Evening star., 1945-05-20
Hill Dominutinq
Nuhu Is Center Of
Fiercest Action
BY the Associated Press.

---"~~~~N
GUAM. May 20 (Sunday) -
Marines of the 9Th Division beat
back a strong japanese counter
attack yesterday east of Taxa
motoji Village in the battle for
vital Sugar Loaf Hill, fiercest
single action in the Okinawa
campaign in which 48,1O3 jap
aneSe have been killed through
Thursday.
Admiral Chester w. Nimitz an
nounced that American casualties
for the Okinawa campaign total
30,526, including fleet losses since
carrier attacks on the enemy's in
land sea were begun on March 18.
OF these, 1910 were killed or miss
ing and 22,216 were wounded. Many
wounded have returned to combat.
Maj. Gen. Lemuel c. Shepherds
9Th Division Marines were thrown
off Sugar Loaf Hill fourth time
Thursday night, but occupied it
again Friday morning. This stra-
tegic promontory guards Naha,
which cannot be occupied safely by
American troops until it is totally
occupied and all Japanese artillery
intrenched in its southern slopes
silenced.
JapS Throw in Reserves.
1t. Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner's
10th Army troops maintained firm
pressure all along the Southern
Okinawa front yesterday, with the
japanese desperately throwing re-
serve reinforcements into the hand
to-hand struggle.
On the east flank of the Naha-
Shuri-Yonabaru line, Maj. Gen.
James L. Bradley's 96th Infantry
Division troops, pushing southwest
from Conical Hill, engaged in
three hour, close quarter hand
grenade battle with the stubborn
japanese. Elements of this divi-
sion, which seized much of the
Yonabaru area, are moving west
ward to join the 77th Infantry and
1st Marine Divisions in three-divi-
sion assault on Shuri, fortress city
in the center of the enemy's de-
fense line.
In the center of the Okinawa
front, Maj. Gen. Pedro A. Del Valle's
1st Marine Division and Mai. Gen.
Andrew D. Bruce's 77th Infantry
Division were attacking abreast on
direct approaches to Shuri fortress
from the north.
Ridges Heavily Fortified.
Fighting was bitterly tough
through heavily-fortified ridges
and hills around Wana town, north
east of Shuri.
Admiral Nimitz's casualty report
listed 1882 10th Army troops killed
or missing on Okinawa through
Friday. Of these, 3093 were Army
and 1890 were Marines. The other
1878 were Navy killed or missing
through Wednesday.
Most of the fleet casualties were
suffered in sustained japanese air
attacks on shipping off Okinawa,
including crash dives by suicide
pilots.
Tenth Army wounded on Okinawa
for the 4S days included in Nimitzs
report were 1928, of whom 12,078
were soldiers and 6,18O Marines.
The fleets wounded total was
1888.
Japs Sacrificing Troops.
Admiral Nimitz said 139.858 Oki-
nawa civilians had been taken under
jurisdiction of United States mill
Rry Government authorities.
Okinawa's most savage fighting
still was being waged around Sugar
Loaf Hill, where Admiral Nimitz
reported "the japanese have sacri-
feed large numbers of troops in de-
fense of this key position before
Naha."
The japanese have been pouring
reinforcements into the battle for
this small, tunneled fortress, which
strategically covers not only rub
ble-httered Naha but walled and
moated Shuri as we'll.
Many of these japanese were
killed by American artillery fire.
making japanese reinforcement ef-
forts costly sacrifice.
In its rough, difficult sector the
77th Division infantry called for
very close support of airplanes and
employed fame e-throwing tanks in
a push against japanese caves and
ridge strong points. The 77th Di-
vision made some gains on its
right flank near Ishimmi Town, a
defense bastion Immediately north
of Shuri.
Japs Expecting Defeat.
The Japanese, whose banzai tao
tics and the appearance of officers
in white uniforms indicates ac-
ceptance Of eventual defeat as their
fate on Okinawa, employed substan-
tial artillery fire all along the line
Friday In attempts to halt Yank
attacks. Heavy American counter
battery fire silenced several guns in
the Sugar Loaf Hill area.
The Japanese, many of their stag
ing airf1elds >neutralized by B-29
and carrier plane raids in force have
given American forces on and near
Okinawa q virtual respite from
aerial assaults the past week. A few
enemy aircraft appeared over the
Okinawa area Thursday evening.
Two were shot down. Another small
group appeared Friday evening.
Fourteen were downed. There was
no report of damage to American
forces.
A fast carrier force made a sweep
through the Northern Ryukyus
Four additional men from
the District area haze been re.
ported killed In this ,Dar. See
| 60n fhe unnor Pn1Jo pnu> .