More Marines Killed

"Sandino's ammunition is practically gone. In so far as Nicaragua is concerned, he is finished and is simply trying to escape."

Just a month ago the above optimistic information was considered so authentic that it formed the nub of a report to the U. S. Senate's Foreign Relations Committee cabled by Rear Admiral David F. Sellers, commanding the U. S. special service squadron in Nicaragua. At the same time a prominent Marine field commander in Nicaragua, Major Archibald Young, was quoted as saying that the greatest difficulty encountered by his men was from wood ticks & fleas.

Last week the validity of the Rear Admiral's official report and the Major's off-hand statement was rudely challenged when the forces of General Augusto Calderon Sandino killed five more U. S. Marines, thus bringing the total of Marine deaths for the past year to 21.

The Marines killed last week were part of the detachment of 36 commanded by Lieut. Edward F. O'Day, who was escorting 85 unloaded pack mules back from the outpost of Yali to the advanced Marine base at Condega in Northern Nicaragua.

As the column wound up a narrow valley and topped the rise it came plump upon an encampment of Sandinistas who had bivouacked at an abandoned ranch house, after taking the elementary precaution of planting a machine gun to command the valley. Despatches differed as to whether it was the Marines or the Sandinistas who were most surprised. The outcome, disgraceful to the U. S. Marine scouting service, was a prolonged pitched engagement. Only the fact that another Marine patrol, under Capt. William McNulty was in the vicinity, and rushed up at the sound of firing, prevented an ugly outcome. Eventually, the Sandinistas were driven to withdraw into the underbrush, and jungles, which is their natural and protective element.