles from Rem
dova Island. Large fires were
started, the communique said.
The assault was made on Lam
beti Plantation. described as a
native village about 3 to miles
east OF Munda airf1eld.
(Torpedo bombers and dive
bombers attacked japanese po-
sitions and camp sections at Villa,
Kolombangara Island. it was also
announced)
Gen. Douglas MacArthErs
headquarters in Australia an
nounced that the American forces
which landed at Rendova had
destroyed the small japanese
garrison there by midday and
within two hours after debark-
Ing from barges were firing shore
batteries at Munda.
CA Macarthur spokesman to-
night, Solomors time, said there
was nothing further to report
from either the New Guinea or
Solomons fronts. From that
statement it was assumed that
all erations were progressing
satisfactorily and according to
plan)
Surface Ships Active.
Well to the northwest. Navy sur
face units were reported activ'
against japanese positions on tn
approaches to Bougainville Island
heart of the enemy's strength IL
the Solomons.
Whether this action was intended
only as a diversion, hit-and-rur
raid such as American warship
have made on several past occasion!
in these waters, or whether it repre-
sented the beginning of an expand
ed operation was not immediatel.
apparent.
Enemy Attacks Divided.
On the first day of the Invasion
the enemy divided his attacks be-
tween ship and land targets. Lane
positions only we're raided yesterday
Army, Navy and marine pilot
thus practically repeated their re
markable performance over Guadal
canal two weeks before when thu
score was 81 japanese planes de-
stroyed to six American lost.
The Navy transport McCawley
which sank without loss of a singl'
man after an aerial attack on tn,
first Gay of the Rendova landings
was the only American ship lost il
the operation, headquarters an
nounced. The McCawley, com
manded by Comdr. Robert Henr,
Rodgers of Knoxville, Tenn. wa!
known widely as the flagship of tn.
original Guadalcanal invasion trans
port fleet last August.
Headquarters also disclosed tina
the occupation by marines of Vir1
Harbor on the main island of New
Georgia ANNOUNCED previously b,
Gen. MacArthur) was achieved afte
the American forces had tough
their way through jungle agains
medium" japanese opposition.
Marines Landed in Advance.
Those marines. headquarters said
were landed as an advance elemen
several days before the main push.
Land action by the Americans OF
Rendova was reported today to hav'
consisted mainly of mopping-ul
operations.
The invaders were said so far t,
have encountered nothing stronge
than patrols in the way of groun'
opposition, and the enemy's effort
to counter the landings were limitet
largely to air attacks on the Ameri
can troops and their invasion craft
These were continuing despite tn
heavy losses suffered by the Japa
nese in the first big air battle which
followed shortly after transport
unloaded American Army soldier
and marines on Rendova Wednes
day morning.
The Americans were said to hav
made as nearly perfect landings a