Evening star., 1945-02-18

mightiest of history, would 60 on
at least another day.
Japan's Domei agency said in the
dispatch broadcast by the Tokyo
radio that two American landings
within 10 minutes on tiny Two hao
been repulSed.
Two Tokyo newspapers, Asahi
and Mainichi, were then quoted as
warning that the 5th Fleets &C
tivities might be preliminary to
landings on the japanese mainland
"All japanese citizens" the
broadcast advised, indicating the
jittery state of nerves in the enemy
capital, should be on guard against
any enemy landing on Japan
proper"
Substantial Damage at Two.
Admiral Nimitzs communique
yesterday gave no estimate of losses
or damage in the Tokyo raids, con-
centrated against enemy air iields
and plane factories, but reported
that the bombardment of Two had
inflicted substantial damage"
The damage included destruction
Of ground installations, three bomb
ers probably destroyed on the
ground, Zero land plane shot down
and two luggers set afire.
Two, only miles square, has a
sizable airfield, from which the
japanese have launched air attacks
against American B -29 Super
Fortress bases in the Marianas. 1t
has also served the enemy as look
out warning post against B-29
raiders.
Occupation of the island would
bring Tokyo within range of land
based American medium bombers
and fighters.
Air Target for Weeks.
1t Is approximately half way be-
tween Tokyo and the Marianas,
where both Admiral Nimitz' head
quarters and those of the B-29 21st
Bomber Command are now located,
on Guam.
The tiny island has been the tar
get of successive American bomb
ing attacks for weeks.
The Tokyo broadcast said.
"On February II in the morning
enemy troops tried to land on the
island of Two. The japanese gar
rison at once attacked these troops
and repelled them into the sea.
"A short while afterward the en-
emy tried to land on another stretch
Of the coast. The japanese repelled
the enemy"
Admiral Nimitz's communique yes
terday said one American plane was
destroyed by Two antiaircraft fire
The pilot was rescued.
800 Planes in Attack.
The Toxic radio said the second
day of carrier plane raids continued
from Z am. to pm. and that 600
planes struck during that period at
the Tokyo Y okohama area.
The broadcast, directed to occu-
pied Asia, said that the decrease
in the number of attacking planes
from the previous day when more
than 1000 were estimated to nave
hit the same area) gives ample evi-
dence of the effectiveness of our
air interruptions"
Other estimates of the air power
of Admiral Mitscher's carrier force
have ranged up to 1,500 planes.
japanese Imperial headquarters
claimed lat raiding planes had been
shot down and so damaged Friday.
Domei agency reported Japanese
interceptors had caused the enc
my to lose at least 200 aircraft"
Japs Claim Firing of Carrier.
The headquarters communique
admitted 81 Japanese interceptors
lost in Fridays attack. 1t also
claimed one large craft" set afire
off the coast.
Domei had claimed United
States carrier and an escorting de-
stroyer set afire.
There was still no indication from
any source that the japanese home
fleet had In any way accepted the
challenge.
Admiral Spruance's mighty force
continued to range boldly to within
200 or 300 miles of Honshu Island,
the heart of the Japanese Empire.
CReporting from Guam, NBC
Correspondent Robert McCor-
mick said that American naval
officers now do not expect the
challenpP to he accepfed