LANDING ON IWO JIMA

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 February 1945, Page 5

LANDING ON IWO JIMA

AFTER FOUR-DAY BOMBARDMENT

TWO-MILE BEACH-HEAD SECURED

JAP. RESISTANCE INCREASING

LONDON, February 19. United States marines have landed on Iwo Jima, in the Bonins, about 750 miles almost due south of Tokio, within the inner circle of the defences of Japan. . 1 A communique from Admiral Nimitz’s Headquarters on Guam says that the marines were supported by heavy units of the United States Pacific Fleet and by land and car-rier-based aircraft. Six capital ships, the New York, Texas, Arkansas, Nevada, Idaho and Tennessee, are among the 800 ships taking part m the operations. Several of the battleships in action were at the invasion of Normandy. - nn One correspondent says that 30,000 marines have landed on Iwo Jima. According to Japanese reports the first landing was made from 100 landing craft, and was followed by two more waves of about the same size Iwo Jima has been bombarded for three days by United States warships and aircraft. Although the island covers an area of only eight square miles it is studded with fortifications. Its capture would give the Allies an air base about half 4 -way between the Marianas and Japan. “Under heavy naval fire American troops landed on eastern and southern Iwo Jima from 100 landing boats,” reports the Tokio radio .“The landings started at 8 a.m. on Monday after a

SERIES OF ABORTIVE ATTEMPTS.

Japanese forces, delivering fierce counter-attacks, pushed back the invaders to the shore. The Americans are being reinforced from 200 barges, and heavy fighting is in progress.” An Allied Pacific Ocean Areas communique issued on Sunday said: “During the heavy bombardment of Iwo Jima to-day our battleships’ gunfire damaged defensive installations, including three heavily casemented coast guns knocked out and probably three more damaged. Iwo Jima was under fire of the fleet’s heaviest units throughout the day. The Iwo Jima bombardment, from Friday to Sunday, was under the immediate tactical direction of RearAdmiral W. H. C. Blandy. “Carrier aircraft to-day damaged 16 small ships and barges off Chichi Jima. Strafing attacks damaged four aeroplanes on the ground, and three at the island seaplane base. Flak was intense. Bombing from a low altitude, Army Liberators attacked airfields and defence installations on Iwo Jima on Saturday causing large fires. Flak was intense. Air Force Liberators and naval search aircraft attacked an aerodrome on Marcus Island and airfields on Truk. There were a few enemy fighters on Truk, but they were not aggressive. A Corsair on Friday bombed Babelthaup.” “Reconnaissance aeroplanes < on Sunday reported that our warships ringed Iwo Jima a few thousand yards off shore and poured shells of all sizes into the enemy’s defences,” says the United Press. “The Japanese replied with intense gunfire from strong emplacements on the volcanic slopes. Our airmen said the Japanese were so busy firing against the fleet that they did not fire on the Liberators, which achieved 95 per cent, bombing accuracy.”

TWO-MILE BEACH-HEAD

AIRFIELD REACHED

(Rec. 10.25) WASHINGTON, February 19.

. United States marines have established a 4500 yards beachhead on Iwo Island and are now driving inland to the edge of the airfield, says Admiral Nimitz in a special communique. Enemy gunfire, at first sporadic, subsequently steadily increased. Our casualties were moderate. The landing was made at 09.00 hours, and by 11 a.m. our penetrations from the beaches were about 500 yards in depth. Advance units have reached the southern end of the airfield and penetrated the airfield defences east of the airstrip. Two light units of the supporting fleet suffered some damage during the attack prior to the landing. The United Press correspondent on Guam says the invasion of Iwo Jima came on the fourth day of a terrific naval bombardment, and a 70-hour air assault. At the outset, resistance was light, but Japanese counter-fire steadily intensified as the Marines smashed against enemy entrenched ridges and burned them out of pillboxes with flame-throwers. War-' ships, which the Tokio radio said encircled the island, furnished artillery support, while swarms of carrier planes dived on the Japanese in front of the Marines’ path. At nightfall, to-day, Admiral Nimitz announced that the invasion was progressing satisfactorily. Marines stormed ashore on Iwo, as the tiny island rocked under the heaviest naval bombardment of the Pacific war, says the United Press correspondent, giving an account of the landing. Hundreds of our small craft moved toward the beach, unleashing thousands of rockets. Waves of Marine followed. Within 45 minutes smoke and dust enveloped the island of Iwo, which looked like a fat pork chop sizzling in a skillet, as the planes swept in strafing and bombing every installation that could be found. There was not a single Japanese plane in the sky. Bursts of orange flames from battleships’ and cruisers’ big guns caused huge columns of smoke and fire to rise skyward. It was SYSTEMATIC MURDER.

and destruction. Suribachi’s crater steamed from successive hits along its ridges. The invasion armada spread out for scores of miles around the island. There was no mistaking the fact that the Americans have arrived on Tokio’s doorstep to stay. The fight looks like requiring a week to finish, and an awful lot of blood will be spilled before it is over. The Associated Press correspondent says 800 warships participated in the Honshu raid, and provided subsequent coverings for the landings on Iwo. The fleets .mobile supply and repair depots made these projects possible by eliminating the necessity of warships returning thousands of miles for refuelling and reconditioning. The mobile supply squadron provided the Fifth Fleet with enough fuel for a train of tank cars of 10,000 gallons each, extending 238 miles, also enough gasoline for 30,000 automobiles for a full year; enough ammunition to fill 480 freight cars and enough food to feed a large city for 30 days. CASUALTIES CONSIDERABLE. Washington; February 20. The marines were caught in heavy cross-fire from hidden batteries while combing through Iwo Jima’s rocky caves, slowly rooting out enemy gunners, says a United Press correspondAmerican casualties are considerable, but progress is being made and many of the heaviest defences have been knocked out. Lieut.-General Holland Smith said: “Our men are

spread all over Hell’s Acre. They are after hidden Japanese guns, which are mostly in caves. . The Japs come out and fire five or six rounds, then duck back into hiding.” LESS COSTLYJTHAN TARAWA. ADMIRAL HALSEY’S VIEW. (Rec. 10.35 a.m.) WASHINGTON,. February 19. “The Japanese fleet will not come out and fight. We will have to dig them out,” declared Admiral Halsey, addressing a Press conference, during a surprise visit to Washington. He added that the Japanese have very little left with which to fight, and what they have is in none too good a shape. Asked what would be necessary to bring the Japanese to a showdown, Admiral Halsey replied: _“I don’t know. I can’t get myself into a rat s frame of mind. It is. evident that even the stupid, bestial Japanese, sees he is losing control of the sea everywhere.” Admiral Halsey disclosed that information brought out of the Philippines by an American flier, who had been shot down, led to the decision to make a sudden change of plans for the invasion of the Philippines. Admiral Halsey said his naval forces were steaming off the Philippines practically without opposition, knocking down Japanese planes right and left. “Guerrillas took care of the American airman who was shot down, and the next day, September 13, we got him off. He gave us information which led me to believe the time was ripe to go in. I reported to Admiral Nimitz and General MacArthur. They changed their plans and landed on Leyte on October 20.” Asked whether MacArthur’s fleet would arrive in Tokio first, Halsey grinned and replied: “We are going together.” Referring to Japanese attempts to establish land routes to southern conquests, Halsey said: The enemy garrisons along the China coast are like all other rats. When we want to we can dig them out. He expressed the opinion that the conquest of Iwo Jima would be tough, but not as costly as Tarawa. “We have learned a lot since then.” Iwo Jima will be of tremendous strategic value. Discussing Japanese planes, the Admiral said the Japanese air force is not in good shape. “Everything has to come out, and they bring a ragtail, bobtail lot of planes.” Asked if the new types were better, he replied: “We play around with them and shoot them down like the others. Sure their new planes are better, but they burn just as nicely as the old ones.” Halsey said he is one of the few who believe the JAPANESE WILL BREAK

eventually. He pointed out that the Japanese industrialists can see their empire crumbling. The dollar means as much to them as to anyone. He predicted that when the industrialists get the upper hand of the army they will put out peace feelers. “That will be our most dangerous threat until peace is actually declared, for if we allow a negotiated peace now and don’t demand absolute unconditional surrender it would be the greatest crime in the history of our country. The Press can do more to help than anyone by persuading American parents that such a move would be sentencing their grandsons to death.” Asked if the Japanese would plan another war even if unconditional surrender was exacted, Admiral Halsey replied: “Not if we are smart. We must make plans for the future and enforce them, so they can’t start another war. Whatever happens to the World League we had better keep our fleet.” . Admiral Halsey pointed out that Two Jima was within fighter and medium bomber range of Tokio. He said Iwo Jima had two airfields, and could accommodate three, adding: “If necessary, construction battalions will build another island and put four or five airfields there.” MACARTHUR’S HOMECOMING. WASHINGTON, February 18. Commenting on the recovery of Bataan and Corregidor, in the Philippines, General MacArthur said the Bataan campaign of 1942, with Corregidor the citadel of its external defence, made possible all that had happened since. “History, I am sure, will record it as one of the decisive battles of the world,” said General MacArthur. “Its long-protracted struggle enabled the United Nations to gather strength to resist in the Pacific. Had it not held out Australia would have fallen with incalculable, disastrous results. “Our triumphs to-day belong equally to that dead army. Its heroism and sacrifice have been fully acclaimed, but the great strategic results of that mighty defence are only now becoming fully apparent. The Bataan garrison was destroyed, due to its dreadful handicaps, but no army in history more thoroughly accomplished its mission. Let no man henceforth speak of it other than as a magnificent victory.” The latest communique from General MacArthur’s Headquarters says: “On Corregidor we are clearing the enemy out of pockets, and we have CAPTURED MALINTA HILL. The east entrance of the tunnel was blocked by a landslide caused by bombardment. Units of the 7th Fleet have shelled the Cavite shoreline south of Corregidor. On Bataan a small enemy detachment was dispersed near Orion. “In south Manila the systematic destruction of the trapped garrison continues. The Philippines General Hospital has been secured and 7000 evacuated to safety, comprising patients, internees, and civilians, including 100 Americans. To the east, near Maracina, our forces destroyed a 21-truck convoy and enemy troops. Sharp patrol clashes are reported in the Oualiches and Norzagarsew areas lof the Sierra Madre range. On other sectors activity has been limited. “Our naval units in the vicinity of Manila Bay sank five small enemy craft, and other naval units in San Bernardine Strait destroyed two coastal craft. An enemy torpedoboat attack against our shipping near Manila Bay was repulsed with minor damage. “Our fighters bombed Nutuan, on the north coast of Mindanao, and other aircraft swept communications in southern Formosa, destroying much rolling stock. Our aircraft sank two freighters, each of 100 tons, and five smaller vessels were seriously damaged. One transport off Nansei Island was sunk, and a 3000ton freighter set on fire. Several smaller craft off Cape ,St. Jacques, Indo-China, were probably destroyed.” “The general hospital, wrested from the Japanese after three days of the bitterest fighting of the Manila battle, was the prime, enemy strongj point, with big guns mounted on the upper floors,” says the Associated Press correspondent in Manila. “At least one Briton and several Europeans were among the rescued.

“The capture of Malinta Hill on Corregidor meant an important artillery point gained. The tunnel beneath the hill was sealed by a landslide, one of the largest on the rock. The tunnel was .General MacArthur’s headquarters during 1942. “With Corregidor the clean up. is becoming a dirtv business of digging or blowing the Japanese from caves or tunnels. Intramuros has again become a centre of interest. As soon as the mines can be cleared warships are expected to help blast the Japanese from their last strongholds. “The fighting south of Manila died down yesterday, due to Major-Gen-eral Griswold’s demand for a Japanese surrender or the release of thousands of hostages. At Intramuros there were possibly 7000 Japanese inside the walls, After a siege of 13 days most of the enemy guns behind 20-foot high walls were silenced. Gaping holes were made in medieval masonry by American heavy, guns. However, to reach the breached defences the Americans must cross an open golf course laid over an old moat, which is still covered by enemy machine-guns.” The United Press correspondent, Richard Harris, says: “The Corregidor landing from the sea was no picnic. Many veterans of previous landings said it was the toughest of all. The troops thought the air and naval bombardment was too much for the Japanese, but found the enemy had crawled into caves and tunnels during the blasting, and then came out and manned the guns, firing through small apertures in the cliffs, and taking toll of the landing forces.”

LUZON PRISONERS.

6000 AMERICANS DIE

MANILA, February 18. “The exhaustive reports I made while a prisoner in Bilibid camp for more than three years indicate that about 6000 American prisoners of war died in Luzon after the fall of Bataan,” says the United Press correspondent, Frank Weissblatt. “I talked at intervals with men from every Philippines prison camp, carefully concealing my records, which contain thousands of names, in a cell wall niche, where they survived the guards’ rigorous weekly inspections. My prisoners are for Luzon only. They do not include 16,000 transported prisoners of war.” Japanese soldiers on February 12 bayoneted 70 civilians who were 1 sheltering in a college in Southern Manila. Many of them "were killed outright or later died of wounds. Every one of the citizens was wounded at least twice. An Australian-born priest, Father Superior Francis Cosgrave, of the Redemptorist Order, described from a hospital bed how laughing Japanese bayoneted him and killed scores of other civilians. Father Cosgrave, who was a member of the Australian Imperial Force in the last war, said that he and several other priests, and a number of prominent Spaniards were trapped when a Japanese officer and 20 soldiers invaded the La Salle University. “The Japanese officer seemed quite mad,” he said. “He yelled and screamed at us and jumped up and down on the floor, and then, without warning, he fired his pistol into the crowd. With .fiendish, yells every Japanese soldier bared his bayonet and attacked defenceless men, .women, and children who were huddling together. Children aged two years and less were slashed to death, and several priests were killed. The Japanese returned later' the same day and laughed at the bodies lying in a heap, kicked them, and attempted to violate wounded women.” Father Cosgrave said he feigned death, and the soldiers finally departed. Shortly ’ after midnight Father Cosgrave decided that if he were going to die he would do so on his feet, so he crawled and dragged himself to the chapel, where one by one 10 others joined him. They stood fearfully and watched the Japanese attempt to set fire to the chapel, but these efforts failed, and eventually American machine-gunners and tanks forced the enemy to withdraw. The survivors heard American voices next morning, and a few hours later they were taken to hospital. [INDUSTRIAL TARGETS ATTACKED WASHINGTON, Feb. 19. Industrial targets on Honshiu, the main Japanese island, were attacked in daylight to-day by United States Superfortress bombers. The Japanese say that Tokio and Nagoya, an aircraft production centre, were among jno targets. “The” United States Pacific Fleet, scored a decisive victory over the enemy in the attacks on Tokio on Friday and Saturday,”, reports Admiral' Nimitz in a special communique. “Approaching the enemy coast under cover of darkness, the weather was so adverse as to handicap Japanese air operations. A complete tactical surprise was accomplished by our forces. “The following damage was inflicted —three hundred and twentytwo aeroplanes were shot down in the air and 177 definitely destroyed on the ground. At least 150 were probably destroyed or damaged on the first day and an unknown number damaged on the second day. “One escort carrier bombed was set on fire, went down- by the bow, and was left lying on her side. At Yokohama nine coastal vessels, one destroyer, two destroyer escorts, and one freighter were sunk, 22 coastal ships were damaged, and numerous picket ships destroyed by aircraft. Surface forces, ground installations, and hangars were destroyed on numerous airfields. The Ota aircraft factory was damaged and the Susashia, Tama, and Tateguia engineeiing plants were heavily bombed. “Our forces lost 49 aeroplanes and from 30 to 40 pilots. All -efforts to attack the task force were turned back by effective combat air patrols before the enemy could reach the ships. None of our ships was damaged by enemy action. Enemy, fighters were not aggressive and avoided our fighters. “In comparing this record of damage the forces under the command of Vice-Admiral Spruance hnd ViceAdmiral Mitscher won a victory as historic as it is decisive in the heart of the enemy defences. The airmanship of our naval aviators was superior to anything the enemy and adverse weather could offer.” MANY PLANES ENGAGED. WASHINGTON, February 19. A substantial force of Superfortresses from India bombed the important railway yards and repair shops at Kuala (Malaya) in daylight to-day. with good results, says . a 2.oth Air Force communique. All tne Superfortresses returned safely. There was no flak and fighter opposition was weak. Only four enemy planes were destroyed or damaged. Simultaneously, a large force of Superfortresses from the Marianas ; bombed industrial targets in -Tokio. ; Preliminary reports show the bomb- • Ing was carried out by instruments , and the resul>’ were unobserved.

Tokio radio stated that. American planes heavily attacked Formosa during the week-end. Friday’s raiders numbered 150, Saturday’s 170, and Sunday’s 350.