The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-08-13

more than 13,0OO wounded.
 But one-third of the wounded returned to help take Tinian.
 Japs Lost Island
 The Japs never recovered from the loss of Saiparl A few months later, our B-2os were taking of from the Marianas airfields to bring the war tome to Japan in large doses.
 The tide was rolling swiftly north ward, Guam, Peleliu in the PalauS, the Philippines
 Then in February this year 61,- 900 members of the third, four and fifth divisions hit the bloody rock of Two Jina and conquered it in 26 days. Again, the price was heavier than any before.
 Our 4,189 dead and 15,000 wound- ed paid more for Two than had been paid for any other operation in the Central Pacific, regardless of size or time.
 In defending the less than eight square mile rock, the JapS lost 20,- GOO killed.
 Two Jima Fray
 Two was an epic. Even the Navy in announcing the victory broke away from its formal suited phrases The naval communique spoke of the flight in glowing terms, saying '"The battle of Two island has been won. The United States Marine by their individual and collective courage, have conquered a base which is as necessary to us toward final victory as it was vital to the enemy in staving of ultimate defeat"
 And there were ofhcial references to "brightening the pages of Amer ican history"
 Two paid of immediately, with American warplanes moving from its airfields against enemy shipping and Japan itself. The aerial block ade of Japan was tightening.
 But there still was one more island to go. And although we didn't know it at the time-only one more
 On Easter Sunday, in the Ryukyu Islands just an hour by air from Tokyo, some 100000 American Ma rines and soldiers moved against Okinawa,
 It was the strangest invasion of the war. It was peaceful Easter Sunday even on the beaches of the island on the doorstep of Japan. We advanced cautiously. We waited. We wondered. Aside from an occasional sniper bullet, an in- frequent patrol clash, there was nc battle.
 Our Tenth Army troops and Ma rines probed inland. An airfleld fell without fight. Only skele- ton garrison was there.
 Then it came.
 The enemy struck first at oul fleet offshore-with suicide attacks The Japs called it Kamika7e, after a benevolent wind which destroyed an invasion armada of Japan long years ago.
 Partly from the suicide pilots our fleet suffered more than 4,90t dead. 4.800 wounded in the Ryukus between March IS and June 20 The full toll of our ships sunk and damaged still is not known.
 Then the Japs began fighting back on Okinawa itself. The battles re. main fresh in our memory-the Naha line, Shrui castle, the caves ir the hills on the southern part o1 the island.
 It took flame throwers and burn ing oil. dynamite and guts to blast out the Japs. And for awhile it looked as though the Americans would have to use that treatment on every last enemy troop on tho island.
 At one point, the American com mander issued a surrender ulti. matum but the Japs failed to show up at the appointed time and place to discuss the terms. Instead, thu Japs fired on the American delega. tion as it flew over the spot. The battle went on. Z. Finally, the Japs lost heart. Firs by twos and threes. then by dozens and in the end by hundreds. thu Japs began giving up. Gone wa. the will to die for the emperor gone was the glory of death in thu Japanese mind.
 At final count. almost 10000 Jap.