CLEARING OKINAWA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25881, 27 June 1945, Page 5

CLEARING OKINAWA

MOPPING-UP OPERATIONS THOUSANDS OF PRISONERS - .WASHINGTON, (Rec. 8.15 p.m.) June 25. The Tenth Army to-day continued moppmg-up operations on Okinawa, says Admiral Nimitz’s communique. A total of 8696 of the enemy have been captured, of whom 2854 are enemy labour troops. ' Two fleet search planes shot down an enemy fighter and damaged two others in a battle, on the south coast of Korea. Planes of this wing have sunk 122,645 tons of enemy shipping, and damaged 128,890 tons, and destroyed 38 planes and damaged 24 since operations began in enemy waters. Marine and Mitchell bombers damaged a cargo ship and a fast transport yesterday near Shikoku. Bombs caused minor damage to United States air installations on Okinawa yesterday, when the enemy raided the area four times with small forces. Two enemy aircraft were shot down.

Army and marine planes yesterday and to-day bombed, strafed and rocketed enemy installations on the Sakishimas, damaging a small ship and a number of smaller craft. The fate of the Americans taken prisoner on Okinawa remains a mystery, says the correspondent of the Associated Press of America. A search has been made in the caves, which showed signs of having been used as prisons. Scores of bodies have been examined, but no clues have been found.

The authorities say that although no accurate figures are available, the American prisoners totalled several hundreds.

Conceding the fall of Okinawa, Tokio radio said the defence of Japan has been rendered more difficult, but the Okinawa campaign exacted a heavy toll from the United States, and gained time for Japan to strengthen her defences.

The radio stated that civilians have been evacuated inland from Balikpapan.

American air raids have demolished most of the cities on Formosa, said Tokio radio. Most city dwellers were dispersed, and had organised themselves into various combat formations to meet any possible emergency.