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BATTLE RAGES ON IWO JIMA11Doorstep Of TokyonMAGNIFICENT WORK INSERVICING U.S. FLEETN.Z.P.A.—Copyright— Rcc. 11 am.WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.United Stales Marines have established a 4500-yard beachhead on I wo Jima, Bonin Islands, 750 miles south of Tokyo, and are now driving inland to the edge of the airfield/’ says Admiral Nimitz m a special communique from his headquarters on Guam.Aftei the landing, the communique proceeds, “enemy gunfire was at first sporadic, but subsequently steadily increased, bur casualties were moderate. The landing was made at 9 a.m., and by 11 a.m. our penetrations from the beaches were about 500 yards in depth. Advance units reached the southern end of the airfield and penetrated the airfield defences east of the airstrip. Two light units of the supporting fleet suffered some damage during the attack prior to the landing.”The United Press correspondent on Guam says the invasionof lwo Jima came on the fourth day of a terrific naval bombardment and a 70-hour air assault. At the outset resistance was light, but Japanese* counter-fire steadily became intensified as Marines smashed against enemy-entrenched ridges and burned defenders out of pillboxes with flame-throwers. Warships (which Tokyo radio said encircled the island) furnished artillery support, while swarms of carrier planes dived on Japanese in front of the marines in their pathway inland.At nightfall to-day Admiral Nimitz announced that the inva-giort was progressing satisfactorily.“Marines stormed ashore on lwo Jima as the tiny island rocked under the heaviest naval bombardment of the Pacific war,” say3 a United Press correspondent, giving an eye-witness account of the landing. “Hundreds of our small craft moved towards the beacht unleashing thousands of rockets. Waves of Marines followed, and within 45 minutes smoke and dust enveloped the island. Iwo Jima looked like a fat pork chop sizzling in a skillet as planes swept in, strafing and bombing every installation that could be found. There was not a single Japanese plane in the sky. Bursts of orange flames from the big guns of the battleships and cruisers caused huge columns of smoke and fire to rise skywards.It was systematic murder and destruction* The crater of Suribachi volcano steamed from successive hits along its ridges.”MARINES IN CROSS-FIREFROM HIDDEN BATTERIESThe Marines were caught in heavy cross-fire from hidden batteries while combing through Iwo Jima's rocky caves and slowly rooting out enemy gunners, the correspondent stated in a later message. American casualties are considerable, but progress is being made. Many of the heaviest defences have been knocked“The invasion armada spread out for scores of miles around the island,1' the correspondent adds. ‘‘There is no mistaking the fact that the Americans have arrived on the doorstep of Tokyo to stay. The fight looks like requiring a week to finish, and an awful lot of blood will be spilled before it is over.”Lieutenant-General Holland Smith, Commander of Matines, said: “Our men are spread all over ‘HelFs Acre’ out there. are after hidden Japanese guns, which are mostly in caves. The Japanese come out and fire five or six rounds and then duck backinto hiding.”An Associated Press correspondent says that 800 warships participated in the raid against Honshu, Japanese mainland, at the week-end, and provided subsequent covering for the landings on Iwo Jima. The fleet’s mobile supply and repair depots made these projects possible by eliminating the necessity for warships to return thousands of miles for refuelling and reconditioning. The mobile supply squadron provided the Fifth Fleet with enough fuel for a train of tank cars, carrying 10,000 gallons each, extending over a distance of 238 miles, also enough gasoline ^r 30,0°0 aulomo-biles for a full year, enough ammunition to fill 480 freight cars,and enough food to feed a large city for 30 days.POFS'REJUnrx.z Rec. 1 Chi ici3,onlt;iir^t i Tins deputy .suppii. mea, after stone the fij bevonlt; reduce Dr. proble :?hippi The tion s gate, ;unrra to chrlt; shippi pa ram mg ill* ments to the Dr. countr mostlyyear, plcie. lmpor flrrtt a was tl To as foreigt distnfc liberaloperat Unrra try shClIIINStatePARTICIPATETERRIFIC GUNFIREAbout 30,000 Troops In LandingsN lt;5. Press Association—CopyrightRec. 10. WASHINGTON, Feb. ID.Landings on Iwo Jima were made by the Fifth Amphibious Corps, | including the Fourth and Fifth Marine Divisions, after a heavy bombardment by battleships, cruisers and lighter units, also sus-g anD»'0750m r\ \ BONIN »5UOl CA NO IS*_ r-iMARIANAS IS.Sflipan ,,mauo ) '•WjHC ON:pftCRMAV I.AlP JAGb* SX.RJO*JAHl mCD'Hi I k'GuamFor three aays before the landing, the island fortifications were under a non-stop bombardment from fleet units as close as six miles offshore.Tokyo radio stated that the landings 55 tar ted at 8 a.m to day after aRcc 1 The and Affair: land I Coufei leavm davs ] Mr. pauiec daugh was irat No greete Cabin* the tl crowd Churc A st shortl tion i the vi confer the M end w propo; one oili I’itlri;likely Syria under ment late tl Anc boen organ Greec Churc the h suitshaBomlFORmu**, ings st_artec[ at s a.m to day after atained bombing by substantial Navy ; series of abortive attempts. The and Army aircraft, Admiral Nimitz Japanese, delivering lierce counter-Static in ^_____ iih,^..a C nnc TPfl nilfK tclP 1 JlVclClGrSattacks, pushed back the invaders to the shore. The Americans arc being reinforced from 200 barges and heavy fighting is progressing The radio claimed that 23 United States ships were sunk at Iwo Jima, ;«wit mciuaca tne oia oatuesnips) including one battleship limr New York, Texas, Nevada, Arkansas,! cruisers, four transports; t o mino-Idaho and Tennessee.’' sweepers and three SSS— types of warships. In addition onestates in his communique, “More than 800 United States ships are participating. Admiral Raymond apruatice is commanding the carrier and amphibious forces. The ships wn:ch participated in the bombard-raent included the old battleships J\6W York Tpxas Vovjarln Arkansas.The United States marines who stormed their way ashore on lwo Jima were supported by units of the United States Pacific Fleet and by iand-based and carrier aircraft.A report from Gvam says that about 30,000 troops took part in the landing.“Whale Of A Scrap Going On11A radio commentator who flew over the island shortly after the landings made the remark that there was a ‘whale of a scrap going on.'1The capture of the island would @-ve the Americans a base half-way f‘°hg the present bom her run from the Marianas to Tokyo.A Pacific Ocean Areas communique issued yesterday says that gun-re from battleships damaged defensive installations, including three heavily-casemated coast gunsknocked out and probably three ftiore damaged, during Sunday’s heavy bombardment of Iwo Jima. ■The bombardment has been under the immediate tactical direction of Rear-Admiral W. H. C. Blandy.Crews of Liberator bombers report that warships ringed Iwo Jima a few thousand yards off the shore and poured shells of all sizes into the enemy defences, says the United Press correspondent on Guam. ^The Japanese replied with intense gunfire from strong emplacements on the volcanic slopes. The airmen said the Japanese were so busy firing against* the fleet that they did not fire on the Liberators, which achieved 9o per cent bombingaccuracy*ty i-ij. v . --- --cruiser and eight landing transports were damaged?__SUPER FORTRESS RAIDPlanes Fly From Bases In India And The Marianas.-V,MALAY AND TOKYO TARGETSRec. 1 p.m. WASHINGTON, Feb 39.A substantial force of Super Fortresses from India bombed Important, railway yards and repair shops at Kuala Lampar, in Malaya, in daylight to-day with good results, savs a Twentieth Air Force communique. All the Super Fortresses returned safely.There was no anti-aircraft fire and fighter opposition was weak. Four enemy planes were destroyedor damaged. , .Simultaneously a large fpi'ce Super Fortresses from the Mananas bombed industrial targets in Tokyo. Preliminary reports show that the bombing was carried out by instruments and the results were not observed.FORMOSA BOMBEDRec. 12.30: NEW YORK, Feb 19.Tokyo radio stated that American planes heavily attacked Formosa during the week-end. On Friday the raiders lumbered 150. on Saturday 170, and ou Sunday 3J0.Rec.Ov( iesse? centre Westc mar si OsnaV Indus' Ruhr. Thun strafo The Eight Germ locom 114 vt shot c I Amer ' fighte R.A MusU attacl-tion i the F For to-day seven tackei Italy, yards ‘furt. near 1 and cl heavi lionsbut Rrem a plt;t attackTlRec.The is sta satisfTh( kinos from gress; union respo son Papp' the d
Newspaper Details
Auckland Star
Auckland, Auckland, NZ
Tue, Feb 20, 1945
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Ephraim R.
GA, USA 11 Jul 2018
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