Imperial Valley Press

AN AMERICAN ADVANCED AIR BASE IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC. Oct. 10(UP)-(Delayed - Capt. Carl E. Wuertele, 28, of Denver, believes that flying fortress is a made-to-order job for machine gunning Japanese shore installations.

Hopping just over the trees on Santa Isabel island in the Solomons on Sept. 13, he ordered the gunners to open up everything. The results were: four seaplanes set afire on the bay, another shot down, a shore battery silenced and many Japanese killed.

"There were a lot of Japs around the beach and in the coconut grove bordering Rekata Bay," he said.

"We saw four planes on the water and at least three Japs wading out to get them.

"They certainly seemed surprised. As soon as my gunners opened up, the Japanese dashed for the trees and gave up trying to get their planes."

"We really did a thorough job," Lieut. James Copeland of Timmonsville, S. C., said. Copeland was the bombardier.

"When we came back to bomb Rekata two days later, there was hardly any opposition left."

The other nose gunner was Lieut. Hugh Mahoney of Corpus Christi, Tex.

Sgt. Robert B. Lowrie of Scranton, Pa., was the only casualty. A bullet exploded in his thigh on the third run. He kept on firing, and none knew he was hurt until the danger was past. His guns silenced the Japanese battery.