The Wilmington morning star., 1945-02-24

slowly IN FAVOR vi CIIIee OIllIt
dav as they occupied one en-
center and strewed the vol
canic slopes of Mt. Suribachi
on the south tip with Japa-
nese dead.
1t still was slugging match,
with the Leathernecks requiring
more than three days to cover 700
wards up sloping ground to the
south tip of the two-runway fighter
field.
Tie Japanese, constantly blasted
by the guns of U. S. Fifth Fleet
and dived on by carrier planes,
fought back from concrete pill
boxes.
The first Devildogs to get to the
fighter field were elements of the
U. S. Third Marine Division under
Maj. Gen. Graves B. Erskine, vet
Grams of the Solomons and Guam
campaigns. That division entered
the fiery struggle Wednesday at a
time when the Fourth and Fifth
Divisions had been halted in their
push north from the southern third
of the island in American hands.
The communique disclosed for the
first time that the three divisions
are fighting side by side in a CO.
ordinated push on the fighter field
The Third is in the center. Maj.
Gen. Keller E. Rockey's Fifth is on
the left flank toward the southwest
coast. 1t was held to no gain Fri
day afternoon.
Maj. Gen. Clifton B. Gates
Fourth Division is on the right
flank toward the southeast coast.
1t advanced slightly.
The Japanese on Two are well
armed American gunnery experts
have confirmed the japanese are
using a new weapon never encoun-
tered before in the Pacific-l,0O0-
pound rocket mortars.
The shell has a nose fuse and a
rocket motor. Launching platforms
probably are used by the enemy.
Headquarters, assessing the situa-
ton up to 6 p. m. Friday, said the
Leathernecks had scored limited
gains against elaborate enemy
defenSes.''
1t was the first report Of any real
gains since Wednesday noon when
they began the 700 yard drive from
captured Motoyama bomber field,
NO. l, IN the south end of the is
land, north toward Motoyama fight
er field, No. 2.
The advance, by three divisions
IN an enveloping movement, is up
slopes toward the plateau on which
me fighter field is located. The
Japanese have put up such bitter
resistance, even throwing in strong
eeounterattacks. that many of the
Marine casualties have occurred
there.
Today communique made no
luFlher addition of casualty figures
when up to Wednesday night had
exceeded 5000.
III me drive toward the only 9TH
ef disable airfield still in enemy
JANUS the Fourth Marine Division
800 yards. -0- " q y
IL IN Inc center of the advancing
""e other elements succeeded in
.iat1 the south end of the
sl4teld which, in American hands
r rOuid base fighters within flying
n oise OF Tokyo, $50 miles to the
fin VII MI suribachi. on the south
t Np VI Two, where Marines raised
ing inc United States flag Friday morn
hoa d total of III enemy dead has
tnnin counted lie with the cleanup con-
NUN mauihg- That was added to
o2 s'o "! announced figure of
whoro Nlpponese dead counted else
mjle le On the islands eight square
sist in all sectors, the enemy is re-
pinhosso our advance from concrete
caaDoxeS, entrench m ents and
Tbs' the communique said.
began suns OF the warships, which
dave ~ Numbering on Two three
still tb prIof to Mondays landings,
ts ,I numbered in support of the at.
'ScCklng Devildogs, u 'i'e az
new '[,,oased planes. including
er aIso 'ype OF Hellcat dive-bomb-
Js aoso aided the slow drive.
west p af on Kangoku rock. just
Marinol TWO, fired mortars at the
ers gnn. put an American destroy
tenseS i.s knocked out the rocks de-
land fn and also destroyed several
tacjlit,t unloading Of supplies. now
over l'' t, by steel mats spread
1inuad p'e loose, volcanic ash, con