May 20, 1945;Sugar Loaf Hill Recaptured:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, MAY 20, 1945:

Oakland Tribune

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, SUNDAY, MAY 20, 1945

 

jap Okinawa

Blow Parried

Marines Lose, Regain Vital Sugar Loaf

Hill in Bitterest Battle of Island

Campaign; 48,103 Enemy Men Killed

 

By LEIF ERICKSON

GUAM, May 20 (Sunday)—(AP)----Marines of the Sixth Division beat back a strong Japanese counter-attack yesterday east of Takamotoji Village in the battle for vital Sugar Loaf Hill, fiercest single action in the Okinawa campaign in

which 48,103 Japanese have been killed through Thursday.

Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz announced American  casualties for the Okinawa

campaign, including f l e e t losses since it began cannier attacks on the enemy's inland sea March 18, total 30,526. Of these, 8310 were killed or missing and 22.216 were wounded. Many wounded have returned to combat.

THROWN OFF HILL

Maj. Gen. Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr.'s Sixth Division leathernecks were thrown off Sugar Loaf Hill a fourth time Thursday night but occupied it again Friday morning.

This strategic promontory guards Naha, which cannot be occupied safely by American troops until it is totally occupied and all Japanese artillery entrenched in its southern slopes silenced.

 

B-29's Pound

Hamamatsu

300 Super-forts,

Blast War Plant's,

Sow Mint Fields

 

GUAM, May 20 (Sunday).—(AP)—

More than 300 Super-fortresses balked by adverse weather from stacking Tokyo in force, unloaded 2000 tons of demolition bombs yesterday on the Hamamatsu industrial area of Honshu, 60 miles southeast of war-battered Nagoya.

The 21st Bomber Command »aid Hamamatsu was a secondary target, hammered because of thick cloud formations over the Nipponese capital. Radio Tokyo reported that the B-29 crews nonetheless let a few bombs drop on Tokyo—as a calling card.

MINE SOWING REPORTED

Japanese broadcasters reported, without confirmation, that 30 more Super-forts visited .Tanan'n ^trnt^oic waters, sowing mines in Wakasad Bay and Bungo Strait