Show u. u S. S Warships Shell SheD Japs on an Guadalcanal Nipponese land Reinforcements East of American Airfield Knox Tells Sinking Of 2 More Enemy Ships WASHINGTON Nov 3 UP W- W 7 United States destroyers have moved in to bombard enemy positions po positions po- po in Guadalcanal the navy reported Tuesday while aerial attacks continue against the enemy Despite the sea and air attacks to o the westward of th the vital Henderson Henderson Hen Hen- derson airfield however the navy said that the Japari Japanese se had landed troop re reinforcements eastward of t the field on n the north coast of Guadalcanal Earlier Tuesday the sinking of two additional Japanese cruisers and a destroyer in the south Pacific off Savo island was reported by Navy Secret Secretary ry Knox who coupled with the news an admonition against growing too optimistic about the Solomons campaign U. U S. S Bombers Attack On Guadalcanal where marines and the tha United States army are defending Henderson airfield the navy reported that during the night of November 1 and 2 Solomons Solomons Solomons Solo Solo- mons island time United States dive bombers continued their attacks attacks at at- tacks on enemy positions on the northwestern end of the Island where principal landings have been effected It was was f following morning that destroyers bombarded enemy positions west of the river which is ia westward of the airport The bombardment was in support of land aU attacks in which marines ar are seeking to push the Japanese back to the end of the island V The next night the navy said reinforcements for fot the Japanese were landed on the island eastward eastward eastward east east- ward of the airfield It is still a bitter tough fight he told his press confer confer- ence They the Japanese have havea a fleet of formidable proportions left We haven't any any doubt they'll come back Knox r report port of at sinking three more enemy warships was based on late information from Vice Admiral Admiral Ad Ad- miral Robert L. L Ghormley now back from his former command as chief of naval operations in m the south Pacific Ghormley's account of the battie battle bat bat- tle tie off Savo island the night of ot October 12 11 Knox said listed five enemy destroyers and three cruisers as s sunk Terrific Melee This engagement was at Pearl Harbor Tuesday by Captain Captain Cap Cap- tam tain Ernest G. G Small as a hell of a melee which completely surprised the enemy Small was not as positive as Ghormley as to the results saying say say- ing lag We sank one heavy cruiser and believe we got two others and one light cruiser and we know we sank one destroyer and probably four others After the fight fight- Small said the battle area became just a afield afield afield field of burning ships The navy on that engagement had reported only one enemy cruiser sunk plus four destroyers de dc- dc and a transport Ghormley's Ghorm Ghorm- leys ley's report thus added two cruisers cruisers cruisers cruis cruis- ers and one destroyer to the toll taken of the enemy In speaking out against optimism optimism optimism springing from the severe damage inflicted o on the tile Japanese fleet in the Solomons Knox said There is no warrant for the optimism It is still a bitter Continued on Page PaJe Four Column Two Two More Nipponese Cruisers Destroyer Sunk Knox Says Continued from Page Pare One tough fight They have a fleet leet of formidable proportions left We haven't any doubt they'll come comeback back It is dangerous to assume assum they wont won't be back and any assumption as- as assumption assumption as as- that this is all there will be of the operation is un un- warranted I dont don't want to build up optimism optimism optimism that will be punctured later by a 8 desperate hard fight which lies ahead Knox also declared he was particularly particularly particularly par proud of the navys navy's submarines saying that the submarine submarine submarine sub sub- marine service generally had done a particularly amazing and outstanding job War of Attrition This is primarily a war of attrition attrition attrition at at- he continued and there is no arm of the service more important important important im im- in a war of attrition than the submarines He added that he believed the United States had developed the best type of submarines afloat and said that their successful of- of offensive offensive of of- action justifies that be be- lief Asked about the new assignment assignment assiGnment assign assign- ment to be given Admiral Ghormley Ghormley Ghorm- Ghorm Ghormley ley who has been succeeded by Vice Admiral William F. F Halsey Knox said he had told Ghormley that he should get a good rest zest because he had been under terrific terrific terrific ter ter- ter- ter strain out there An American drive to squeeze the Japanese out of Guadalcanal appeared under way Tuesday as marines supported by a tempestuous tempestuous tempestuous tempes tempes- aerial assault p pressed essed the enemy farther r away from the islands island's hotly contested air field Beaten Back Two Miles MilesA A Japanese retreat announced by the navy Monday carried the Nipponese back as much much- muchas as two miles mUes in one sector while Flying Fortresses dive bombers and American fighter planes planes' blasted and strafed enemy po positions sit ion s throughout the area rea Thus within a week the fortunes of war had changed the threat ofa of ofa ofa a gathering Japanese naval and land offensive in the southwestern Pacific to strengthened American domination over the Solomon islands prize Additional ground gains also were reported Monday night for forthe forthe forthe the allied forces in New Guinea Japanese base on the trail from Buna to the allied Port Moresby base was in the hands of Australian jungle fighters General General General Gen Gen- eral Douglas MacArthurs MacArthur's command command command com com- mand said The capture of the springboard from which the invaders launched their drive toward Port More Moresby by was accompanied by another al allied allied al- al allied lied bombing attack on a Japanese Japanese Japa nese convoy off the northeastern coast of New Guinea The apparent apparent apparent ent enemy atte attempt to land reinforcements reinforcements reinforcements rein rein- and supplies at Buna was repulsed Another strong force of allied bombers strafed the enemy and left buildings ablaze at and reported heavy destruction in ina ina a bombardment of the Japanese- Japanese held town of Dilli Dull on the north coast of Portuguese Timor northwest northwest northwest north north- west of Australia The American offensive in Guadalcanal Guadalcanal Guadalcanal Gua Gua- most effective thrust since the marine invasion and cap ture of the airport early in August followed withdrawal of the Japanese Japanese Japanese Japa Japa- nese fleet from the Solomons battle battle bat bat- battie tle tie area after suffering heavy damage in the sea sea air air melee off the Stewart island October 26 The enemy toll was found to be greater Monday with the navys navy's announcement that American submarines submarines submarines sub sub- marines in the far Pacific had sent seven Japanese ships to the bottom ottom b and damaged three others in recent raids Silence Jap Guns Bombs and bullets silenced enemy enemy enemy ene ene- my artillery fire sire and the Ameno American American Ameri Amen c can an ca casualties the navy said were comparatively few Meantime American f fliers l lie i e r s boosted their rag bag Jag of enemy planes plane in the Solomons to The navys navy's Grumman Wildcats destroyed five Japanese planes on the beach at a bay strafed buildings an and d started fires at the invaders' invaders base All the planes returned safely despite de spite some damage inflicted inflicted- b by y heavy antiaircraft fire Five more Wildcats brought brough t down four of six enemy fighter planes over Guadalcanal Sunday without damage to themselves I |