Evening star., 1945-05-18
Yanks Maintain
SteadyPressure
On 0kinawa
Marines Bottle
In Noho;; Jops Show
No Sign Of Collapse
y the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
GUAM, May 18.-The Okinawa
campaign is slowly shaping into
a decisive phase with the 9Th
Marine Division battling to
broaden a bridgehead in Naha,
the capital city, and three divi-
sions steadily closing on the
fortress city of Shuri from three
sides.
Now 48 days old, the Okinawa
campaign already ranks as one of
the Pacific wars toughest. There
still is no evidence suggesting any
collapse in the grim defense by an
estimated $4,000 japanese and
Okinawan "home guard" survivors
OF an original garrison force of 10000
or more troops.
Tenth Army pressure against the
Japanese Little Siegfried Line" has
been sustained and hard-hitting
since the Marine Sd Amphibious
Corps took over the western half
Of the southern front and two
freshened Army divisions went into
the line on the Oath Army Corps
sector on the east.
Strong Offensive Maintained.
1t seems probable that field COM
manders have made a decision to
maintain as strong an offensive
pace Us possible.
The longer the ground campaign
lasts, the longer supply vessels and
Warships will be exposed to per-
sistent Japanese aerial attacks, in
which more than two dozen Amer
ican vessels have been sunk and a
material number damaged.
A second consideration Is that
Okinawa terrain providing the best
base development potentialities is
the southern sector below Naha and
Shuri.
Okinawa's best airfield, Naha Air
drome, lies about a mile southwest
Of Naha, across an inclosed harbor
1t undoubtedly will be the primary
airfleld of many projected for Oki-
nawa to mount growing air strikes
against the japanese homeland.
only 325 miles away.
American forces already have
captured Yontan and Katena Air
fields in Central Okinawa and put
them into use. and a few days ago
seized Yonabaru Airdrome on the
east coast. They also acquired
four-strip field when they con-
quered lie Island, off Okinawas west
coast.
Maj. Gen. Lemuel C. Shepherds
Marine Division progressed slowly
in its costly drive for Naha and
Naha Airheld yesterday. The
Leathernecks said the city ap-
peared deserted as far as they
probed, but tough fighting was ex-
pected from Japanese believed to be
hiding in the ruins farther along.
Other 6th Division Leathernecks,
co-ordinating an assault with Mai.
Gen. Pedro A. Del Valle's 1st Marine
Division, Strengthened out a sharp
Japanese salient into American lines
north Of Shuri The former captured
Sugar Loaf Hill, TOO yards northeast
Of Takimotoji Village. The latter,
their way cleared by tanks, drove
into Wana Town, about 500 yards
east of Fortress Shuris northern
fringes.
Soldiers Approach Shuri.
Both Army divisions currently in
action, the 77th and Goth Infantry
approached Shuri from the north
and east.
Maj. Gen. Andrew D. Bruce's 77th
Division engineered one of the few
American night attacks of the Gen.
tral-Western Pacific war to reach
the outskirts of Ishimmi town, only
1000 yards from the heart of Shuri.
The assault was made without ben
eft Of a preliminary artillery bar
rage.
Turned inland from the east
coast, where it captured Yonabaru
airf1eld and helped destroy Yona-
baru town, Maj. Gen. James L.
Bradley's Goth (Statue of Liberty
Division, was engaged in bloody
fighting for Love Hill, only 1,400
yards due east of Shuri. These
troops also destroyed some enemy
strong points.
Associated Press Correspondent
Vern Haugland reported that one
company of Gen. Bradley's division
killed 46 japanese Of a counterat-
tacking 200 who exposed themselves
to rifle fire as they reached the
crest Of a ridge. The Nipponese
were led by an officer who wore
white gloves and polished boots.
The officer was killed.
PFC. Robert Coy, Petoskey, Mich,
killed eight of these Nipponese as
they attempted to set up machine
gun on the ridge.
Elements of the 1st Marine Di-
Visions 7th Regiment discovered
other booted, white-gloved officers
as thev killed CnO enepov troor,e of