Evening star., 1945-02-22
Yanks SmashIwo Counterattacks;
Patton Captures 33 More Towns
Drives Within Five Miles Of Trier
u. S. Fleet Units
Suffer Damage in
Jap Air Blows

|s aA~ 1eSoSActcQ EfcSS.
PACIFIC FLEET HEADQUAR-
TERS. Guam. Feb. % (Via Navy
Radio. - United States Fleet
units in the vicinity of Two Jima
have suffered some damage from
attacks by japanese fighters and
bombers. Japanese counterat-
tacks have been beaten back and
Marine casualties have risen
to 1853 in the desperate battle
for the island, Admiral Chester
w. Nimitz announced today.
The attack by Japanese planes
was the first against the surface
units since the start of the battle
for the island 750 miles south of
Tokyo. Seven of the enemy planes
were shot down. Admiral Nimitz
did not elaborate on the extent of
damage or the type of ships hit.
The casualties include 385 killed
and 4,168 wounded in action up to
5:45 pm. yesterday.
During the initial hours"
after the landings Admiral MINI
itz said yesterday the Marines
casualties totaled $3.50. OF
these, about 800 were listed as
killed or missing and 3,063
wounded)
Marines Launch Attacks.
japanese counterattacks, accom-
panied by numerous attempts at
infiltration of our lines, were beaten
back during the night and the
leathernecks, strengthened by the
Sd Marine Division, which landed
yesterday, launched attacks both to
the north and south against the
divided forces of the enemy.
The northward drive toward the
Central Two airfield met heavy re-
sistance from small arms, mortars
and automatic weapons. At noon
the troops, advancing slowly through
hard rain, had knocked out numer-
Gus enemy gun positions and gen.
orally weakened enemy defenses.
There was little change in 'front.'
line positions. Admiral Nimitz's
communique admitted, however.
Forces facing Mount Suribachi,
volcanic japanese fortress on the
southern tip of the island, co-ordi-
mated their drive with the northern
troops and by noon were beginning
an assault on the face of the cliff i
under most difficult combat condi-
tions"
Ships Continue Smelling.
Heavy naval gunfire continued
to pound enemy-held positions
throughout the northern part of the
island and feet aircraft supported
ground forces with heavy bombing, |
straflng and rocket attacks.
The veteran Sd Division landed on
Two at critical hour, bolstering two
other hard-pressed divisions with
veterans of the invasions of Bou-
gainville and Guam. Maj. Gen.
Graves B. Erskine commands the
Sd Division.
Although the Nimitz communique
today placed Marine casualties at
4,553, Elmont Waite, Associated
Press war correspondent, reported
In a dispatch from headquarters
"a hours later than the period COW
cred in the first official count-that
american casualties already are ap-
proximately twice Tarawa's losses"
There were 3,151 marine casualties
at Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands
during that 72-hour invasion battle.
The commitment of three Marine
divisions in the four -day-old Two
invasion meant as many as $4,000
men may be either ashore or in
the process of being sent against
the enemy.
Encounter Tough Going.
Men of the Sd, 4th and 5th Marine
Divisions, having sealed off the
southern third of Two, encountered
tough going at the south tip of the
island against Japanese on the
slopes of Mount Suribachi and to
the north near the islands center
in a drive to capture Motoyama
Airfield No. 2.
Flame-throWers and tanks were
sent against enemy pillboxes on the
slopes of Mount Suribachi yester-
day afternoon. The Japanese, who
previously had weathered terrific
bombardment by warships of the
United States 5th Fleet, knocked
out four of the tanks. The sector is
strewn with land mines. East of
the volcano, the. enemy staged a
counterattack in daylight for the
first time but it was hurled back
Fourth Division marines of Mai