The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-15
Marines Win
 New FoothoId
By DON CAsWELL

NUnlted Press War Correspondent | Allied Headquarters, Southwest Pacific, March 15- CUP)-U. s. | Marines won a new foothold on the northern New Britain coast in their drive toward Rabaul, while Ameri- can troops nearly 300 miles to the northwest cleared the enemy from Hauwei and Butjo Luo islands to bring the Japanese main Admiralty Island base within artillery range, it was disclosed today.
 A communique from Gen. Doug las MacArthur's headquarters also revealed:
 1-Allied airmen again attacked the big Japanese New Guinea stronghold of Wewak on the north ern coast, shooting down 65 enemy planes in a three-day assault.
 2-Three Japanese attacks on American positions at Torokina on southwestern Bougainville in the Solomons were repulsed, with the enemy losing more than 1000 troops in three days.
 In the Admiralties, U. s. dis mounted cavalrymen completed their occupation of Hauwei and Butjo islands off Los Negzros, bring ing their positions within artillery range of Lorengau on the principal Admiralty Island of Manus.
 CThe Japanese Domei agency re- ported that Japanese naval gar- rison repulsed an Allied attempt to land on Hauwei last Saturday and wiped out the entire landing force, and the motor torpedoboat and one landing vessel that carried it).
 The new landing on New Britain, the fourth in three months, was made at Linga Linga in Eleanora Bay 26 miles west of newly-won Ta- lasea on Willaumez Peninsula, and B miles east of the advanced ground lines at Rein Bay. Only 55 Japanese stragglers were eccoun- tered by the marine sand quickly wiped out, the communique said.
 American airmen also continued their bombariment of Rabaul, last big enemy base on New Britain, al- though they met aerial opposition for the first time in over week. Five enemy planes were shot down, and three harbor craft set afife in the attack, which costt he Alltss -'ro planes.
 The big bag of enemy plsaaes cves New Guinea was rounded Aius witla. heavy aerial assault Monday. on Wewak, when fighters e.lct down eight Japanese planes sad 0robaloly another while heavy ana lnediufn < bombers were dropping asn tonBDf explosives on the ensinys priicipal base of northern NeS duinea.
 The Allied airmely had brought down IS enemy I'lterceutngs during Sundays raids, snd the .reHaander during one of '.Nta blggeS aerial were shot dowlg lhe preceding day battles ever st.Eged oyer de Jap aneSe stronghold R
 ~',rgf't rA--~~ lro'a aiss rAnged over
 T l,,ta,? sueS tnRI6y bastion iS'G'C"s ,ssh~est Of Wewak on 'h Y .,es, cnssS, sinking two
 lS arc lorcing another
 ating on Sc ,ainville subsided after the Japanese were repulsed The third straight day on Sunday, spokesman reported, and the Ametican positions along Empress Augusta Bay "are understood to have been completely re-estab- lshed."
 In attempting to break through the Q. s. Perimeter in the three-day suicidal attacks, the Japanese lost more than 1000 men, while the American dead totaled 96, dis patch from the Guadalcanal head quarters said.
 The two forces still were Gin con- tact" Sunday night, spokesman revealed, with the enemy artillery containing to lob shells into the American beachhead and air fields.