Evening star., 1944-06-08
Yanks Down 70 zeros
Against Heavy Odds
Over Arafura Sea
BY MURLIN SPENCER.

Associated Press War Correspondent.
AN ADVANCED U. S. LIBERIA
TOR BASE SOMEWHERE IN AUS
TRALIA.-Weary, war-tried Amer
lean airmen call it the most vicious
sky battle ever fought over the west
ern sector of the Southwest Pacific
front.
And the score shows that the
yanks, odds against them, won the
argument. They shot down dozen
of the 20 Japanese Zeros which
challenged five bigs American Lib
orators.
The men at this base agree that
new names were added to America S
long hero list during Sc minutes OF
intense action over the placid Ara
fura Sea.
1t. Robert M. Dunseth, Los An
geles, fought off II Zeros at one
time when they pounced on his
plane after two bullet-damaged en-
gines had conked out.
Sergt. w. r. Miller, the nose gun
ner, from Dallas, Tex, blasted two
enemy fighters out of the air be-
fore his life was ended by can
non shell.
Gunmen Wounded.
Staff Sergt. Edward Chmura,
Newark, N. j., was hit in the legs
by three japanese bullets but stayed
with his guns.
The Liberator men operating out
of this remote, far northern base
expect trouble when they 60 on
raids. They range too far for fight
er escorts as they wage unceasing
war on one of the most stubbornly
defended areas in Japans outer
defenses.
This bombing strike in the closing
days of April was aimed at Noem-
foor Island in Northwestern New
Guinea. The bombs had been laid
when the 20 Zeros roarad in at noon.
The Japanese were eager, skillful
and daring.
From the minute Sergt. Miller
spotted the Zeros, high and straight
ahead, the Liberators hattled in
tight formation.
1t. Dunseth's plane bore the brunt
of the battle after zeros broke
through to damage his engines.
Crippled, he was unable to keep pace
with the other bombers and before
they could drop back to cover him,
the Japanese moved in for a kill
The big ship staggered under the
heavy fire, but 1t. Dunseth finally
got a third engine going and that
helped.
\ 1t. Dunseth's co-pilot, Second 1t.
James B. Hershberger, Creasap-
town, Md, was severely wounded
when 20-mm. shell exploded under
his seat. Their waist gunner, Sergt.
Chmura. took three .20-caliber slugs
in his legs, but regained his feet and
continued the battle.
Zeros Start Falling.
Sergt. Donald r. Young, Peakville,
N. Y, upper turret gunner, sent one
Zero down in flames, and 1t. Ed
ward Edwardson, bombardier, Hill
side, N. j., bagged another from In
front. Then when Sergt. Miller got
his two as they came at his nose
turret the japanese decided this
wasn't lame duck after all.
-Four Japanese fell to the guns of
the Liberator piloted by 1t. Joseph
w. Daily, Monroe, N. Y. The crew
of Lit. John Di Domenico, Audubon,
N. j., bagged three, and a gunner
for 1t. Merton H. Shaffer, Great
Falls, Mont, got the twelfth.
Staff Sergt. Kenneth M. Simms.
5r, Ousley Ca, blazed away at a !
Zero that came toward his waist
gun. The fighter was only 100 yards
away when it burst into flames. Al
wing broke off and futtered down
to the sea.
Another Zero ran into an un-
breakable thread of fire and ex-
ploded. The thread was stitched
by the machine guns of Staff Seret,
John F. Fretchel, Chester, Pa.
With only eight of their planes
remaining. the japanese broke off
the engagement. The Liberators,
too, had taken a pounding.
1t. Dunseth's plane, for examule.
had its left vertical stabilizer shot
out, the hydraulic system badly
damaged, and 1t. Dunseth, wound
ed, needed help to land the ship.
But all the American planes made
it back.