END ON OKINAWA

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 129, 2 June 1945, Page 7

END ON OKINAWA

MAY NOW BE IMMINENT

DOUBLE RING ROUND SHURi Rec 9 a.m. NEW YORK, June 1. ] The end of organised Japanese resistance on Okinawa appears to be imminent as tlie Americans tighten the double ring around Shurr, reports the Associated Press correspondent on Guam. The two weeks' assault which broke the Naha-Shuri-Yonabaru hne cost the Japanese 13,416 dead and 31j captured. The Japanese casualty figures since the start of the campaign show 1000 men to have been killed each day. The 10th Army on Okinawa moved forward yesterday like a steamroller and by nightfall it had made the greatest gains since the early, soft invasion days The general advance was made possible by the 7th and 96th Divisions, whose slashing tactics opened the door so that the entire Shuri defences are now virtually encircled. A considerable number''of the enemy appear to' be trapped in the Shuri area. THREAT TO POSITION. The 7th Division gains near KamiIzato were sufficient to threaten the enemy's whole central position on the island. To observers it seemed as though the entire Japanese line in that section must, be withdrawn to other points or face encirclement and probable annihilation. Tokio radio says that the Japanese losses on Okinawa are gradually increasing. Fighting is becoming more and more furious-with the passing of the days. J , , "The Americans have penetrated southward of Yonabaru after the allout offensive begun on May 21. The morale of our services is higher than ever. Our men are inflicting tremendous casualties on the enemy. Day after day, the single defence line has given way to plural battle lines," the radio said.

pleted by the British Pacific Fleet. For the first time in the last three visits to the operational area the Fleet was approached yesterday by hostile aircraft—only one, which' was promptly shot down by our fighters. It was identified as a Myrt single-engined machine.

Our bombers, rocket-firing Fireflies, and strafing fighters were not able to accomplish much the first day, because of very thick clouds over the targets, but they found a clear patch over Hirara, the largest and most important town on Miyako," and bombed through that.

Better weather yesterday enabled the usual series of visits to be made with good results. A tented camp at Miyako was bombed, and port facilities at Hirara warehouses, and barges were bombed. A number of targets were left in flames and airfields were also crated.