Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-01-02
Jap Toll Heavy
On New Britain,
Macarthur Says
Marines Push Mile and
Half Past Airdrome
At Cape Gloucester
By the Associated Press.

~ VIC hsooSidttu FIesS.
ADVANCED ALLIED HEAD
QUARTERS, New Guinea, Sun
day, Jan. 2.-Pushing a mile and
a half beyond the airdrome in
expanding their hold on Cape
Gloucester, New Britain, Marine
forces have counted more than
1000 slain japanese and Gen.
Douglas MacArthur's headquar-
tiers said "the total (enemy)
casualties are estimated at many
times this figure"
The estimates included wounded
removed to areas still held by the
japanese and to troops buried the
day the invasion opened week age
today.
The enlargement of the American
hold on that Northwestern New
Britain base was largely defensive
move. intended to provide additional
room in which to meet any japanese
counterattacks.
Extensively, the 5th Air Force
struck a 253-ton bombing blow at
the japanese Northeastern New
Guinea base Of Madang; the Solo
mons Air Force, which already has
bagged more than 100 enemy planes
at Rabaul since December %, added
20 more during a 39-ton bombing
of that Northeastern New Britain
fortress; and IL enemy raiders were
shot down during attacks on Arawe,
the Southwest New Britain sector
which the Allies invaded Decem-
Der Is.
Counterattacks Repulsed.
In the western sector of the Cape
Gloucester position, Japanese coun-
terattacks were repulsed at Tauali
A single plane Thursday night at
tempted one Of the few enemy air
raids made since the invasion.
Sixty miles to the southeast at
Arawe, PATS tangled with japanese
divebombers and fighters in numer-
Gus single actions, downing eight
bombers and four fighters for GER
tain and probably two other fight
ers. No Allied losses were listed.
Nineteen Liberators of the Solo
mons Air Force, escorted by fight
ers, were opposed by heavy anti
aircraft fire and between 80 and 80
japanese fighters as they raided
Rabaul at noon Friday. Many fires
were started with the $4,000 pounds
of explosives.
A spokesman for Admiral William
F. Halsey said 20 enemy fighters
were shot down for certain and six
others probably destroyed. His fig
ures were based on reports received
after Gen. MacArthur's commun-
ique was issued today, listing IL
enemy losses.
One raiding bomber was lost and
several were damaged, but japanese
planes failed again to hit the Lib
orators with aerial PHOSPHORUS
bombs.
Kahili Airdrome Bombed.
At the hour of the Rabaul raid
Solomons force of 10 unescorted
Mitchells dropped y light bombs
and many augmentation clusters
on Japan's long imperative Kahili
airdrome on the south coast of Bou-
granville.
The 253-ton attack on Madang,
spread over gun positions, supply
and bivouac areas, was aimed at the
next big japanese New Guinea base
northwest of Huon Peninsula on
which Australian jungle troops are
steadily advancing. Those troops
reported today to have reached a
point about IS miles north of
Finschhafen, are approximately 100
miles from Madang, but in the
Ramu Valley another Australian
force Is within IS miles of that
enemy shipping base.
Among points bombed in the big
raid was Bogadjim, the defense out
post for Madang about 20 miles to
its south and linked with it by a
excellent road.
(Such concentrated aerial as
saults frequently presage often
s1ve operations against such
ho