The Wilmington morning star., 1945-02-23
|JapaneseHurl.
And Hit Fleet
Nimitz Says Navy Guns
Appear To Have Brok-
en- Enemy Drive +

U. S. PACIFIC FLEET HEAD.
QUARTERS, Guam, Friday, Feb.
23.-LP-The bloody cost of the
battle for Two mounted to 5,372
Marines killed, wounded and miss
ing by 6 p. m. Wednesday, the Navy
announced today while reporting
only minor advances through
Thursday against fierce Japanese
opposition.
Adm. Chester w. Ninitz disclos-
ed that 644 Marines had been killed.
4,168 wounded and $50 were miss
ing at the end of the first So hours
of the operation.
In the same period of time 1922
dead Japanese had been counted.
No invasion of the Pacific war
for comparative period has cost
SO many American casualties. At
Iarawa, previously considered the
oloodiest fight of the war, Marine
casualties for it's entire Y hours
slightly exceeded 5000.
Nimitz in his last previous com.
munlQue covering the casually
count up to 5:45 pm. Wednesday
reported 1916 killed and 4, 1853 wound.
ed. The later count left the wound
ed at the same figure, increased
the dead by 276 and added the SEQ
missing.
Today's communique reported
more of the same type of bitter
fighting which has built up the
casualty totals.
It reported gains Thursday after
noon too slight to affect the virtual
stalemate which developed We'd
nesday.
The three Marine divisions, the
Third, Fourth and Fifth, inched
forward slightly on the north 70.
ward the enemy fighter base in
the center of the island and con-
stricted their lines around vol.
canic MT. Suribachi on the south
tip.
The Japanese launched two pow
erful counterattacks on the fanxs
of the forces attacking the arr
field. Signific antly, Nimitz did not
specifically claim either had been
completely blunted.
Nimitz said that artillery and the
guns of U. S. Fifth
Fleet warships appeared to have
repulsed the assault on the left"
He added, however:
mo reports were available on
the action on the right"
On the extreme south tip Of the
island, other Marines surrounded
Mt. Suribachi land strong patrols
were moving up the cliffs under at
tack by the enemy, who was using
hand grenades and demolition
charges" the communique said.
Heavy rains hampered the fight
ing.
Japanese planes, earlier acknowl-
edged to have inflicted some dam
age on units of the Fifth Fleet,
continued their attacks Thursday.
The raids were unsuccessful, the
Navy said.
Fighters and anti-aircraft guns
shot down six enemy planes.
There was little change in the
position of the front lines" said
the grim Thursday night commu.
nique of Adm. Chester w. Nimitz.
1t covered action up to Thursday
noon.
Some damage to fleet units'
was announced by Nimitz in re.
porting the first successful at
,ack by the Japanese air force
IN American warsnips supporting
he invasion. Seven of the enemy
aircraft were destroyed by air
patrols and anti-aircraft fire.
Although Two lima is only $50
niles from Tokyo, and about 100
outh Of the enemy's bases on
,hichi and Haha islands in the
'onins, the Japanese had been
lnable at sunset Wednesday to
enetrate the air screen thrown
bout the fleet as it pounded IWo's
licenses. The enemy attack
oubtless was aided by the heavy
aims drenching Two and hamper
ag the ground invasion.
Landing Wednesday of the rein
orcing Third Marine Division, the
counting casualties, bitter resist
nee and almost negligible gains
II indicated the Marines were I'D
gainst their toughest assignment
the Pacific war. The latest cas-
atty report showed a rate OF
bout 80 an hour.
Announcement that elements Of
lie Third Marine Division, COM
Continued on Page 5, Col. 81