The Wilmington morning star., 1945-02-20
One Airfield
Held By The
Leather necks
Costly Battle Expected Az
Japs Fight From Elk.
tinct Volcano /


QUARTERS, GUAM, Tuesday, Feb.
20-LR-The 10000 Marines Of
Maj. Gen. Harry Schmidt's Fifth
Marine Corps ARE taking Two
Island,'' Adm. Chester w. Nimit1
said with conviction today, ale
though front line reports made
clear the battle is fierce and il
costing considerable lives.
Nimitz, whose last communique
said the Leathernecks had carved
out a beachhead 4,500 yards long
and 500 yards deep on the south.
east coast in a drive which has
reached one airfield, expressed
confidence in the success Of the
operation in a message to the
Fleet.
He said in his message that the
same skill, courage and teamwork
displayed by carrier pilots over
Tokyo 'are now being displayed
| by forces which are taking Two
Island only 660 (nauticaD miles
from Tokyo" The statute mile dis.
lance is $50.
Breakfasts today from Guam all
agreed costly and savage battle
is raging on the tiny island in the
Volcano group.
Nirnitz' message TO the fleet said
display of the same qualities now
bearing fruit in the current opera.
tons will bring success when
our troops land in Japan itself"
The Marines landed Monday
morning.
In a broadcast % hours later
from the bridge Of Vice Adm.
Richmond Kelly Turner'S flagship,
Don Pryor, representing the com.
bined networks, said there had
been a continuous vast display Of
fireworks
| From the flagship, Two looked
to him like garbage scoW-ser.
viceable but without CHARM
He said the Marines had to drive
up straight rocky hillsides to reach
a plateau land the Japs are show.
ing that they won't let 60 without
a bloody fight"
Larry Tighe, Blue Network war
correspondent, said in broads
cast today there was sound rea.
son for believing the stiffest fight
yet faced by the Fourth Marine Di-
vision Git includes veterans of every
Marine landing since Guadalcanal
in August, 1912 is now going Cd
at the south end of Two Island"
He added: J
This may be officially confirm.
ed at any moment"
American commanders said ini
tial progress was satisfactory. ""
The Marines speedily reached Iwo's
important bomber airfield and PEN
etrated its defenses.
Within two hours after the first
barges had grated ashore Monday
morning, the Marines had pushed
halfway up the dark sandy beaches
Of this rocky island that may
prove tougher than TaraWa. First
official reports said American cas-.
ualties were moderate"
The Marines struck in the wake
of a terrific naval and air barrage,
the most merciless and concen.
trated bornbardment of the Pacific
| war.
The Japanese fought back with
fanatical fury from strong island
positions. They used artillery. NOR.
tar, machine gun and rifle fire in
their efforts to hold back the de-
termined Leathernecks.
Japanese positions apparently
were located in the northern sec.
tor Of Two and in the steep sides
and crater of the extinct Surf.
bachi volcano at the southwestern
tip of the sulphur producing island
which has an area of only eight
square miles.
Suribachi, 546 feet high, COM
mands the beachhead and the low.
lands which afforded only the
scantiest cover to the Americans
facing enemy defenses pouring
forth mortar and artillery fire.
This closest ground approach to
Japan was made by the veteran
Fourth Marine Division, COM
manded by Maj. Gen. Clifton B.
Gates, and the new Fifth Marine
Division. The latter, composed of
veterans of Guadalcanal, Tulagi
and Bougainville and new men, is
commanded by Maj. Gen. Keller
E. Hockey.
In the pre-invasion softening up.
Two had been hit daily by heavy
Continued on Page Three; Col. A.