Show U. U S. S Troops S Seize i ize e Vital Hill in Guadalcanal Fight Americans Repel 6 Counterattacks Kill Japanese Soldiers High Point Dominates Airfield WASHINGTON Jan 5 UP American American troops on Guadalcanal Guadal Guadal Guadalcanal c canal n l island have gained strategic high ground overlooking t their airfield from the southwest and repulsed six enemy counterattacks counterattacks counterattacks counter counter- attacks killing a total of Japanese fro troops fros s H The occupation o oi o ine new 1951 lions southwest of the he airfield constituted constituted con con- what appeared to be the i first important advance of American Ameri Amen can an ground forces on the island in b weeks Heretofore the American r troops had engaged only ony In widespread widespread wide 1 spread patrol activity activity- which took tock a. a heavy t toll ll of f their starving and more or less isol isolated ted Japanese opponents opponents opponents op op- op- op on the western and southern south south- ern flanks of the American position prot protecting Guadalcanal al airfield To Protect Airfield The immediate purpose of the 1 advance in the vicinity of Mount Austen a foot 1514 peak four j jmiles miles southwest of the airfield was to prevent the Japanese from bombarding the field from the heights In the past the Japs have harassed operations a at the field and nd shelled American positions i around round it with artillery located in inthe the he jungle ridges on the southwestern southwestern southwestern south- south western flank J Last November 23 a marine parol patrol pa- pa j rol thrust deep into the Mount Austen section to wipe out a Jap machine gun center at the village of on the upper Matani- Matani kau cau river and kill 70 enemy troops No attempt was made mad to hold lold the village at that time New Aerial Attacks 1 The aerial attacks attacks' on Munda which paralleled th the ground drives s against the Japanese rap on Guadalcanal Guadalcanal Guadal- Guadal canal on J January nuary 4 probably w were re among the thc most thorough going yet directed agail against st that enemy airbase which h h lies nautical miles mUes northwest of Guadalcanal airfield Never before had the navy here t used the term a s series ries of air atta attacks at- at 1 ta tacks acks in describing operations against the Munda area although it t has been under bombardment almost daily since the Japanese first attempted to establish it as asan asan asan an operating base a month ago Some clue as to the size of f the installations w was s given In Tuesdays Tuesday's Tuesdays Tuesday's Tuesdays Tuesday's Tues Tues- days day's with the disclosure disclosure disclosure dis dis- dis- dis closure that the field contains not one but several taxiways and run run- ways |