OKINAWA BATTLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25851, 23 May 1945, Page 5

OKINAWA BATTLE

DESPERATE RESISTANCE DEFENCE OF NAHA AND SHURI JAPANESE COUNTER-ATTACKS WASHINGTON, (Rec. 10 p.m.) , , May 21. “As the marines neared the northern outskirts of Shuri the Japanese began demolishing giant radio towers, once the key communication between Tokio and the South-west Pacific forces,” says the New York Herald-Tribune’s correspondent on Okinawa. “The marines are 1000 yards from Shuri Castle, the five-foot thick walls of which are still standing, though all the buildings in the grounds have been levelled by over 500 tons of bombs and shells. Aerial observers report scores of caves in the palace grounds. After a feint artillery and mortar barrage on a nearby sector the Japanese on Saturday counter-attacked against Chocolate Drop Hill, but they were unsuccessful.” Brigadier-general Walter Dumas told a press conference that neither Naha nor Shuri was of any military value in themselves, so there was no reason to try to take them quickly. “We obviously must have higher ground around them before they can be seized and reduced in strength,” he said. “Our longer and more thinly-placed lines are working against the Japanese, but the enemy has one advantage—being underground. It will be hard slugging all along.” The marines blazed a fiery path towards Shuri early this morning, driving the Japanese out of formidable coral fortifications with burning oil that cast a pinkish glow on the Japanese stronghold. Sheets of flame shot out of the cave-lined bluffs guarding Shuri, while out of the fire-lit caves ran the Japanese, some in flames from head to toe. The resistance outside Shuri is the most desperate so far in the Pacific. The marines haul drums of oil to the top of ridges by 16-man teams, after which holes are punched in the drums and the contents poured down the coral cliffs. The oil is then ignited by grenades. Some of the caves are too tough even for fire attack. In such cases the marines use anti-tank guns like sniper rifles, firing at slits in ridge positions. Usually when the slits are hit the cavern openings are exposed.

Admiral Nimitz’s communique says: “The Sixth Marine Division in Western Okinawa repulsed a substantial Japanese counter-attack. Some of the enemy were found wearing marine uniforms and using American weapons. An attempt by three enemy groups to destroy our tanks in the First Marine sector with demolition charges was' repulsed. The Seventy-seventh Army Division, in darkness early today, attacked the enemy lines north of Shuri and captured the town of Tairamachi in the face of intense small arms fire and is now driving slowly south after repulsing a Japanese attempt to recapture the town.

“ The Twenty-fourth Army Corps and the Marine Third Amphibious Corps advanced on both flanks of the centre line all day and met heavy opposition. The Ninety-Sixth Division gained ground towards Yonabaru in spite of intense interlocking machinegun fire. The First Marines engaged in heavy fighting in the Wana area. The Sixth Marines on the west edast are attacking south of Sugar Loaf Hill, which is reported to have been secured after it had changed hands 11 times. Heavy field artillery and naval fire are supporting the troops. “ Last evening about 35 enemy planes made low-level attacks on our ships at Okinawa, damaging five light units. Twenty-six enemy aircraft were destroyed. A naval search plane bombed warehouse installations on Yaku Island, in the Northern Ryukyus, yesterday, starting large fires. Since the start of patrols from Okinawa until to-day planes of this wing have .sunk 86,880 tons of enemy shipping and damaged 315,000 tons, and destroyed 21 enemy planes arid damaged 15. Marine fighters yesterday bombed defence positions in the Palaus and Yap.”