| Show J 1 Destroyers Fail to Land Supplies on Guadalcanal WASHINGTON 5 INS Secretary INS Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox reported Tuesday day that the flotilla of eight J Japanese destroyers destt de do- ers which made ri d a desperate attempt to land supplies for starving and ridden disease-ridden enemy emy troops on Guadalcanal island was driven off by American Ameri- Ameri can forc forces s before it could land landa a any y large amount of supplies The navy secretary said that If any ny supplies were gotten s ashore b by bythe the Japs Japs' they pie re-pie represented an in insignificant in- in significant amounts amount The Jap situation situation sit sit- on Guadal Guadalcanal was so desperate desperate desperate des des- that the theo Japs unloaded floating drums oL supplies in the waters off oft Guadalcanal canal in the hope hop that they would float J at ashore Knox nox explained at his press conference conference conference con con- ference that the Japanese de- de str er detachment was Vas attacked tw by air en elm route to Guadal- Guadal l I I J Jl l lr IL r i j 1 I canal an and then e driven off by speedy speed motor torpedo boats of ot the U. U S S. i navy once It did reach waters of the island 1 The Jap destroyers destroyer did unload d some supplies on the water in drums Knox declared They dumped the supplies in floating barrels into the sea in the hope I that they would drift ashore Borne probably did The ne next t morning we e went out and sank those that we could find If any got jn in inthey they re ne rep represented resented an Insignificant Knox Kno pointed out hat t U. U S. S air Continued on Pale Page Three Column tT Two WO o M A i r Yanks Drive Off Jap Destroyers y r 1 Trying to Land Supplies 1 Continued from Page One patrols had fir first t sighted the destroyers destroyers destroyers de de- de- de on January 2 2 early inthe inthe in inthe the afternoon afternoon near island about miles north of Guadalcanal Flying Fortresses immediately bombed them Later Laur the same day American dive bombers again picked up tl the e Jap flotilla about miles from Guadalcanal and sank two of ot the destroyers The remaining eight Jap destroyers destroyers de de- made the run down to Guadalcanal but U U. U S S. S motor torpedo torpedo torpedo tor tor- tor- tor boats immediately engaged them and It was Was' believed that torpedo torpedo torpedo tor tor- tor- tor hits were scored on three of th the Sap rap vessels vessel Had Tough Going Knox said American fort forces es followed followed followed fol fol- fol- fol lowed the Japs all the way down and in reply to a question added Yes the Japs had pretty tough going all the way Knox said th too the navy had no word that a big Japanese pan e fleet ply column was forming off Ra- Ra baul in an attempt either to re relieve relieve relieve re- re lieve Nipponese forces on Guadal Guadalcanal canal or In New Guinea Guinea- He declared declared declared de de- that was a big Japanese Japanese Japanese Japa Japa- nese concentration port and said it was under constant air patrol by U. U S. S fliers He declared there was no unusual concentration of ships there The same which reported the enemy air activity failed to mention any flights by U. U S S. S plan planes S. S although American forces supposedly hold air superiority superiority superiority in the inthe the skies over the Solomon islands The U. U S S. S has lias Flying Fortresses Fortresses Fortresses For For- tresses twin b bombers o 0 m b e r s dive-bombers dive and four different types of ot the latest model pursuit ships in the area and for more than six weeks Y Yank pilots have prevented the Japs from landing a any y supplies or reinforcements by ships Supplies Dropped On December 28 Jap planes flying flying fly fly- ing over the island at night dropped supplies in 30 cargo para para- chutes es but tho those e meager meag r supplies were the first only and and only to r reach ach trapped Jap troops on Guadalcanal nal since car early yin in November as far asis as asis asis is known With the exception of sneak flights by l lone ne planes the e Japs In recent weeks have shown no o desire to put up any air resistance to almost constant attacks on their near near-by bases by U U. S. S fliers The fact that the Japs apparently were able to provide an an anair air escort for or their des destroyers off off- Guadalcanal m military observers In Washington particularly particularly particularly since they pr presumably were viere not challenged by American aircraft air air- craft Destroyers were used because the Japs apparently were afraid to risk slower and more lumbering lumbering- cargo ships Destroyers a are e the most difficult target of any warship warship warship war- war ship because of their high speed and maneuverability With the tl exception of p patrol skirmishes there was a lull In ground fighting on Guadalcanal itself |
