OKINAWA BATTLE

Evening Star, Issue 25472, 1 May 1945, Page 6

OKINAWA BATTLE

HEAVY JAP. AIR ATTACKS GENERAL AMERICAN LAND ADVANCE WASHINGTON, April 29. Admiral Nimitz's eommun.ique r reports: "Elements of the" Twentyseventh Infantry Division on Saturday captured the northern half of Machinota airfield, on Oikinawa. As a general advance was made in the southern Rector the Seventh Infantry. Division secured high ground near Kochi village and is continuing to move to the south. Marine Corsairs and planes from carriers bombed '■ and strafed ahead of the advancing troops. The attack was supported by heavy artillery and naval guns. " A series of attacks involving about 200 enemy, aircraft was made on our fores in the Okinawa area during Saturday . afternoon and Saturday night. Marine and'carrier fighters, prevented any of the planes from penetrating to -our main forces during daylight, but attacks after nightfall, .which continued until 2.15 a.m. on Sunday, caused damage to light fleet units. One hundred and four enemy aircraft were destroyed by ships' guns. Land-based aircraft and carrier planes on Saturday strafed targets on Kumo Island, westward of Okinawa, from the beginning of the operations against Okinawa and surrounding islands until Friday. The Tenth Army lost 1,527 soldiers and 320 marines killed, 7,826 soldiers, and 1.322 marines wounded. 413 soldiers and five marines missing. - .

" Navy planes on Friday attacked a convoy to the west of Kyushu, scoring a direct hit on a freighter. They also attacked shipping in the Shimonoseki Strait on Saturday night. Other planes at daylight on Sunday destroyed a small freighter, damaged seven others, and set on- fire a picket ship around Kyushu, Honshu, and the Ryukus. Navy planes on' Sunday set on fire a dry dock and sank a ship in Truk Harbour."