May 21. 1945; Okinawa Advance Continues:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, MAY 21, 1945:

The Montana Standard

BUTTE, MONTANA, MONDAY MORNING, MAY 21, 1945

 

 

Yanks Envelop Enemy Fortress

City of Shuri in Center

of Southern Okinawa Defenses

 

Three Columns

Smash to

Edge of Town

Japanese Put Up

Bitterest

Kind oi Resistance

By William F. TYREE

GUAM. Monday, May 21.—

(U.P.) — American soldiers and Marines enveloped the Japanese fortress city of Shuri' In the center of southern Okinawa's defense line Sunday as three columns pierced strongly- held positions and smashed to the edge of the town on three sides.

U n l e a s h i n g an offensive from the east, northeast and northwest, forces of three U. S. divisions carried their forward positions to the outskirts of the main bulwark of the crumbling enemy line.

A gain of 800 yards by the First Marine division carried to within 200 yards of Shuri from the northwest. The 77th i n f a n t r y division recorded a bloody advance to within 900 yards of the northeastern outskirts. On the coast, the 96th division rushed forward 1.600 yards to close the American pincers on that side.

 

Tokyo Reports

Yank Navy

Again on Prowl

Declare Americans

'Apparently

Up to Scheme'

By HARRY WILSON' SHARPE

 

WASHINGTON, May 20.—

(U.P.)—Tokyo reported Sunday that a new U. S. Navy task force was on the prowl in the western Pacific, and that it appeared the Americans were "up to some new scheme."

The invasion-jittery enemy, reeling under mounting blows by B-29 Superfortresses and carrier planes, said the new force appeared to be attempting to approach bombblasted Kyushu, southernmost of the Japanese mainland chain which has been under almost, constant air attack for more than a month.

Tokyo said, however, that it could not as yet predict "what course the enemy fleet will take." The broadcast, heard by the FCC, said it was the same task force which

Tokyo reported on Friday had left bases in the Marianas islands last Sunday or Monday. Kyushu is approximately 1,500 miles northwest of the Marianas, where Adm. Chester W. Nimitz has his U. S. Pacific fleet headquarters.

 

Yankees Drive

Northward

From Davao

Sctsa Airdrome Is

Captured;

Jap Losses Totaled

By H. D. QUIGG

MANILA, Monday, May 21.—

(U.P)—American troops on Mindanao have driven five miles northward from the port of Davao to to capture Sasa airdrome and enter Panacan village, and are within 11 miles of Malaybalay, capital of Bukidnon province, it was announced

Monday.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur's communique also revealed that the Americans have killed 13,888 Japanese and taken 602 prisoners in the Philippines during the last two weeks. The total of Japanese dead or taken prisoner for the entire

Philippines campaign is 369.818, dating from last Oct. 20 when the Yanks landed on Leyte. The 24th Infantry division, cleaning up the Davao area, swarmed over Sasa airdrome which had been reached 24 hours earlier and pushed another two miles to Panacan. The 31st division made a three-mile gain along Mindanao's central highway to move into positions for the final assault on Malaybalay, agricultural center of the island's interior.