Evening star., 1945-04-04
Okinuwu
Continued From First Page.)

situation so fluid that headquarters
officers were unable to plot positions
accurately on their maps. Scores
Of little towns we're overrun in yes
terday,s sweeping advances all along
the line, announced today by Ad-
miral Chester w. Nimitz. The
Yanks have overrun about 40 square
miles.
A strong force of Gen. Geiger's
Marines drove another wedge across
the strategic island, 1925 miles south
of Japan itselI by reaching the east
coast at the Katchin Peninsula,
which was cut off.
Meanwhile. Maj Gen Archibald
V. Arnold's 7th Division Doughboys.
who first bisected the island Mon
day, moved 8 miles down the shores
of Nakagusuku Bay-one time Japa-
nese feet anchorage-to Kuba town
Resistance throughout the day
was negligible" Admiral Nimitz re-
ported.
This easiest major invasion of the
Pacific war was progressing far
better than our widest dreams" "
the oath Corps commander, Maj.
Gen John r. Hodge, told Associated
Press Correspondent Robin Coons
He said the japanese made the
Yapks present of South-Central
Okinawa and I'VE are pleased to
have it,"
Opposition Confused.
The invasion was many days ahead
OF schedule Opposition was con-
fused because of the lightning speed
of the American advance, but field
officers said it was too good to last.
Observers expected that heavy
fighting would begin. perhaps to-
morrow, when the Japanese-there
are an estimated $4,000 or more on
the island-may to able to launch a
counterattack.
The heaviest resistance offered yet
was in the northern sector. where
the Sd Marine Amphibious Corps
met Small-arms fire on the slopes Of
Yontanzan, a 700-foot height they
seized in their drive to the east
coast. Marine casualties were light
Associated Press Correspondent
Left Erickson reported from Okinawa
that Gen. Buckner's 10th Army can
strike with fierce weight of artillery
at any position where the japanese
choose to make their first real
defensive stand"
Holding Stand Expected.
He said the japanese soon can be
expected to try a holding stand or
strike with counterattack against
the fluid American front lines. The
Japanese could mount strong coun-
terattack and might achieve a
break-through."
The Okinawa japanese COM
mander so far has succeeded fairly
we'll in concealing where he has con-
centrated his major troop strength
Refugee certers have been estab-
lished on Okinawa and japanese
civilians are pouring in by the hum
dreds. First fright vanishes when
they receive food and treatment they
say is much kinder than that they
received from japanese rulers.
Todays communique mentioned
Gen. Arnold's 7th Division for the
first time in the Okinawa campaign.
This veteran outfit of battles from
the Aleutians to the Philippines was
in the bloody Leyte campaign with
Maj. Gen. Andrew D. Bruce's 77th
New York's Own, which also is
on Okinawa Gen. Arnold is an
artillery specialist.
II Jap Planes Downed.
Admiral Nimitz reported that
Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher's
carrier planes in sweeps of the
Ryukyus last Friday and Saturday
had poor hunting-testifying to the
effectiveness of their earlier at
tacks.
They shot down II planes. de-
stroyed S more on the ground and
damaged 10. They were able to find
and put out of action SO small ships
ranging from cargo vessels to lug
gers. Six submarine pens at Unten
Bay on Okinawa were destroyed as
we'll as barracks. bridges and mill
tary installations on the island
Tokyo. meantime, revised upward
its claims of damage inflicted on
the 1,400-ship American invasion
armada. off Okinawa, claiming,
totally without Allied confrma ton,
that 1T ships had been sunk or
damaged by surface and air units.
The Japanese box score yesterday
claimed 146 ships.