The Pittsburgh Press (March 11, 1945)
Marines smash to Iwo beaches
Japs caught in 3 small pockets
GUAM (UP) – U.S. Marines on Iwo Island drove forward Saturday against decreasing Jap resistance. The victorious end of the bloody campaign seemed near as the 3rd and 4th Divisions smashed to the eastern beaches at several points.
The Jap holdings were reduced to three small pockets, the largest of which is about a half square mile in area.
The 4th Division, whose progress had been limited to gains of only a few yards for days, suddenly swept forward for gains up to 500 yards on the east coast. One patrol reached the water’s edge at Tachiiwa Point, easternmost tip of the island.
3 divisions close in
Three Marine divisions closed in on the trapped enemy troops.
The Japs still held tenaciously to pillboxes and their snipers fought back viciously. But their terrific mortar fire and counterattacks, which have cost the lives of well over 2,000 Americans, were definitely slackening.
One last frantic counterattack was staged Thursday night and Friday when the Jap forces attempted to infiltrate the Marine lines “on a large scale.” The Americans hurled them back and the 4th Marine Division killed 564.
Maj. Gen. Graves B. Erskine’s 3rd Division drove to the northeast coast of the craggy bastion Friday and today widened positions along the shore.
All units advance
A general advance of up to several hundred yards was made by all units. The 5th Marine Division had driven to within 1,000 yards of Kitano Point, northern tip of the island.
An estimated 20,000 Jap troops were on Iwo when the Marines landed 20 days ago and it was believed that at least three-fourths had been killed or severely wounded.
The communiqué disclosed that a small group of enemy planes approached Iwo early Friday but retired without attacking.