The Wilmington morning star., 1945-02-26
2,827 Enemy
Dead Counted.
On Tiny Isle
Small Force OF Jap Planes
Raids Yanks Without
Damage

Il S. PAClf IL LEI I1EAD
QUARTERS. GUAM, Monday, Feb
96-lP-Three divisions Of U. S
Marines launching an attack north
ward on bitterly-contested Two il
ma under cover of naval Smelling
and carrier planes, captured one
ajrstrip of the central airdrome
Yesterday and had possession O.
two-thirds Of the other runway.
Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, max
ing no further report of the mighty
carrier plane raid against Tokyo,
announced the intensified push ir
communique which also disclos-
ed that 1927 enemy dead had been
counted on the bloody little island
only $50 miles from the japanese
capital.
A small force of japanese planes
raided American positions on Two
shortly before midnight yesterday
but Nimitz reported they caused no
damage. Some of their bombs fell
on their own troops.
Nimitz reported fighting was bit
Ter through Sunday as the Yanks,
now firmly established on the vi
tai island, drove against some OF
the strongest enemy entrench-
ments of the Pacific war.
AT nightfall the Americans held
the east-west runway Of the cen
trail Two airfield and about two
thirds of the no1th-south runway.
The Fleet Admiral announced
That the Third, Fourth and Fifth
Marine Divisions launched their
attack after preliminary lombard
ment by Marine artillery and heavy
units of the Pacific Fleet
Carrier planes from the mighty
Fifth Fleet-so large it sent a por-
ton to waters off Tokyo for sec
ohd big strike against Japan's in
duStrlal areas and Seventh Army
Air Force heavy bombers gave the
ground troops close support.
The Yanks now hold almost the
entire southern half of Two Jima,
out many thousand Japanese are
lett III the rugged northern end.
Nlmitz reported that unloading
operations W 1 functioning
smoothly along the beaches.
american bmbers raided Chichi
dlma, IN the BONN Islands immedi-
aVely adjacent to the north, On Fri
Gay and Saturday. Marcus Island
was MT Saturday. Targets in the
MarshallS were attacked the same
DAY by Navy planes.
The Admiral's new count of g.
OF japanese dead was onlv %
more than the last previous count.
mere was no further report on
american casualties, estimated at
'Sl2 including 600 dead. up to 6
p m. Wednesday.
While the Leathernecks advanced
1901 BY foot in the blood-soakee,
" ' OF lWo's central airfield.
1 "'iiNN seems doomed to fall shu 1T
n.y.. S"arms of American carrier
n pan and superfortresses were
~ against Tokyo. More than 2O0
p'~SS MT Japans heart curing a
bp" h.. on the heels of raids
:. Garner planes estimated by
''0Io Tokyo 10 have totaled 600.
Meanwhile Navy Secretary
C S'.vS " Fosrestal arrived at
s sgd''l Tor conferences with Fleet
t cSias Chester W, Mimi The Navy
va, It 'lad Just visited Two and had
Shin 'Ju me invasion from a flag
mip p. Later he went ashore to
Jungle with the Marines.
sn on Two The tank led Marines.
~ yrppolted BY the guns of warships'
the n, mlFlh9 ahead slowly against
nv t bs modern weapons the enc
nchl t@s yet used in the Pacific
than ,pQlG oeo rockets weighing more
inte-lo o,JOo pounds, heavy mortars,
holds 'r n511'. underground strong
bylt ts' pLll0oxes with four-foot thick
Hins'' and heavy land mines.
cs ',eaSlaes were pock-marked with
One 90 sa most Of them 3C-4o feet deep.
rin e small mai section which the Ma
T ~ captured contained 100 men.
mj 4teasy correspondents were per-
Of ''' IS,a to disclose that tho battle
the ' fr.4 was in the balance during
ton I of Il. day. Only the determina,
W.. u the Marines turned the tide.
me tysDy sands slowed American
rines 'I b.z equipment and the Ma.
fit ~ ag a@o to fight without its bene-
Japs99s@slaaS ' the firmly entrenched