The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-21
Divisions Suffer
 3,65O Casualties
(Continued from Page l.)

That meant that the Marines were charging the Japanese strong points and dugouts with flame throWers, small arms, and bayonets, in bloody hand-to-hand struggles.
 The Japanese were relatively quite last night A local counter-attack on the American left flank, sup ported by several tanks and artil- lery fire, was beaten off(, and att tempts at infiltration were thWart- ed.
 U. s. warships and guns sup ported the Marines throughout the night, rocking the Japanese e-held part of Two with q ceaSeless barrage which continude this morning.
 Carricr-borne planes swarmcd back into the battle of Two today carrying out heavy bombing and strafing attacks,
 Making 1t plain that the Ma rines had come to stay, the un- loading of supplies and rationS on the beaches went on all last night.
 The Japanese are resisting dcS- perately, and the fighting IS fierce in some parts of the combat area, D United Press Correspondent Mac R Johnson reported from a Warship off Two.
 He said the Japanese were re- sorting to their night iniiltraLion tactics which became standard practice with them. One U. 5. battalion alone reported that more than 100 Japanese were killed in these attempts.
 The going was the toughest in the center of the line at the No. 2 Motoyama air field, Johnson re- ported. The Japanese appeared to be throwing everything they had into the defense of this base, the second most important objective on the island. The No. field, already captured, was the first. Land Endorsements
 Radio Toyko said the Americans were continuously" landing fresh endorsements with the number of troops ashore passing the 20,- 000- mark yesterday noon. More than 1000 Americans have been killed or wounded and at least 100 tanks disabled, the broadcast said
 The enemy vanguard managed to inhltrate Chidori (Mt. Suribachl village, situated on the north side of the southern airfield and the south pier at 8 a. m. Tuesday" !" the broadcast said.
 It was assumed that the desper- ate Japanese garrison-orlginally estimated at 5000--launched a second major counter-attack against the American line last night. but the two veteran Marine divisions were ready for the blow.
 The 27th Regiment of Marines beat of the fanatical first Japanese counter-attack on Motoyama air field No. l early yesterday.
 While the main strength of the invasion forces was being directed north against IWo's second airfield, other powerful forces were assault ing the gum bristling Suribachi Vol cano at the southern tip of the | island.
 Though completely cut off from the remainder of Two by an Ameri- can smash to the west coast, Japa- nese troops on Surlbachi were fight | ing literally to the last man from Well-fortified caves and gun em- placements studding the side of the 554-foot mountain.
 i Col. Harry B. LiVerSedge of Pine Grove, Calf, commander of the Marine regiment which cut off Suri- cachi, said his men found pillboXes every 10 feet and less at the base of the volcano.
 Japanese guns and mortars on Suribachi were firing almost poins blank at Marines attempting to chamber up the sides of the extinct volcano. The Japanese also were pouring shells into the rear of other forces farther north.
 Fierce Resistance
 Front reports said the fiercest resistance was being met on the northern end of the beachhead There the Japanese were supple menting their artillery and mortar barrages for the first time in the Pacific war with anti-personnel rockets.
 Magnetic and "yardstick" mines also were being encountered
 The Marines were answering the enemy fire with flame -throWers mortars and ever-increasing num- bers of guns, all supplemented by ceaseless fire from American bat. tleships and warships ringing the tiny island.
 The warships alone have poured more than 5000 tons of shells into | Two
 Marine tanks also were in action. ReinforcementS of men and weapons continued to stream ashore.
 No estimate of casualties was yet available, Admiral Chester w. Nimit2 announced in a communique, but all sources agreed that they probably would be high.