Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-06-25
Two, Seized al Cost
OF 1000 Lives, Saves
1851 in ; Months
BY ROBIN COONS,

Associated FreSS WAT Correspondent.
2lst BOMBER COMMAND HEAD
QUARTERS, Guam, June 25.-Iwo
Jima, which cost the lives OF more
than 1000 American Marines, has
been life-saving haven to more
than twice that many B-29 crew.
men within three months.
From March 4, when the first
crippled Super Fortress landed on
Two while returning from a strike
against Tokyo, through June 4, a
total of ISL B-29s have made emer-
gency landings on Two. With II
men per crew, that represents total
OF 1851 trained flyers, who, II the
Marines. had not paid the price OF
1888 Casualties, might not have
lived to fly against Japan again.
The huge planes cost $500, 900
apiece.
Saves Hundreds of Planes.
The 2lst Bomber Command in re-
vealing emergency landing statistics
yesterday pointed out 1t was impos-
sible to estimate accurately the
number of lives and planes saved
by American possession OF Two. but
said without the island plane losses
certainly would have been increased
and hundreds of planes, to avoid
ditching, would have had to turn
back before reaching their targets.
Said spokesman:
There can be no doubt that Two
In our hands has stepped up the
part the B29s are playing in the
destruction of the Japanese war ma
chine"
He cited seven different ways in
which the tiny island Justified its
cost in blood:
First its capture has eliminated a
base from which enemy aircraft
could attack B-29 installations In
the Marianas.
Second. it saves B-29s and skilled
crewmen.
Third. it increases bomb tonnage
per aircraft.
Makes Fighter Escort Possible.
Fourth, it means that more Super
Forts leaving the Marianas for each
mission will reach their targets.
Fifth, 1t means greater Super
Fort crew morale and efficiency.
Sixth, it makes fighter escort pos
sible.
Seventh. 1t makes possible more
efficient weather forecasting.
While Japan held Two, part of the
B-29 effort had to be devoted to
defensive measures. Last November
and December Japanese planes from
Two took American lives and dam
aged installations in the Marianas
Prior to the American invasion of
the island, the Super Forts bombed
Two Ave times and B-24s and fight
ers bombed it necessarily to neu-
tralize its airfelds. Now all Super
Fortress strength can be hurled at
the Japanese homeland.
Increases Chances for Rescue.
AS life and plane saver Two like
wise speeds the bombing offensive.
1t increases the chances for rescue
when crews do have to ditch their
planes.
Lying about halfway between the
Marianas and Japan, the island per-
mits a substantial reduction in the
gasoline load below the previous
safety limit and allows for a cor
responding increase of between 4 900
and 5000 pounds of bombs per air
craft. With fleets of 500 Super
Fortress operating on recent mis-
S1onS this means 900 to / $50 extra |
tons OF bombs can be carried.
II gasolipe runs short there's Two
to cut theAeAlrn trip in half.
AS First 1t. Alvin C. Beck of Fort
Wayne, Ind, declared:
Our plane bombed q TARGET Ave
times that we would have been UNI
able to make il it hadn't been for
Two. TSk king Two has improved our
operatioaal efficiency about IS per
cent"
1t. Beck's plane has been on II
missions and has landed on Two five
times.