May 22, 1945; NAHA LOSSES BIG:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, MAY 22, 1945:

The AbIlEne Reporter-News

 

WITHOUT OR WITH OFFENSE TO FRIENDS OR FOES WE SKETCH'YOUR WORLD EXACTLY AS IT GOES."-Byron

ABILENE, TEXAS, TUESDAY MOKNING, MAY 22, 1945—TEN PAGES

 

First Army Headed for War in Pacific

 

Men to Visit

U.S. En route

 

WASHINGTON, May 21.—(AP)—The United States served firm notice on japan tonight that the First Army, which played a leading part in cracking Hitler's European fortress, is headed for the Pacific war.

Openly, as if scorning Japan's ability to make any use of the information, the War department announced that the powerful outfit commanded by Gen. Courtney H. Hodges "is on the move" toward the Japanese.

 

The announcement came at the close of a day in which President Truman declared, at a congressional ceremony honoring a medal of honor winner, that the United States is preparing to strike at Japan "in overwhelming force." It underscored recent warnings by the president and others that it would be wise on Japan's part to surrender quickly.

 

Nips' Losses

At Naha Big

 

GUAM, Tuesday, May 22.—(AP)—A large force of Japanese—some of them wearing American marine uniforms and using captured ,U. S. weapons—strongly attacked sixth division marines in the Naha sector of Okinawa Sunday night, but

were repulsed with heavy losses.

Fierce action, some of the hottest of the long southern Okinawa campaign, raged all along the Naha-Shuri-Yonabaru line but Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz said the 10th U.S. Army made advances on both flanks and in the center.

Attacking before dawn, 77lh  division infantry captured Taira Machi, north of Shuri, despite intense small arms fire. This statue of liberty division already was within 900 yards of citadel Shuri's northeast fringes. Fighting doggedly all day and throwing back enemy attempts to retake Taira, the 77th moved south of the town in the evening.

 

Mindanao Push

Places Infantry

Near Airfield

 

MANILA, Tuesday, May 22—(AP)— Maj. Gen. Clarence Martin's 31^st infantry division swept 10 miles up central Mindanao island Sunday to within one mile of Malaybalay capital of Bukidnon p r o v i n c e  reaching .the edge of the main airfield,

Gen. Douglas MacArthur reported today. The 31st was within 25 miles of a juncture with the 40th and America! divisions 'moving southward along the Sayre highway

The meeting will bisect the big southern Philippine island.

 In the stubbornly - held Davao sector of Mindanao the 24th division moved :two miles north of captured panacan town and completed clearing the area' around the big Sasa airdrome.

P-T boats continued the destruction of the former Japanese torpedo

boat base at' Piso point in Davao gulf.

On Luzon Island the Yanks steadily drove the Japanese back into the Cagayan valley along the mountainous Balete pass, closely supported by bombers and fighters which' dropped 238..tons • of explosives.

P-T boats bombarded Japanese shore defenses on the east coast.

 

Slavs Leave

Austria; See

Trieste Peace

 

TRIESTE, May 21—(AP)—Yugoslav troops were evacuating southern Austria tonight and a high Allied officer expressed optimism that an agreement would be reached on Trieste—second sore spot irritating relations between Marshal Tito and

British forces.

The Yugoslavs began moving out of the Austrian provinces of Carinthia and Styria—zones of British military occupation — which they previously had declared had become a part of "greater Yugoslavia" along with disputed Trieste

and Istria in northeastern Italy.

They moved out quickly in trucks brought in by the British Eighth Army and it was expected that they all would be over the border by nightfall.

 

World Charter Seen by June

SAN-FRANCISCO, May 21 — (AP)

Secretary of State Stettinius announced today that the United Nations conference had set for its goal completion of a new world charter early in June.

He told a news conference, too, that he, expected to spend a day or  two in Washington this week conferring with President Truman and state, department officials on a whole series'-of- problems unrelated to; the conference.

Stettinius talked to reporters in the auditorium of the veterans building immediately after a meeting of the conference steering committee which took steps to speed up

the deliberations now in progress.

He expressed the hope technical committees would be able to finish most of their work this week. Next week a coordination committee will have re-drafted committee proposals "in charter form" for submission to commissions operating on the next higher level.