The Wilmington morning star., 1945-05-15
MARINES BATTLE =
ON ASAT0 RIVER
RESISTANCE BITTER
As Enemy Planes Shot
Down In Attacks On
American Fleet

GUAM, Tuesday, May 15-tF--
Infantrymen of Maj. Gen. James
L. Bradley's 96th Division captur-
ed the Yonabaru airdrome in a g.
4O0-yard surge down the east coast
of Okinawa yesterday and over
ran a key hill nearby to form the
jaw of a pincers on the fortress
city of Shuri.
On the west flank, Maj. Gen.
Lemuel Shepherd, Jr.'s Sixth Ma.
rine Division still was held on the
north bank of the Asato river in
the northern section of Naha, but
patrols presumably were operating
well within the shattered ruins OF
the Okinawa capital.
The Japanese were resisting
bitterly all along the line with ar
tillery, mortar and small-arms fire.
Adm. Chester w. Nimitz an.
nounced this progress today in a
communique which reported 46
Japanese planes shot down in at
tacks on American fleet groups.
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light units were damaged.
Japanese aircraft again bounced
on the American invasion fleet off
Okinawa Sunday evening, causing
some damage to two light surface
units. twenty-five enemy planes
were shot down, eight of them by
destroyers' guns.
Enemy aircraft bombed installa-
tons ashore on Okinawa Monday
but failed to cause material dam
age,
U. S. carrier task forces were
attacked by Japanese planes Mon
day, and one ship was reported
damaged. Twenty-one Japanese
planes were shot down in this raid,
Yonabaru airfield was the third
major airdrome on the Okinawa
mainland seized by the Yanks.
They took the Katena and Yontan
fields shortly after the April / in
vasion. Later a large airdrome on
lie island nearby was secured.
A prime objective of the SOUTH
ward push is the Naha airdrome,
about two miles, south of Naha.
This is the largest airdrome in the
entire Ryukyu chain.
Ninitz reported that two rifle
companies of the 96th Infantry Di-
vision completed capture of Conf
cal hill Sunday. The hill is $500
yards east of Shuri. Its seizure.
Nimitz' said, "permitten our left
flank to advance 2,40O yards south
ward along the east coast, bring
ing Yonabaru airstrip into our pos
session.
Heavy gunfire by ships of the
Pacific fleet and bombing and
strafing attacks on enemy posi-
tons by carrier and land-based
planes closely supported TIE ground
operations.
Since Okinawa was invaded the
Tenth Army has captured or de.
stroyed 1856 enemy guns of 70 milf
meter caliber or larger.
British carrier planes bombed
airfields on Mikayo island in the
Sakishima group of the southern
Ryukyus Saturday and Sunday,
hitting buildings, dumps and other
targets at Hirara' town. A large
oil fire was started. Two Japanese
planes were destroyed on the
ground.
Fleet patrol planes again pene-
trating waters around Korea sank
a small oiler, medium sized
freighter and a small freighter-
transport Sunday. Another medium
sized freighter-transport was dam
aged and left burning.
Nimitz announced that from the
beginning of the Okinawa campaign
through Sunday, Naval planes of
Fleet Arriving One alone had de.
stroyed six aircraft Three Amer
lean planes were lost, but all per.
sonnet were rescued.
Planes of Fleet Arriving 10 dam
aged five small cargo ships, a
lugger and a fishing craft south
OF Japan's main island of Honshu
CONTINUED on Page Three; Col. II