Flame-throwing tank in action on Okinawa.

Flame-throwing tank in action on Okinawa. An American flame-throwing tank bursts into action against Japanese cave defenses which honeycomb the rocky ridges of Okinawa island. With the help of the rugged and difficult terrain, the Japanese have stubbornly contested possession of the strategic island since the Americans invaded it on March 31, 1945. By May 9, U.S. forces were within one mile of the capital city of Naha, and U.S. naval guns were shelling the formidable line of Japanese fortifications protecting that city. Okinawa is 375 miles (600 km.) from Japan and lies in the Ryukyu (Loochoo) chain. NI 6562