Smash Large-Scale Attack On Okinawa

Northern Advocate, 7 May 1945, Page 2

Smash Large-Scale Attack On Okinawa

NEW YORK. May G

At least 4GCO enemy troops were env ployed when the Japanese made the first large-scale co-ordinated attempt to wrest the initiative on Clio southern Okinawa front, says the New York '‘Herald-Tri-bune’s" correspondent on the v.land. They were routed and effectively smashed by artillery and naval fire before the end ol’ the dav. Major-General Hodges reported that it was the Americans’ best dav of Japanese killing. The American losses were light. Wit it a force of 4000 the Japanese could not have achieved more than a locai breach. It did not make sense and must have been prompted by a desire to save face. General Hodges said be hoped mad banz3i charges would continue. “It s J hell of a tot easier to kill them that way than root them out,” he said. Suicide Attacks Japanese suicide planes are taking ' heavy toll of United States shipping arc men, savs a United Press correspondent So far the United States has lost 20 light surface units off Okinawa, the bulk o! which were tint victims of suicide planes The ships sunk include at least live destroyers. a minesweeper and a high-speed troop transport. Other ships suffered pome damage. More significant than the foregoing figures are the naval casualties at Okinawa, which so far total 5551. winch include 1131 killed, whereas the total nava casualties in the Guam, Tinian and campaigns did not e’kcocd IGO.