Evening star., 1945-04-29
American Warships
Off 0kinawa Raided
Auxiliary Craft Sunk
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
GUAM, Sunday, April 29.-Japa-
nese aircraft attacked American
warships off Okinawa Friday night
sinking an auxiliary surface craft
and causing some other damage, Ad-
miral Chester w. Nimitz announced
today.
Twenty Japanese planes were
destroyed and two probably shot
down in that attack On Saturday,
carrier airplaneS shot down 80 Japa-
nese planes around Okinawa, Kikai
and Yaku islands in the Ryukyus.
Presumably, these latter enemy
planes did not reach American
forces, as Admiral Nimitz did not
mention any attack by them.
On the Southern Okinawa front
gath Army Corps troops moved
slowly forward, destroying pillboxes,
caves and strongpoints," the COM
munique said.
Big Guns in Action.
Heavy artillery was employed
against Japanese troop concentra-
tions in rear areas and land-based
Marine planes joined carrier air.
craft in giving close support to the
American Doughboys.
With the japanese having with
5 drawn from many sectors of the
front lines, the fact that Yank
flyers were able to find them
concentrating to the rear would in
dicate the bombardment-sh shocked
japanese were trying to regroup for
a strong defense along a second
line.
Naval guns continued their heavy
bombardment, destroying strong de-
fensive positions.
Admiral Nimitz' communique gave
no details about ground action. Maj
Gen. John r. Hodges Oath Army
Corps care closing in on Machinato
airf1eld on the west coast and Yona-
baru on the east
Tokyo radio, without confirmation
reported the Friday attack on the
American ships off Okinawa cost the
United States two cruisers, including
the Savannah, sunk and a third
cruiser damaged and four transports
sunk.
Two Groups Attack.
The night attack was made by
two groups of japanese planes on
ships lying off OkinaWa beaches.
There was considerable activity
during the night by japanese small
craft off OkinaWa. A number were
destroyed.
Landbased search planes sank
three small japanese cargo ships
and damaged several in sweeps
through the Ryukyus.
Aircraft from escort carriers
bombed and strafed airfelds in the
SakiShima Islands, in the Southern
Ryukyus, and Army Liberators
sbombed installations on Truk in the
Carolines.
The Yank 9th Infantry Division
was near the boundary of Machinato
field on the west coast, by-passing
japanese strong points at Nakama
village to speed the capture of the
airdrome
On the east coast flank the 7th
Division captured much ground in
the vicinity north of Yonabara air.
strip.
Three Hills Captured.
Doughboys of the 96th Division
IN the central sector won three i'm
portant hills but took a pounding
from japanese artillery which had
escaped destruction under the daily
heavy blasting given the entire
enemy line by American field artil-
lery, naval gunfire and planes.
American sky fleets hammered
Japanese airfields from the Saki-
shima Islands south of Okinawa to
Kyushu.
Marine Corsair pilots said Naha,
once a city of more than $4,000
population, appeared deserted and
partially intact. Large sections,
however, have been reduced to
rubble by heavy air attacks and
naval gunfire
The 7th Division is less than 2
miles from Shuri, the islands sec
ond largest city, on the east coast.
said Vern Haugland, Associated
Press correspondent. Flyers re-
ported that Shuri was virtually
leyeled.