The Wilmington morning star., 1945-02-17
Navy Pounds
Two lima As
laps Scream
Worlds Greatest Fleet
Finds Foe Unwilling
To Open Fight

U. S. PACIFIC FLEET HEAD.
QUARTERS, Guam, Saturday, Feb.
17.-LP-More than 1,500 carrier
planes are attacking Tokyo in re-
relays today for the second straight
day while warships $50 miles to
the south continue Smelling little
Two Jima island, having already
knocked out its coastal guns and
rendered it wide open to invasion.
Adm. Chester w. Nimitz an
nounced in a terse communique
the extension of the twin operations
into Saturday while Tokyo radio
specialized openly that landings
on Two are imminent In Washing
ton, the Nays reaction to Tokyo's
expressed alarms was that the
Fleet is capable of effecting land
ings Thereon elsewhere.
Nimitz' announcement meant
that the Fifth Fleet the largest
in history, is remaining within 300
miles of Japan, apparently still un-
challenged by Nippon's home de.
tense fleet.
Carrier aircraft OF the Fifth
Fleet are continuing to attack the
Tokyo area" Nimitz said.
Preliminary reports indicate
that substantial damage was in
flicted on enemy installations on
Two Jima in the Volcano Islands in
spite of adverse weather conditions
during the bombardment by battle
ships and cruisers Of the Pacific
Fleet on February 16. Our carrier
aircraft set two luggers ablaze and
three bombeTs were probably de-
stroyed on the ground. A King
fisher seaplane from one of the
cruisers in the bombardment force
shot down a Zero land plane fight
er. One of our aircraft was de-
stroyed by enemy anti-aircraft fire
but the pilot was rescued.
Enemy shore batteries which
fired on the bombardment group
were silenced by the guns Of Il G
fleet. The bombardment is con-
tinuing.''
Nimitz also reported Army Lib
orator strikes on Two Jima and
on Thursday, against moderate
Chichi lima, in the BONN group.
ack-ack.
Smoke billowing thousands Of
feet over the Tokyo okohama
area testified to the terrific power
of the raid against one of Japan's
prime industrial sections.
The U. S. Navy massed the great
est power in history for this blow
in revenge for Pearl Harbor.
The attack, announced Friday
within few hours after the op.
GRAFTON opened, lasted by enemy
admission, at least nine hours.
simultaneously the Warships Oh.
ened up on Two lima.
Continuation Of the aerial assault
whose radio broadcasters immed.
into today was expected by Tokyo,
lately labeled it diversion for an
imminent amphibious invasion Of
Two lima.
This heaviest aerial blow Of the
war against Japan, made by at
least 1900 planes, was struck by
the mammoth carrier task force
commanded by Vice Adm. Marc A.
Mitsche-.
Protecting the carriers and SUBJ
Jecting Two to terrific lombard
ment was Adm. Raymond A,
Spruance's Fifth Fleet.
The tremendous armada-ruler Of
the Pacific-was strung out for 200
miles in waters almost within the
shadow of Japan. There it chal-
lenged the Japanese fleet, which
skunk into retirement following it's
singing defeat last October in the
battle for Leyte Gulf at the outset
IT the invasion of the Philippines.
whether the enemy fleet would
come out of hiding was specialized
on in Washington where a naval
spokesman said now is the time"
or the Japanese to accept the chal.
enge. If it does come out, he ad.
led, it will be rubbed out quickly.
or there is no doubt the American
Navy has complete control of the
seas.)
First eye witness account OF
his aerial blasting which launch
IS the air and naval blockade of
Japan was brought to Guam by
members of BIG crew which
secuted the area today. Navy head
quarters here has had no word to
announce since Thursday nights
which was written in
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