BAD DAY FOR JAPAN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 9 April 1945, Page 5

BAD DAY FOR JAPAN

SIX WARSHIPS SUNK Largest Battleship Included 391 PLANES ALSO SHOT DOWN Big Sea and Air Battles Washington, April 7. Six Japanese warships, including their largest battleship, Yamato, were sunk and 39 l aircraft shot down in a big sea and air battle off Okinawa. American losses were three destroyers and seven planes.

Admiral Nimitz’s communique, reporting the action, says: "The enemy attempted strong counter-attacks against our forces operating in the vicinity of Okinawa yesterday and to-day. A large force of enemy aircraft attacked our ships and shore installations yesterday afternoon and evening. Our fighters destroyed 55 aircraft and flak shot down 61. The enemy pressed the attacks with desperation and sank three destroyers and damaged several other destroyers and smaller craft. "Navy aircraft to-day sighted an enemy surface force which left the Inland Sea to the south of Kyushu and headed into the East China Sea. The force included the lange battleship. Yamato, which was the most powerful ship left in the Japanese Navy, an Agnano class light cruiser, one other small light cruiser or large destroyer and a number of destroyers. Admiral Mitscher’s fast carrier task force steamed toward the enemy at high speed and brought his force under air attack. Our carrier aircraft met no air opposition over the Japanese ships, but flak was heavy. “Aircraft 50 miles south of Kyushu sank the Yamato, a light Agnano class cruiser, a small cruiser and three destroyers and set fire to three destroyers. Three more destroyers escaped. The Yamato vfas hit by at least eight torpedoes and eight heavy bombs. All the enemy ships were heavily strafed with rockets and machine-guns. Our carriers lost seven aircraft and their planes shot down 30 enemy aircraft. DO-OR-DIE POLICY The Associated Press of America correspondent at Guam says there is every indication that the aerial attack against the American Fleet in the Ryukyus is continuing. The total number of Japanese planes shot down compares well with any other battle in the Pacific. The “New York Times” correspondent on Okinawa states: “The Japanese had the best chance to use the air force during the landing operations and this sudden belated attack represents a do or-die policy adopted after the landings took the Japanese off guard. The feeling here is that if this is the best the Japanese can do, it is not AT* vy spokesman said a good 25 per cent, of the remaining Japanese major naval combat force has been lost or put out of action at Okinawa, leaving a force that can be handled very easily by any of our major task forces. Obviously the Japanese did not like the position bf the Inland Sea which was becoming more untenable. The fact that they used very fast ships indicated that they hoped to make a hit-and-run raid and then escape. The Associated Press of Affierica correspondent on Guam, says the sunken Japanese ships are probably the last strong force the enemy is able to muster. BRITISH VESSELS DAMAGED Admiral Nimitz announced that British warships and planes extensively damaged ground installations in the Sakishimas and put out of action 31 Japanese aircraft in a three-day attack beginning on March 31st. Some major units of the British Fleet were slightly damaged by Japanese aircraft, but all major units remained fully operational. The Associated Press of America correspondent says the mbattleship King George V is possibly damaged. British naval observers, returning from the strike, said five enemy aircraft made a concerted attack against the King George V. Four out of ten planes which attacked the British Fleet simultaneously with the Okinawa landings were shot down.