Evening star., 1945-04-07
yanks Wipe Out
391 Aircraft,
3Destroyers
No Larger American
Units Hitin Clash
so Miles Off japan
BY the Associated Press.

wafships, including their largest
remaining battleship-the As
000Aton Yamato-and 391 enemy
planes Iwere destroyed in a two
day tile between planes and
surface units of the two Heet
yesterday and today only 81
miles from Japan, Admiral Ches-
ter w. Nimitz announced.
Three American destroyers were
sunk, several others and some small
er craft damaged. Seven planes
were lost.
japanese fleet losses, in addition
to the battleship were one Agano
class light cruiser, one other lighter
cruiser and three destroyers.
The battle opened yesterday aft
ernoon when heavy forces of Jap
anese planes attacked American
ships and shore installations in the
vicinity of Okinawa. Three destroy
ers were sunk and several damaged.
One hundred and sixteen of the at
tacking planes were shot down.
No larger American fleet units
were hit.
Surface Force Sighted.
Early today Navy search aircraft
sighted an enemy surface force at a
point about so miles southwest OF
Kyushu, southernmost japanese
island. Vice Admiral Marc A.
Mitscher'S fast carrier force steamed
toward the enemy and during the
middle of the day brought the en-
emy under aerial attack.
The Yamato. reported damaged
last month in a carrier raid on ia
pans Inland Sea and last October
in the battle of Leyte Gulf when her
sister ship, the Musashi, was sunk,
went down after being hit by eight
torpedoes and eight bombs.
The American task groups par
ticipating in yesterdays and todays
actions were commanded by Rear
Admirals Frederick C. Sherman,
A. w. Radford, G.. F. Began and
J. J. (Jocko) Clark.
Text of Communique.
Following is the text of Admiral
Nimitz's communique telling of the
battle:
/. On April and 7 (east longi-
strong counterattacks against our
forces operating in the vicinity of
OkinaWa.
2. During the late afternoon and
evening of April a large force of
enemy aircraft attacked our ships
and shore installations in the vicin-
ity of OkinaWa. One hundred and
sixteen of these enemy aircraft were
destroyed, 55 by our fighters and the
remainder by our antiaircraft fire.
The attacking enemy aircraft pressed
their attacks in with desperation
and succeeded in sinking three of
our deStroyerS and damaging sew
eral deStroyers and smaller craft.
No larger fleet units were hit.
3. Early on April 7 Navy search
aircraft of Fleet Air Wing l sighted
an enemy surface force which hao
left the Inland Sea and, passing
south of Kyushu, had headed into
the East China Sea. The force in
cluded the large battleship Yamato,
the most powerful ship left in the
japanese Navy, an Agano class light
cruiser one other small light cruiser
or large destroyer, and a number of
deStroyers. A fast carrier task force
commanded by Vice Admiral Marc
A. Mitscher steamed toward the
enemy at high speed and during the
middle of the day brought the Jap
anese force under air attack.
Heavy Antiaircraft Fire.
4. Our carrier aircraft, which had
destroyed 245 enemy aircraft on
April 6. met no air opposition over
the japanese ships, but did meet
heavy antiaircraft fire. At a point
about SO miles southwest of Kyushu
they sank the Yamato, the light
Agano class cruiser, the small
cruiser and three destroyers. Three
other destroyers were left burning.
About three destroyers escaped from
this attack.
S. The Yamato was hit by at least
eight torpedoes and eight rockets
anu HldCIllIle guns.
g. Our carriers lost seven aircraft
in this action. During minor con-
facts on April they and their air
craft shot down 80 enemy aircraft.
The task groups participating were
commanded by Rear Armirals F. c.
Sherman, U. S. N; A. w. Radford,
N. S. N; G. F. Began, U. S. N, and
J. J. Clark, U. S. N.
7. The Marine Sd Amphibious
Corps on Okinawa moved forward
steadily in the northern sector
throughout the afternoon of April
6. BY 6 pm. it had made advances
which placed its front lines across
Ishikawa Isthmus from Chuda on
the west coast to the mouth of the
Kinbaru on the east coast. In the
south, strong enemy resistance de-
veloped during the day. From its
strong defensive positions, the
enemy employed machine gun, small
arms, mortar and artillery fire
against the oath Army Corps
throughout April and the fol-
lowing night. Army troops along
the east coast in the southern
sector advanced about 1000 yards
during the afternoon of April and
occupied the town of Tsuwa. The
enemy in the south was brought
under heavy fire by our artillery
throughout the day.
8. Search aircraft Of Fleet Air
Wing attacked airfields in Kyushu,
destroying four fighters on the
ground, probably destroying three
(See FLEETS, Page A-4.)