The Wilmington morning star., 1945-05-23
RainHampers
NahaAdvance
1000 YARDS GAINED
Undefended City Reduced
To Bubble By Gunfire
And Bombing

GUAM, Wednesday, May 49,
(R)-Doughboys of the Seventh In.
fantry Division, back in the fight
after brief rest, smashed through
the undefended city of Yontbaru.
eastern anchor of the tough enc.
my line across southern Okinawa,
and pressed 1000 yards beyond
the rubbed city yesterday.
The advance beyond Yonabaru
was announced today by Fleet
Adm. Chester w. Ninitz, who re.
ported that rains and mud limit.
ed operations on the central and
western sectors, where the Yanks
are threatening the major Okina.
wa cities of Shuri and Naha.
Maj. Gen. Archibald v. Ar.
nold's Seventh Infantry Division
pushed through Yonabaru to reach
the villages of Rioi and Itarashiku.
Nimitz said the, Japanese chose
not to defend Yonabaru, which
was thoroughly reduced by gum
fire and bombing.
Maj. fGen. James l.. Bradley's
96th Infantry Division continued it's
attack on stiff Japanese defenses
in the Conical hill sector west Of
Yonabaru.
Another Heavy night counterat.
tack against Maj. Gen. Pedro A.
Del Valle's First Marine Division
on the west flank was turned back
with 80 Japanese killed. -.'''.' =
Twelve to Is Japanese planes
attacked American shipping in the
Okinawa area at dusk Monday.
Eight were shot down and the re.
were chased off. No dam.
age was reported.
American commanders at Ok.
mama forecast the breakdown soon
Of organized last-stand Japanese
resistance on the island under the
continuous grinding pressure of u.
5: Tenth Army Infantry and Ma
rines.
If the weather doesn't impede
us, 1 think we will break the jap
resistance soon," said Mai. Gen,
Roy Geiger, commander of the
Third Amphibious Marine Corps
Sixth and First Divisions at the
front.
The Yanks will capture this
island in the comparatively near
future" said Vice Adm. Rich.
mond K. Turner, commander Of
Naval forces around the island.
Turner said Okinawa, three.
fourths in American hands. al.
ready is base for aerial attacks
on southern Japan, only 1926 miles
to the north, and on Formosa and
enemy air bases in the Ryukyus.
Thirty-five Japanese planes div.
ed in for low level attacks on
ships off Okinawa Sum
day evening, damaging five light
U. S. units. Only nine of the Nip
ponese aircraft escaped destruc.
ton.
A furious 5O0-man Japanese
counterattack Sunday night on Su.
gar Loaf hill, west coast height
on the Okinawa line, was turned
back by Sixth Division Marines
who had secured the crest after
II bloody attacks.
Then the Leathernecks pushed
200 yards south of Sugar Loaf Mon
day, winning limestone ridge on
their right flank to dominate the
Asato river, which flows through
Naha, OkinaWa capital citv. front
reports said.
Another Marine surge in this
area took the Devildogs to the
crest Of Half Noon hill, but Japa.
nese command Of a nearby height
kept the Americans from cleaning
up the reverse slopes of the hill.
Some of the Japanese in the
charge up Sugar Loaf hill wore
Marine uniforms and
carried U. S. weapons. The enemy
left 200 dead on the hillside. Ma.
rine losses also were heavy.
On one slope were the bodies Of
30 Marines and IS Japanese, and
Pfc. Paul r. Hunter, Lake Worth.
Fla, commented: That's the first
lime I've ever seen a hill with
more Marine bodies than Jap bod
Ies."