The Union County journal. [volume] (Marysville, Ohio) 1875-1951, 1945-05-17

y
facility. American atmosphere, and
all the touches of 'home" are pro-
vided by the American Red Cross,
co-pardners with the Air Service
Command in the operation of the
Rest Center. After seven days he
went back to his combat station
ready to play his part once again
in the air battle supporting the
Allied march across Germany.
S/Sgt. Robb has completed 80
missions over Nazi-dominated Eur
ope. Before entering the Army he
was employed as machinist by
the Harding Machine Screw Co..
Description of the fighting on
Two Jima, and particularly his
ships part in this fierce struggle
has been written by Seaman
Dwight Andrews, RIM. &c, to his
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Ernest An
drews, of Watkins. He writes:
We are now permitted by CEN
sorship regulations to write about
the Maxim Islands part in the Two
Jima operation. Probably the fact
that we were there won't come as
too much of a surprise for you. We
were there from beginning to end,
cruising with Two Jima and its eX-
in clear view from the ship. (You
may have seen the picture of the
Marines raising the flag on Surf
bachi, l understand it is to be used
or is being used in some kind OF
bond drive). 1t was a long and
tough operation for these ships, but
we feel good about doing a job
which was highly commended by
naval authorities. The pilots did an
outstanding piece of work support
ing the Marines who had to Iight
for every inch against the tough
est imaginable system of defenSeS.
Some of our officers went ashore
and told us what they had seen.
The Japs had underground pill
boxes, interlocking caves and block
houses which had to be taken one
by one. Many times our planes
would be called on to knock out
these strong points with bombs and
rockets and their skill and cour-
age in carrying out these assign
mentS, often in the face of intense
AA, saved hundreds of Marines
lives. Some of these Marines, Of
ficerS and men alike, told our Of
ficers ashore that they would nev-
er forget the help which they re-
ceived from the CVEs. l think that
what the Marines had to say,
meant more to us than commenda-
ton from any other quarter.
We felt that compared with
what the men on Two had to take,
we had a comparatively easy time
even though there were moments
when we might have considered q
temporary exchange of duty-par-
ticularly on the night when a ship
was sunk by heavy enemy air at
tack. 1t was a sight we won't for
get, but a lot of Jap planes were
knocked out. There's not much use
in trying to describe one of those
attacks. You have to be in one to
realize that one of the most vivid
sights imaginable is Jap plane hit
by our guns, burning in mid-air
and then crashing and exploding
You can see what looks like ball
of fire streaking along the water
and then it disappears into the sea-
At night we could see and hear
the battleShipS, cruisers and deS-
troyers shelling Two, keeping the
Japs under cover. Day by day as
our lines advanced, we were kept
informed of the situation by the
Executive Officer, and as the Jap
area became more and more COM
pressed up at the northern tip OF
the island, we realized that our job
was coming to an end. ] won't deny
kthat we were happy to head for
Nport. We needed a little relaxation.
I've did feel though, that the Ma
rim Island and our squadron, the
I ther CVE's and the screening des-
SSxoyers and destroyer escorts, had
lid up their own end and then
ne. We won't forget Two Jima.