The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-05-21
Marines Encounter
 Tough Opposition
Continued from Page D

 hit, cavernous openings were eX- posed. But one cave wasn't demol- ished until 100 armor-piercing and hiQh-explosive shells had been pumped into it, according to First It. Gordcn Vincent (85 Prospect street. Gardner, Mass, ant-tank gun platoon commander,
 Guam. May 21 - (UP)-Three American Divisions virtually enclr- cled Shuri. keystone of the Japanese line in southern Okinaway, and cracked it's outer ring of defenses today.
 A Japanese Domei broadcast said an American fleet again was on the prowl" off southern Japan. It appeared to be approaching Kyushu for new attacks on the Japanese homeland, Domei said
 U. s. Marines and Infantry on Okinawa were enveloping Shuri in bloody hand to hand fighting under cover of the heaviest land, sea ana and bombardment of the Pacific war.
 Shuri Main Target
 The final assaults on Naha, rub ble-heaped west coast port and cap- ital of Okinawa, and the east coast town of Yonabaru apparently were being held up while the American command hurled all available strength against Shuri in the cen- ter of the enemy line.
 The First Marine Division on the northwest plunged ahead 800 yards to within 200 yards of Shuri. The 77th Army Division battled within 900 yards northeast of the town and the 96th Army Division on the east rushed 1,600 yards to the out skirts of Shuri.
 Field reports said all three dlvl- sions had broken through Shuri's defense perimeter - loosely defined as the Shuri citadel - but had not penetrated the town itself.
 Major General John R, Hodge, commander of the 24th Army Corps, said the Japanese appeared deter mined to defend Shuri at all costs.
 Hodge said the conquest of Shuri might take another month, al though he believed it would fall sooner. Other sources suggested Shuri might be taken within a week.
 Casualties mounted by the hun dreds in quarter fighting as the Okinawa campaign entered its 51st day. American dead, wounded and missing through Friday totalled 30,526 more than 10000 greater than casualties on Two, Japanese dead alone for the period totalled 48,103.
 Hodge said the nightly enemy ar tillery fire on Okinawa had dropped from 15,000 rounds to mid-April to fewur than 1000 the past week, But he warned there had been no corresponding weakening of enemy morale.
 The decrease in artillery fire might indicat an ammunition short age or the movement of heavy pieces farther south for the final all-out effort
 The Japanese were directing their defense of Shuri from an ancient, moated castle that for almost four centuries was the center of Oriental intrigue and feudS between island kings for control of trade with China and Malaga.
 Field dispatches said the Jap anese had modernized the castle with the addition of electric light and gun slits. Though pounded by an estimated $50 tons of shells and bombs. the Castles thick rock par apeo still stand, nearly POO feet high.
 The town of Shuri itself, however is mass of rubble, First Lieuten- ant James Paulos of Tooele, Utah, told front correspondents. He led the first patrol to penetrate the town. It met such stubborn resist ance that even the tanks had to fall back.
 West fo Shuri Japanese troops crossed the ASato river in Naha under cover of darkness Saturday night and set up machine-gun nests behind the American lines. Marines of the Sixth Division held firm, however, and gradually were wiping out the enemy pockets.
 DObermans Used
 Marines brought Doberman Pins cher and German Shepherd dogs into Mana to help them rout enemy snipers behind their lines.
 Marine pilots blasted Naha pri- son, one of the few buildings still standing in Mana, with rockets, machine-guns and for the first time on Okinawa - l,000-pound bombs.
 Other Marine planes turned Jap anese positions in caves on ridge bordering Naha airfield, one mile South of the city itself, into what returning pilots called lake of fire Six Japanese planes were shot down over Okinawa.
 Lieutenant General Simon Boli-