The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1945-07-26
BY Lieutenant Benz Price
MARINE Corps Public Relations
Officer

OKINAWA (Delayed)-The Jap
anese were backed against the sea
wall on the southern bank of the
Kokubagawa, east of Naha. Marines
of the Sixth Division faced the
enemy across the river and from
high ground on three sides
1t was hopeless position for the
Japanese, beaten survivors of the
Oroku Peninsula battle, and puz-
zle to the Marines. If we fired, we
shot into our own positions. A pa
troll would have to approach the
enemy across nearly 500 yards OF
open mud flats
If only the Japanese would sur
render 49,.
We were sent into the pocket
with a jeep-borne loudspeaker to
persuade them to give up. In our
group was 1t Spencer v. Silver
thorne of Scarsdale, N. Y, 1t.
Glen K. Slaughter of Berkeley, Cal,
Corp. Vincent Mullahy of Newport,
r. l., Pfc. John w. Gale of Amazon
da, Mont, and the writer.
Account for 177 Japs
1t was an astonishing day. Be
fore sunset, Sc Japanese soldiers
elected surrender, 81 blew them
selves to bits with INT and gre
nades, and more than 100 had to
be killed.
Four of us left our lines and
secuted ahead. Mu1lahy remained
behind in the jeep. We took cover
about quarter of a mile up the
road behind a stone wall parallel
ing the river, and waved Mullahy
forward. He was to park behind
mine-wrecked tank so feet be-
yond the wall.
Mullahy roared by. Fifteen feet
or so beyond the wall the ruts in
the road dropped sharply. A sur
prised Mullahy found the jeep sud-
denly resting on the housing and all
four wheels off the ground.
Decides to Take Cover
Nuts" said Mullahy. He climb
ed out of the jeep, shook his head
at the situation and took cover be-
hind the wall.
The appearance of the ieep
stirred up brisk fire fight. For
a while we were the Japs' primary
target, but covering small arms fire
from Marines on the hill drove
them to cover. The air overhead
cracked with the snap of bullets.
"C'mon," said Silverthorne, lets
try and rock that ieep over" For
nearly 10 minutes we huffed and
pulled in an effort to get at least
one wheel on the ground The fire
fight increased in intensity. The
jeep didn't bulge. We gave up.
A sniper, concealed in the woods
on the hill to our right, made life
uncomfortable. 1t was getting late.
Sllverthorne directed Mullahy to
set up the speaker.
Speaker Part Torn Loose
Mullahy went back on the run.
There were loud, vigorous curses.
In the process of rocking the jeep,
a part of the speaker had torn
loose. Calmly, Mullahy hooked a
soldering iron to an extra battery,
squatted in the road and made re-
pairs. Silverthorne took the micro
phone and began talking. Gale
covered the approaches along the
sea wall with his Thompson sub
machine-gun. Slaughter covered
the area to the front. Mullahy stood
by to regulate the equipment.
Silverthorne talked for nearly an
hour. A white flag appeared in the
flats. We were alerted by Gale.
Three Japs appeared on the seawall.
They moved forward.
Uses Suicide Grenade
We watched carefully, suspicious
ly. About so yards away, the Jap
in the middle of the file suddenly
raised his hand to his head. There
was an explosion. His head was
blown off by a grenade. The other
two looked at his body for a mo-
ment and resumed their march.
Twenty minutes later, two wet,
bedraggled japanese soldiers came
In. One was wounded. While we
patched his wound, Silverthorne
and Slaughter told the other to re-
turn and ask his comrades to give
up. He agreed, and departed, bear
ing white flag made from flare