OCR Text |
Show LOSSES HEAVY ON OKINAWA The fighting for Okinawa continues con-tinues to be severe. Up to May 15, we Had lost 2,771 soldiers, 1,010 Marines and 900 soldiers in the Okinawa operation. In addition, 11,675 soldiers, 5,329 Marines and 2,746 sailors were wounded. And among the missing are 129 soldiers, sol-diers, 36 Marines and 1,075 sailors. Our total casualties run to 36,-671. 36,-671. The enemy, according to a fleet communique, lost 46,505 killed in action and 1,038 prisoners This total of more than 47,000 compares with our total of a little less than 7,000 killed and missing. The figures given indicate the bitter resistance faced by our fighting men on Okinawa and emphasize em-phasize that naval support of land operation is a "costly and serious business." This is plain when we consider that naval casualties amount to 4,721, which tells us, without official confirmation, that a considerable number of our ships have been damaged by the desperate measures adopted by "the enemy. |