Evening star., 1945-03-24
u. 5. Carrier Raid
On Big Ryukyus Base
Reported by Tokyo
~ the Associated Press,

~ the Associated Press.
PACIFIC FLEET HEADQUAR-
TERS, Guam, Mar. 24.-Tokyo
radio said today that American
carrier planes were bombing the
big naval and air base at Okin-
ava In the Ryukyus, midway be-
tween Japan and Formosa, car
rylng the assault into the Sec
ond straight day.
Admiral Chester w. Nimitz offered
no confirmation of this In his ofYicial
reports today which disclosed loss of
the escort carrier Bismarck Sea, in
the battle for Two. Admiral Nimitz's
reports also increased from 575 to
73l the bag of enemy planes during
carrier attacks earlier this week on
Southern Japan.
Tokyo said 230 planes, presumably
from Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitsch-
er's Task Force So, which crippled
Jspan's home feet and heavily dam
aged major enemy naval air stations
Sunday and Monday, opened up on
Okinawa yesterday afternoon. Oki-
nawa is 400 miles southwest of Kyu-
shu, prime target of the earlier at
tack.
Going on Seven Hours Later.
To-day also enemy ship-borne
planes came to attack the same area
from about Z O'Clock this morning"
the Tokyo broadcast added. Seven
hours later, the raid still was going
on, enemy reports limited.
Such q two-day raid damaged IT
japanese warships in hideouts OF
Japan's Inland Sea and smashed the
big naval-air stations at Kanoya,
Omura and Saeki on Kyushu Sum
day and Monday. Today Admiral
Nimitz said sky fights between the
enemy home-based airforce and Ad-
miral Mitscher's carrier planes ragged
on through Tuesday and Wednesday,
with 81 more of the foe shot down
Amplifying earlier reports, Ad-
miral Nimitz added rs more enemy
planes to the total probably de-
stroyed or damaged on the ground.
Sunk Third Day of Invasion.
The Bismarck Sea, reported by the
Navy in Washington to displace
10000 tons, was sunk by japanese
planes off Two on February 81, the
third day of the bloody invasion of
that island in the volcano group by
United States Marines.
Associated Press Correspond
ent Robert Geiger reported sec
ond unidentified carrier was
damagedD
After the flaming Bismarck Sea
had to be abandoned, the enemy
raiders strafed and killed several of
the crew bobbing in the water while |
awaiting rescue. Admiral Nimitz
said most of the ships personnel,
including the captain, John Lock-
wood Pratt of Milford, Del, and
Coronado, Calf, were saved.
admiral Nimitz did not dis
close the size of the crew which
probably exceeded 1000 men,
Enemy planes scored a vulnerable
hit on the starboard side. There
were two big explosions. Torpedoes
and two newly -gassed planes on the
carrier spread the fire.
Capt. Pratt, who later spent As
minutes in the water, ordered the
ship abandoned after the fires "be-
came SO terrific we couldn't sur
round them
The sea was rough and several
men drowned With the battle for
Two at a critical stage, seamen in
small motor whale boats risked their
lives to effect rescues.
The carrier was hit during an at
tack by flight of japanese fighters
and bombers that one naval officer
said looked like a swarm of flies
on boarding house table" Three
of these attacked the Bismarck Sea.
One was shot down for sure and
another probably. Admiral Nimitz
previously announced American
fighters and naval gunners brought
down at least seven of the attacking
flight.
The Bismarck Sea was the 11th
carrier the United States is known
to have lost in the war, all but one
In the Pacific.
Today's communique amplifying |
the operations of Admiral Mitscher |
against Southern Japan said recon-
naissance flyers had confirmed "es-
sential damage" inflicted at Kyushu
Island on:
Kamoya. which has the largest
naval air station in Southwestern
Japan as well as extensive mainte-
nance shops; Saeki, which has an
other large modern naval air sta
ton; Omura, whose naval air sta
ton guards the big naval base of
sasebo; also the air bases of Kago-
shima, Miyazaki and Mittagahara.
Gin mn heknd In no.3h