Campaign•81

IwoJima1945TheMarinesraisetheflagonMountSuribachi

DerrickWright•IllustratedbyJimLaurierSerieseditorLeeJohnson

CONTENTS

ORIGINSOFTHECAMPAIGN

OPPOSINGCOMMANDERSAmerican•Japanese

OPPOSINGFORCESAmerican•Japanese

OPPOSINGPLANSAmerican•Japanese

THEBATTLED-day:“Anightmareinhell”

D+1–D+5:“Inflictmuchdamagetotheenemy”

D+6–D+11:IntotheMeatgrinder

D+12–D+19:Deadlock

D+20–D+36“GoodbyefromIwo”

AFTERMATH

IWOJIMATODAY

CHRONOLOGY

SELECTBIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDICES

FourGrummanAvengertorpedo-bombersunloadtheirbombsintheareabetweenAirfieldsNos.1&2.ThecliffsoftheQuarryoverlookingtheEastBoatBasincanbeseenintheforeground.(NationalArchives)

A

ORIGINSOFTHECAMPAIGN

sthefinaldaysof1944ebbedawaytheJapanesewerefacingdefeatonallfronts. The heady days of conquest that had followed the attack on Pearl

HarboronDecember7,1941,andtheoccupationofthePhilippines,Singapore,HongKong,andtheoilrichDutchEastIndies,werelittlemorethanamemoryas they prepared to defend the homeland at the inner limits of their defensiveperimeter.After suffering staggering defeats atMidway, the Philippine Sea and Leyte

Gulf,theImperialNavywasimpotentinthefaceofthemassiveUSTaskForcesthatscouredthePacificandaccompaniedeveryamphibiouslanding.Inthewest,BritishandCommonwealthforcesofthe14thArmyhadpushed

theenemybackfromthebordersofIndia,andinbitterfightinginsomeoftheworst jungle terrain in the world were driving the Japanese Army along theIrrawaddyRiverintocentralBurma.

AflightofB29sheadforNorthFieldonGuamafterreturningfromanotherfireraisingattackontheJapanesemainland.(NationalArchives)

In the Central Pacific, Gen MacArthur’s army had advanced through the

SolomonsandacrossNewGuineaandbyOctober,1944,hadinvadedLeyteinthePhilippines,redeeminghispledgethat“Ishallreturn.”Throughtheislandsand atolls to the north, AdmNimitz’sMarines swept onward in their “islandhopping” campaign that had begun at Tarawa in 1943 and was to climax atOkinawain1945.Seizingonlythoseislandsthatwereessentialforthesupportoffurtheroperationsandbypassingandneutralizingtheothers,theMarineshadbyAugust,1944,occupiedthemainislandsoftheMarianas–Guam,SaipanandTinian.The unique strategic location of Iwo Jima, midway along the B29

Superfortress route from the Marianas to Tokyo, made it imperative that theislandshouldcomeunderAmericancontrol.Prior to theoccupationofSaipan,TinianandGuam, theB29shadbeen limited tocarryingout raidsonsouthernJapanfrombasesincentralChina.Withtheproblemoftransportingalloftheirfuelbyairoverthousandsofmilesofinhospitablecountryandthelimitationsofsmallbombloads,theattackshadlittleimpact.Butnow,withtheconstructionoffivehugeairfields1,500miles fromtheJapanesemainland, thewaywasopenfor the 20th Air Force to mount a massive campaign against the industrialheartlandofJapan.

TheB29Superfortressbomberwasthemostadvancedaircraftofitsday.Withpressurizedcrewcompartments,remotecontrolgunturrets,ahugerangeandbombload,itwasabletoreachtheJapanesemainlandwithease.Here,rowsofbrandnewaircraftstandoutsideoftheplantspeciallyconstructedfortheB29programatWichita,Kansas.(BoeingCompanyArchives)

Initially the 20thAir Force had attempted to duplicate the techniquewhichhadbeensosuccessfullyusedbythe8thAirForceintheirbombingcampaignagainst Germany – daylight precision bombing. The experiment had failedlargely because of unexpectedly highwinds as theSuperfortresses approachedtheir targets at altitudes of 27,000–33,000ft in the jetstream. The Air Forcecommander, BrigGen Haywood Hansell, became increasingly frustrated andblamedhiscrewsforthedisappointingresults;andbyJanuary,1945,thechiefsinWashingtonhaddecidedthatHansellhadtogo.HisreplacementwasCurtisLeMay,abrillianttechnicianwhohadpreviously

been incommandof the3rdDivisionof the8thAirForce inEngland.LeMaywas to introduce a new term to the aircrews of the 20th Air Force – “areabombing.” Widely used by the RAF throughout the war, he proposed tofirebombthemaincitiesofJapanatlowlevelandbynightinadramaticreversalofHansell’searliertactics.LeMaywasawarethathiscareerwasontheline.Hehad not informedGenHenry “Hap”Arnold,CommandingGeneral of theAirForce,ofthisfirstlowaltituderaid:“Ifwegoinlow,atnight,notinformation,Ithinkwe’llsurprisetheJaps,atleastforashortperiod.Ifit’safailureandIdon’tproduceanyresultsthenhecanfireme,”hesaid.TheonlyobstacleontheflightpathwasIwoJima.Ithousedtwoairfieldswith

athirdunderconstruction,andaradarstationthatcouldgivetwohourswarningofanimpendingraid.TheAirForcedesperatelyneededtoeliminatethethreatoffighter attacks from the Iwo airfields and to neutralize the radar station there.WiththeislandunderAmericancontroltherewouldbetheaddedbonusesofarefugeforcrippledbombers,facilitiesforair-searescueflyingboats,andmoreimportantly,abasefromwhichP51MustanglongrangefighterscouldescorttheSuperfortressesonthesecondlegoftheirlonghaultoJapan.

OncetheirairfieldsbecameoperationalintheMarianaIslands,theB29bombersbeganarelentlesscampaignagainsttheJapanesemainland.Here,agroupofB29spassesoveroneofJapan’smostfamouslandmarks,MountFujiyama,ontheirwaytoTokyo.(NationalArchives)

At IwoJima theamphibious techniqueswhichhadbeendevelopedover thepreviousthreeyearsweretoreceivethesupremetestasthreeMarinedivisionspitted themselvesagainstmore than21,000deeplyentrenched Japanese troopsled by a brilliant and determined commander, LtGen Tadamichi Kuribayashi.“Donotplanformyreturn,”hewastoinformhiswifefromIwoJima.Sadlyhiswordswouldalsobetheepitaphfornearly6,000USMarines.Lieutenant-General “Howlin’Mad”Smith,CommanderFleetMarineForces

Pacific,calledthebattle:“Themostsavageandmostcostlybattleinthehistoryof the Marine Corps.” Smith had fronted every amphibious landing in theCentral Pacific from Tarawa in 1943 to the Marianas in late 1944 and waseminentlyqualifiedtomakesucha judgment.Asthebattlereacheditsclimax,AdmChesterNimitzwastoaddhisnowfamousphrase:“AmongtheAmericans

whofoughtonIwoJima,uncommonvalorwasacommonvirtue.”

O

OPPOSINGCOMMANDERS

AMERICAN

n October 3,1944, the joint Chiefs of Staff issued a directive to AdmCHESTER NIMITZ, Commander in Chief Pacific (CINCPAC) to occupy

the island of Iwo Jima. As with previous amphibious landings in theMarineCorps“islandhopping”campaign,heentrustedtheplanningandimplementationof the assault, codenamed “OperationDetachment,” to his experienced trio oftacticians, Spruance, Turner, and Smith who had masterminded almost everyoperationsincetheinitiallandingatTarawain1943.

FleetAdmiralChesterNimitzwasappointedCommanderinChiefPacific(CICPAC)afterthePearlHarbordebacle.Agreatorganizerandleader,hewasbytheendof1945thecommanderofthelargestmilitaryforceever,overseeing21admiralsandgenerals,6Marinedivisions,5,000aircraft,andtheworld’slargestnavy.(USNavy)

Nimitzwasaquiet somewhat introvertedTexanwhonever lostaseabattle.PresidentRoosevelthadbeensoimpressedbyhimthathebypassednearlythirtymore senior admirals to appoint him CINCPAC after the removal of AdmHusbandE.KimmelfollowingthedebacleatPearlHarbor.Oneofhisgreatestabilitieswas to resolve conflictswith other senior officers.However, his longrunningdisputeswithGenDouglasMacArthur,SupremeCommanderofallUSArmyunitsinthePacificTheatre,werelegendary.Amanofstrikingcontrasts,MacArthurwasarrogant,conceited,egotistical,andflamboyantandyetasuperbstrategist with an amazing sense of where and when to strike the enemy togreatestadvantage.

NimitzandMacArthurdisagreedthroughoutthewaronthebestwaytodefeattheJapanese,withMacArthurfavoringathrustthroughthePhilippinesandontoFormosa (Taiwan) and China. Nimitz stood by his “island hopping” theory –occupying those islands and atolls that were of strategic importance andbypassingthosethathadlittlemilitaryvalueorwereunsuitableforamphibiouslandings.AdmiralRAYMONDA.SPRUANCEhadbeenNimitz’srighthandmansince

his outstanding performance at theBattle ofMidway in June, 1942.His quietunassumingmannerconcealedarazorsharpintellectandanabilitytoutilizetheexperience and knowledge of his staff to a remarkable degree. He wouldcontinueintheroleofOperationsCommanderuntilthefinalbattleofthePacificWaratOkinawa.Admiral RICHMOND KELLY TURNER, the Joint Expeditionary Force

Commander,wasbycontrastnotoriousforhisshorttemperandfoulmouth,buthis amazing organization skills placed him in a unique position tomount theoperation. Dovetailing the dozens of air strikes and shore bombardments,disembarking thousands of troops and landing them on the right beach in therightsequencewasanawesomeresponsibilityfraughtwiththeseedsofpotentialdisaster,butTurnerhadprovedhisabilitytimeandtimeagain.Lieutenant-General HOLLAND M. SMITH, Commanding General Fleet

MarineForcePacific, “Howlin’Mad”Smith to hisMarines,was on the otherhand nearing the end of his active career. His aggressive tactics anduncompromisingattitudehadmadehimmanyenemies. InAmericaapowerfulclique of publishing barons was running a vitriolic campaign against him infavorofGenDouglasMacArthur, andhis recentdismissalof theArmy’sGenRalph Smith during the Saipan battle for “lack of aggressiveness” had notendearedhim to the topbrass in thePentagon.At IwoJimahewascontent tokeep a low profile in favor ofMajGen Harry Schmidt, V Amphibious CorpsCommander:“IthinkthattheyonlyaskedmealongincaseanythinghappenedtoHarrySchmidt,”hewastosayafterthebattle.

AdmiralRaymondSpruancewasselectedbyAdm“Bull”HalseyashisownreplacementbeforetheBattleofMidwaywhenHalseywasforcedintohospitalwithdermatitis.HisoutstandingqualitiessoonattractedtheattentionofNimitzwhoretainedhimashisOperationsCommanderfortheremainderofthewar.(NationalArchives)

Theacknowledgedmasterofamphibiouswarfare,KellyTurner’sorganizingskillswerelegendary.WiththeexceptionofPeleliu,hemastermindedeverylandinginthePacificfromGuadalcanaltothefinalbattleatOkinawa.(USNavy)

Forty-threeyearoldMajGenGravesB.Erskinehadcommandedthe3rdDivisionsincetheycapturedGuam.Toughondiscipline,hewaswellrespectedbyhismenwhonicknamedhim“TheBigE.”(MarineCorpsHistoricalCollection)

The Iwo Jima landing would involve an unprecedented assembly of threeMarine divisions: the 3rd, 4th and 5th. Heading the 3rd Division wasMajGeneralGRAVESB. ERSKINE, at 47 a veteran of the battles of BelleauWood, Chateau Thierry, and StMihiel duringWorldWar I. Later he was theChiefofStaff toHollandSmithduringthecampaignsin theAleutians,GilbertIslandsandtheMarianas.

Lieutenant-GeneralHollandM.Smith,“Howlin’Mad”tohisMarines,wasavolatileleaderwhodidnotsufferfoolsgladly.HisdismissalofArmyGenRalphSmithduringtheSaipanoperationwastocausefrictionbetweentheArmyandtheMarinesforyears.Seenhereintwo-tonedhelmetalongsideSecretaryoftheNavyJamesForrestal(withbinoculars)andagroupofIwoJimaMarines.(NationalArchives)

AWorldWarIveteran,MajGenCliftonB.CateswasoutstandingatIwoJima.HecontinuedadistinguishedcareerintheMarineCorpstobecomeCommandantin1948.(NationalArchives)

Seeingactionforthefirsttime,the5thDivisionwastobecommandedbytheconquerorofRoi-Namur,SaipanandTinian,MajGenKellerE.Rockey,anotherWorldWarIveteran.(NationalArchives)

“TheDutchman,”MajGenHarrySchmidt,wastocommandVAmphibiousCorps,thelargestforcetheMarineCorpshadeverputinthefield.Aveteranofnumerousinter-waractionsrangingfromChinatoNicaragua,hewas58yearsoldatthetimeofthebattle.(USMarineCorps)

The 4thDivisionwas also commanded by aWorldWar I veteran,MajGenCLIFTONB.CATES,whohadwon theNavyCross and twoSilverStars.AtGuadalcanalin1942hehadcommandedthe4thDivision’s1stRegimentandatTinianbecametheDivisionalCommander.In1948hebecametheCommandantoftheMarineCorps.Major-General KELLER E. ROCKEY was another Navy Cross holder for

gallantry at Chateau Thierry. He won a second Navy Cross for heroism inNicaragua in the inter-war years and took command of the 5th Division inFebruary, 1944. Iwo Jimawas tobe theDivision’s first battlebut it boasted astrong nucleus of veterans of the recently disbanded Raider Battalions andMarineParatroopers.Responsibility for preparing and executing Marine operations for

“Detachment”felltoVAmphibiousCorpsLandingForceCommanderMajGenHARRY SCHMIDT. A veteran of pre-war actions in China, the Philippines,Mexico,CubaandNicaraguaandlater the4thDivisioncommanderduring theRoi-NamurandSaipan invasions,hewas58yearsoldat Iwo JimaandwouldhavethehonouroffrontingthelargestMarineCorpsforceevercommittedtoasinglebattle.

JAPANESE

InMay,LtGenTADAMICHIKURIBAYASHIhadbeensummonedtotheofficeof the Japanese PrimeMinister, General Tojo, and told that he would be thecommander of the garrison on Iwo Jima. Whether by accident or design theappointmentprovedtobeastrokeofgenius.Kuribayashi, a samurai and long servingofficerwith30yearsdistinguished

service, had spent time in the United States as a deputy attaché and hadproclaimedtohisfamily:“theUnitedStatesisthelastcountryintheworldthatJapanshouldfight.”Helookeduponhisappointmentasbothachallengeandadeathsentence.“Donotplanformyreturn,”hewrote tohiswifeshortlyafterhisarrivalontheisland.Kuribayashi succeeded in doing what no other Japanese commander in the

Pacificcoulddo–inflictmorecasualtiesontheUSMarinesthanhisowntroopssuffered.Fifty-fouryearsoldatthetimeofthebattleandquitetallforaJapaneseat5ft9ins,RadioTokyodescribedhimashavingthe“traditionalpotbellyofaSamuraiwarriorandtheheartofaTiger.”

AlongwithAdmiralYamamoto,LtGenTadamichiKuribayashimustrankasJapan’sgreatestmilitarycommander.HisbrilliantdefenseofIwoJima,inwhichheabandonedthetraditionaltacticsofattemptingtohalttheenemyatthebeach,succeededinachievinghispurposeofinflictingmassivecasualtiesontheinvader.EvenHollandSmithwastodubhim:“Ourmostredoubtableadversary.”(TaroKuribayashi)

Lieutenant-GeneralHollandSmithinhismemoirswaslavishinhispraiseforthecommander’sability:“HisgroundorganizationwasfarsuperiortoanyIhadseen in France in WWI and observers say it excelled the German groundorganizationinWWII.Theonlywaywecouldmovewasbehindrollingartillerybarragesthatpulverizedtheareaandthenwewentinandreducedeachpositionwith flamethrowers, grenades anddemolition charges.Someofhismortar androcket launchers were cleverly hidden.We learned about them the hard way,

through sickeningly heavy casualties.Every cave, every pillbox, every bunkerwasanindividualbattlewhereMarinesandJapanesefoughthandtohandtothedeath.”

OPPOSINGFORCES

AMERICAN

AgainsttheJapanesedefenseforcetheAmericansweretoemploythreeMarinedivisions, the3rd,4thand5th, totallingover70,000menmostofwhomwereseasonedveteransofearliercampaigns.OperationDetachmenthadalreadybeenpostponedtwicebecauseofashortageofsupportshipsandlandingcraftduetothemassiverequirementsofMacArthur’sPhilippinesinvasion,andithadtobecompleted in time to release men and materials for the upcoming OkinawainvasionscheduledforApril1,1945Astheplanscametofruitionitwastimetoassembletheinvasionforce.The

3rdDivisionwerestillonGuamhavingtakentheislandinAugust,1944,whilethe 4th& 5thDivisionswere to be deployed from theHawaiian Islands. TheNavywasscheduledtoprovideamassive“softeningup”bombardmentpriortothe invasionandmanyof the fleet’soldbattleships, theUSSArkansas,Texas,Nevada,IdahoandTennessee,tooslowforthenewTaskForcesthatwerenowprowlingthePacific,wereidealforthepurpose.OnFebruary15,theinvasionfleetleftSaipan,firsttheLSTscarryingthefirst

wavesoftroopsfromthe4thand5thDivisionsandthefollowingdaythetrooptransportswiththeremainderoftheMarinesandtheplethoraoftanks,supplies,artillery,andsupportingunits.ThearmadawassoonspottedbyJapanesenavalpatrol aircraft and the Iwo Jima garrisonwent on to immediate alert.GeneralKuribayashi had earlier issued his troops with a document called “TheCourageousBattleVows”whichstatedthateachmanshouldmakeithisdutytokilltenoftheenemybeforedying.Withhisdefensespreparedandhismenreadytofighttothedeath,Kuribayashiwaitedpatientlyfortheapproachinginvader.

AnotherviewofthebeacheswiththeEastBoatBasininthedistance.Thesignsays:“MountSuribachi169m.”(TaroKuribayashi)

GeneralKuribayashiwastednotimeinre-organizingtheinadequatedefensesystemthathediscovereduponhisarrivalontheisland.Hereheisseenwithmembersofhisstaffdirectingoperations.(TaroKuribayashi)

JAPANESE

TheJapaneseHighCommandrealizedtheimportanceofIwoJimaandasearlyasMarch,1944,begantoreinforce the island.The145thInfantryRegimentofCol Masuo Ikeda, originally intended to bolster the garrison on Saipan, wasdivertedtotheislandandintheperiodleadinguptotheMarineattackin1945,the 109th Division, including the 2nd Mixed Brigade (MajGen Senda), 26thTankRegiment (LtCol [Baron]TakeichiNishi),17thMixedInfantryRegiment(MajTamachiFujiwara),BrigadeArtillery(ColChosakuKaido)andadditionalAnti-Aircraft,Mortar,CannonandMachineGunBattalionsweredraftedtotheisland. The Naval Units, mainly anti-aircraft, communications, supply, andengineeringgroups,wereunderthecommandofR/AdmToshinosukeIchimaruwhoalsohadchargeofthe27thAirFlotilla.AtthetimeoftheMarinelanding,February 19, 1945, the total Japanese garrison numbered 21,060, considerablymorethantheAmericancalculationof13,000.

T

OPPOSINGPLANS

AMERICAN

he plan of attack that was devised by MajGen Harry Schmidt’s VAmphibiousCorpsplanners lookeddeceptivelysimple.TheMarineswould

land on the two-mile long stretch of beach betweenMount Suribachi and theEast Boat Basin on the south-east coast of the island. These beaches weredivided into seven sections of 550yds (914m) each. Under the shadow ofSuribachilayGreenBeach(1stand2ndBns,28thRegt),flankedontherightbyRed Beach 1 (2nd Bn, 27th Regt), Red Beach 2 (1st Bn, 27th Regt), YellowBeach1(1stBn,23rdRegt),YellowBeach2(2ndBn,23rdRegt),BlueBeach1(1st and3rdBns,25thRegt).BlueBeach2 laydirectlyunderknownenemygun emplacements in theQuarry overlooking theEastBoatBasin, and itwasdecidedthatboththe1stand3rdBnsofthe25thRegimentshouldlandabreastonBlueBeach1.GeneralCates,the4thDivisioncommander,said:“IfIknewthe name of the man on the extreme right of the right hand squad (on BlueBeach),I’drecommendhimforamedalbeforewegoin.”

Thecomplexityoftheundergroundtunnelsystemcanbejudgedfromthispictureofoneoftheexistingpassages.(TaroKuribayashi)

The 28th Regiment would attack straight across the narrowest part of theislandtotheoppositecoast,swingleft,isolateandthensecureMountSuribachi.On their right, the27thRegimentwouldalsocross the islandandmove to thenorth, while the 23rd Regiment would seize Airfield No. 1 and then thrustnorthward towards Airfield No. 2. The 25th Regiment, on the extreme right,would deploy to their right to neutralize the high ground around the QuarryoverlookingtheEastBoatBasin.

KuribayashiandhisstaffhadtimetoposeforaformalgroupphotographbeforetheAmericansarrived.Nonewastosurvivethebattle.(TaroKuribayashi).

JAPANESE

GeneralKuribayashi’sfirstprioritywastoreorganizethearchaicdefensesystemthatwasinplacewhenhearrived.Allciviliansweresentbacktothemainlandastheirpresencecouldservenousefulpurposeandtheywouldbeadrainonthelimitedsuppliesoffoodandwater.WiththearrivalofmoretroopsandKoreanlaborershe instigatedamassiveprogramofundergrounddefenses.Acomplexand extensive system of tunnels, caves, gun emplacements, pillboxes, andcommandpostswas constructed in theninemonthsprior to the invasion.Thesoft pumice-like volcanic rockwas easily cutwith hand tools andmixedwellwithcementtoprovideexcellentreinforcement.Sometunnelswere75ft(23m)underground,mostwereinterconnecting,andmanywereprovidedwithelectricoroillighting.Supplypoints,ammunitionstores,andevenoperatingtheaterswereincluded

in the system and at the height of the battle manyMarines reported hearingvoices and movements coming from the ground beneath them. When MountSuribachiwasisolatedmanyofthedefendersescapedtothenorthoftheisland,

bypassingtheMarinelinesthroughthislabyrinthoftunnels.The tunnels were constructed at an unprecedented speed. The specification

called for a minimum of 30ft (9.1m) of earth overhead to resist any shell orbomb.Mostwere five feet (1.5m)wideand five feethighwithconcretewallsandceilingsandextendedinalldirections(oneengineerinhisdiarysaidthatitwaspossible towalkundergroundfor fourmiles).Many tunnelswerebuiltontwo or even three levels and in the larger chambers, airshafts of up to 50ft(15.2m) were needed to dispel the foul air. Partially underground were theconcrete blockhouses and gun sites, so well constructed that weeks of navalshellingandaerialbombingfailedtodamagemostofthem;andthehundredsofpillboxes,whichwereofall shapesandsizes,wereusually interconnectedandmutuallysupporting.

Viewfromthesouth.Theinvasionbeacheswiththeirblacksandstretchawaytotheright.(TaroKuribayashi)

WithMountSuribachiintheforeground,theinvasionbeachescanbeseenontherightofthepicture,stretchingnorthwardstotheEastBoatBasin.IsolatingthevolcanowasthenumberonepriorityfortheMarinesandinvolvedcrossingthehalf-mileneckoftheislandasrapidlyaspossible.(USNavy)

TheGeneral had studied earlier Japanese defensemethods of attempting tohalttheenemyatthebeachheadandhadrealizedthattheyinvariablyfailed,andheregardedthetraditional“banzai”chargeaswastefulandfutile.InSeptemberatPeleliutheJapanesecommander,LtGenlnoue,hadabandonedtheseoutdatedtacticsandconcentratedonattrition,wearingdowntheenemyfrompreviouslyplanned and prepared positions in the Umurbrogol Mountains. Kuribayashiapprovedofthesetactics.HeknewthattheAmericanswouldeventuallytaketheislandbuthewasdeterminedtoexactafearful toll inMarinecasualtiesbeforetheydid.Thegeographyoftheislandvirtuallydictatedthelocationofthelandingsites

fortheinvasionforce.FromaerialphotographsandperiscopeshotstakenbythesubmarineUSSSpearfish, itwasobvious that therewereonly twostretchesofbeachuponwhichtheMarinescouldland.GeneralKuribayashihadcometothesameconclusionmonthsearlierandmadehisplansaccordingly.

IwoJimaissomefourandahalfmileslongwithitsaxisrunningfromsouth-westtonorth-east,taperingfromtwoandahalfmileswideinthenorthtoamerehalfmileinthesouth,givingatotallandareaofaroundsevenandahalfsquaremiles.AtthesouthernendstandsMountSuribachi,a550ft(168m)highdormantvolcanothataffordscommandingviewsovermostoftheisland,andthebeachesthatstretchnorthwardfromSuribachiaretheonlypossiblesitesforalanding.Onaplateau in thecenterof this lowerpartof the island theJapanesebuilt

AirfieldNo. 1, and further north a second plateau roughly amile in diameterhousedAirfieldNo.2andtheunfinishedAirfieldNo.3.Thegroundthatslopesawayfromthisnorthernplateauisamassofvalleys,ridges,gorges,androckyoutcropsthatprovideanidealsitefordefensivefighting.

Major Yoshitaka Horie, Staff Officer to LtGen Kuribayashi, had manydiscussionswithhis superiorabout the roleofanti-aircraftguns.Horiewasoftheopinionthattheywouldbefarbetteremployedasartilleryorinananti-tankrole as it was obvious that the Americans would have overwhelming airsuperioritybeforeandduringthebattle.Hisreasoningseemstohaveimpressedthe General who overruled the objections of some of his staff officers andimplementedsomeofHorie’sideas.Horiewas interviewed by aMarine officer after thewar and his comments

were recorded for the Marine Corps Historical Archives. He told GenKuribayashi:“Weshouldchangeourplanssothatwecanusemostoftheanti-aircraftgunsasartilleryandretainverysmallpartsofthemasanti-aircraftguns.Anti-aircraftgunsaregoodtoprotectthedisclosedtargets,especiallyships,butare invaluable for the covering of land defenses,” but the staff officers haddifferentopinions.“Thestaffofficerswereinclinedasfollows;theysaidatIwoJima it isgood touseanti-aircraftgunsasbothartilleryandanti-aircraftguns.ThenaturalfeaturesofIwoareweakerthanofChichiJima.Ifwehavenoanti-aircraft guns, our defensive positions will be completely destroyed by theenemy’sairraids.”Horiecontinued:“Andsomostofthe300anti-aircraftgunswereusedinboth

sensesasabovementioned,butlater,whenAmericanforceslandedonIwoJima,thoseanti-aircraftgunswereputtosilenceinoneortwodaysandwehavetheevidence thatmost anti-aircraft gunswere not valuable but 7.5cmanti-aircraftguns,preparedasanti-tankguns,wereveryvaluable.”Horie,inhiscuriousEnglish,wentontodescribetheinitialJapanesereaction

tothelandings:“OntheFebruary19,Americanforceslandedonthefirstairfieldundercoveroftheirkeenbombardmentsofaircraftandwarships.Althoughtheirlandingdirection,strengthandfightingmethodsweresameasourjudgment,wecouldnottakeanycounter-measurestowardsthem,and135pillboxeswehadatthe first airfieldwere trodden down and occupied in only twodays after theirlanding.“We shot them bitterly with the artillery we had at Motoyama andMount

Suribachi,but theywere immediatelydestroyedby theenemy’scounter-firing.Atthattimewehadopportunitytomakeoffensiveattacksagainsttheenemybutwe knewwell that if we do sowewill suffermany damages fromAmericanbombardmentsofaircraftandvessels,thereforeourofficersandmenwaitedtheenemycomingclosertotheirownpositions.”

A

THEBATTLE

D-DAY:“ANIGHTMAREINHELL”

s a prelude to the landingsMajGenHarry Schmidt, VAmphibious CorpsCommander, had requested ten continuous days of shelling by battleships

andcruisersofR/AdmWilliamBlandy’sAmphibiousSupportForce(TaskForce52). Admiral Hill rejected the request on the grounds that there would beinsufficienttimetore-armhisshipsbeforeD-Day.Schmidtpersistedandaskedforninedays.ThiswasalsoturneddownandhewasofferedamerethreedaysofsofteningupbeforehisMarineswentashore.Spruance’scomment–“Iknowthat your people will get away with it” – was to sound hollow as the battleprogressed. “Howlin’ Mad” Smith was to be scathing in his criticism of theNavy’ssupportduringmanyoftheamphibiouslandingsthroughoutthePacificcampaign:“IcouldnotforgetthesightofdeadMarinesinthelagoonorlyingonthe beaches of Tarawa,menwho died assaulting defenses which should havebeentakenoutbynavalgunfire,”hewastowriteafterthewar.The first day of the bombardment was a disappointment. Poor weather

hampered thegunners and the resultswere inconclusive.Day twowas tobeadisaster. The cruiser USSPensacola ventured too close to the shore and wasengagedbyenemyshorebatteries.Sixhits inrapidsuccessionkilled17of thecrewandcausedsubstantialdamage.

ThreeoftheoldbattleshipsoftheUSNavygetintopositionpriorto“softeningup”theislandinpreparationforthelandings.Their16inshellswereidealforreducingtheconcretebunkersthatdottedtheIwoJimacoastline.(NationalArchives)

Landingcraftcirclebeforedepartingforthebeaches.(NationalArchives)

Laterintheday12gunboats(LCIs)approachedtowithin1,000yds(914m)ofthe shore as part of the support screen for over 100 “frogmen,” underwaterdemolitionteams.Withdistancesworkedouttothenearestyardfrommonthsofpractice,all12vesselswerehitbyJapanesebatteriesandscurriedawayatbestspeed.ThedestroyerUSSLeutze,which raced to their assistance,wasalsohitwiththelossof7crewmen.Thefinaldayof thebombardmentwasagainblightedbypoorweatherwith

rainsquallsandcloudfoilingthegunners.BlandyoptimisticallysignalledTurner:“Ibelieve that landingscanbeaccomplished tomorrow.”Schmidtcomplained:“We only got about 13 hours worth of fire support during the 34 hours ofavailabledaylight.”Bycontrast,D-Day,Monday,Februaryl9,1945,dawnedclearandsunnywith

unlimitedvisibility.DuringthenightAdmMarcMitscher’sTaskForce58,avastarmadaof16carriers,8battleships,and15cruisers,freshfromhighlysuccessfulattacks against the Japanese mainland, arrived off Iwo Jima accompanied byAdmRaymondSpruanceinhisflagshipUSSIndianapolis.AgainHollandSmithwasbitter,consideringtheseraidsagainstJapantobeanunnecessarydiversion

fromthemoreimportantbusinessofoccupyingIwoJima.Asthebattleshipsandcruiserspoundedtheislandandswarmsofcarrier-based

aircraftmounted air strikes, the disembarkation of thousands ofMarines fromtroopships and LVTs was gathering momentum. To spearhead the attack 68LVT(A)s–armoredamphibioustractorsmountinga75mm(2.95in)howitzerandthreemachineguns–weretoventure50yds(46m)ontothebeachheadtocoverthefirstwaveofMarines,butthefirstofanumberofplanning“foul-ups”wastofrustrate theirdeployment.Along thewholeof the landingbeach theMarines,LVTs,tanks,andothervehiclesweretoencounter15fthighterracesofsoftblackvolcanicash.The troopssankup to theirankles, thevehicles to theirhubcaps,andtheLVTsandShermantanksgroundtoahaltwithinyardsoftheshore.Theplanners had described the beach conditions in glowing terms: “troops shouldhavenodifficulty ingettingoff thebeachatanypoint,”“the isthmusprovidesexcellentlandingbeaches,”and“aneasyapproachinland,”readthepre-invasionreports.

Aseven-knotbreezeandacalmseaprovidedtheMarineswithidealconditionsfortheinvasion.AdmiralRaymondSpruancehadarrivedduringthenightwithAdmiralMitscher’smightyTaskForce58,andtheislandwassurroundedbyover485shipsofvarioustypestosupportGeneralSchmidt’sMarines.AtdawnthebattleshipsandcruiserscommencedtheirfinalbombardmentofMountSuribachiandtheseveninvasionbeachesastheAmtracsheadedfortheshore.

ThewestsideofMountSuribachiiswreathedinsmokeasthepre-invasionbombardmentgetsunderway.Spectacularasitwas,HollandSmithwasverydisappointedwiththeresultsandcriticizedtheNavyforyearsafterthewarfortheirfailuretodestroymostoftheenemyinstallationsbeforetheMarineslanded.(USNavy)

Wardogs,usuallyDobermansorGermanShepherds,wereusedextensivelyinthePacificWar,carryingmessagesandlocatinghiddenenemytroops.Theyprovidedaveryvaluableservice;sadlytheywerealldestroyedattheendofthebattleasitwasregardedthattheycouldnotberetrainedforcivilianlife.HereaDobermankeepsguardwhilehishandlersnatchessomesleep.(NationalArchives)

In keeping with Gen Kuribayashi’s strategy, Japanese resistance had beenrelativelysubdued;hewantedtheAmericanstolandsubstantialnumbersofmenonto the beaches before unleashing his well-rehearsed and co-ordinatedbombardment.ManyAmericanNavalofficerswereundertheillusionthattheirrollingbarrageoverthelandingzonewasresponsibleforthelimitedresponse.A steady stream of small arms and machine gun fire whined across the

beachesandtheoccasionalcrumpofamortarshellsentsandflying,butthemostformidable enemywas the sand itself –Marineswere trained tomove rapidlyforward;heretheycouldonlyplod.Theweightandamountofequipmentwasaterrifichindranceandvariousitemswererapidlydiscarded.First togowasthe

gasmask,alwaysregardedasanunnecessarytrapping,andmanyoftheMarinesdecided to dump their pack and retrieve it later; themost important pieces ofequipmentatthatmomentwereweaponsandammunition.As the firstwavesofMarines struggled tomove forward, successivewaves

arrived at intervals of around 5minutes and the situation rapidly deteriorated.General Kuribayashi had intended to allow the invaders to move towardsAirfield No. 1 before commencing his artillery and mortar barrages. Thecongestiononthebeacheswasanaddedbonusandalittleafter1000hrsthefullfury of the Japanese defenses was unleashed. From well-concealed positionsranging from the base ofMount Suribachi to theEastBoatBasin a torrent ofartillery, mortar, and machine gun fire rained down on the crowded beaches.Frantic messages flashed back to the control ship Eldorado: “troops 200yds(183m)inlandpinneddown,”“catchingallhellfromtheQuarry,”“machinegunandartilleryfireheaviesteverseen.”By 1040hrs Harry Hill had 6,000 men ashore and the bulldozers that had

arrivedintheearlywaveswerehackingawayattheterraces.Sometankswerebreakingthroughtosolidgroundandtroopswerefinallyescapingthehorrorofthe beaches where Kuribayashi’s artillery and mortars were wreaking havoc.Robert Sherrod, a noted war correspondent for Time-Life, aptly described thesceneas“anightmareinhell.”At the extreme left of the beachhead, Green Beach, the terrain was less

difficult where the volcanic ash gave way to rocks and stone at the base ofMountSuribachi.HereColHarryLiversedge’s28thRegimentbegantheirdashacross the half-mile isthmus below the volcano in an attempt to isolate thisstrategicallyvitalposition.OnSuribachi,ColKanehikoAtsuchiwithover2,000meninhisindependent

commandmannedamassofartilleryandmortars thatweredug inaround thelowerslopes,andabovethemthereweredozensofcavesandtunnelsallthewaytothesummit.The1stBattalion, ignoring this threat to their left flank,pressedon towards

the far shore but soon encountered Capt Osada’s 312th Independent InfantryBattalion and fierce fighting erupted around a seriesof bunkers andpillboxes.Someweredestroyedandothersbypassed in themaddash tocross the island.Deadwere abandonedwhere they lay and thewounded left in the care of theNavy Corpsmen, the heroic medical teams that accompanied all Marineoperations.At1035hrs sixmenofBCompany,1stBattalion reached thewestcoast, soon to be joined by the remnants of C Company and Suribachi wasisolated,albeitprecariously.OnRedBeaches1and2,the27thRegimentunderCol Thomas Wornham were having great difficulty in moving forward. The

Japanese artillery bracketed the crowded beach and casualtiesmounted by theminute.Totheir rightonYellow1and2, the23rdRegimentunderColWalterWensinger had come face to face with a mass of blockhouses and pillboxesmanned byMajMatsushita’s 10th Independent Anti-Tank Battalion and CaptAwatsu’s309thInfantryBattalion.Battlingagainstshreddingmachinegunfire,Sgt Darren Cole, armed only with grenades and a pistol, single-handedlysilenced five pillboxes before being killed by a hand grenade and became thefirstoftheMarineCorps27MedalofHonorrecipientsduringthebattle.

Abandonedlandingcraftontheinvasionbeaches.(NationalArchives)

GeneralKuribayashihadintendedtolettheMarinesclearthebeachesandheadforAirfieldNo1beforeunleashinghiswell-rehearsedartillerybarrage.However,asthetroopsbecameboggeddownbehindtheterracesofvolcanicash,andwithfurtherwavesofAmtracsarrivingeveryfiveminutes,heseizedtheopportunitytorakethebeachesfromendtoendwithdevastatingartilleryandmortarfirethatcausedveryheavycasualties.

Inadeceptivelycalmlookingsea,rowsoflandingcraftheadfortheinvasionbeaches,scheduledtoarriveatfive-minuteintervals.ThecongestiononthebeachaffordedGeneralKuribayashi’sgunnersaprimetarget.(USNavy)

Attheextremeright,BlueBeach1,ColJohnLanigan’s25thRegimentmovedstraightaheadtoavoidtheobviousdangerpresentedbythehighgroundat theQuarryontheirrightflank,makingatwo-prongedattackwiththe1stBattalionpressinginlandasthe3rdBattalionswungrighttoassaultcliffsatthebaseoftheQuarry.2ndLtBenjaminRoselle,partofasix-mannavalgunfireteam,wastosuffera

horrendousD-Day.Reachingthesecondrowofterraces,theywerepinneddownbyheavy artillery fire.As they attempted tomove forward, the radiooperatorwent down and Roselle strapped his equipment to his back and moved on.

Withinaminuteamortarshellexplodedamongthegroup.Otherswereabletomove but theLieutenant could not, his left foot and ankle hung from his leg,heldonbya ribbonof flesh.Pinneddownandwithnohopeofadvancing,herodeoutthestormofmortarshellsthatwereblastingthearea.Withinminutesasecondroundlandednearhimandfragmentstoreintohisotherleg.Fornearlyanhourhewonderedwherethenextshellwouldland.Hewassoontofindoutas a shell burst almost on top of him,wounding him for the third time in theshoulder.Almostatonceanotherexplosionbouncedhimseveralfeetintotheairandhot shards ripped intoboth thighs.Remarkably,hewonderedwhat time itwasandashe liftedhisarmto lookathiswatchamortarshellexplodedonlyfeetawayandblastedthewatchfromhiswristandtorealargejaggedholeinhisforearm:“Iwasbeginningtoknowwhatitmustbeliketobecrucified,”hewastosaylater.Eventuallyrecoveredbyamedicalteam,hewastakentoanoffshoreLSThospitalshipwherehisfracturedarmwassetandhisfootamputated.

InsteadofthestraightforwardexitfromthebeachesthattheMarineshadbeenledtoexpect,theycameuponterracesofblackvolcanicash,someofthemupto15feethighandtherewerelongdelaysingettingtroops,tanks,andartilleryinland.(NationalArchives)

Afewtanksofthe4thTankBattalionhadsucceededingettingashoreonBlue1 at around 1020hrs.A tank-dozer scooped a passage through the first terraceandtheremainderpassedthroughinsinglefile,onlyhaltingwhentheyreachedalargeminefield.

At1400hrsthe3rdBattalionundertheircommander“Jumpin’Joe”Chambersbeganscaling thecliffsaround theQuarry.Theenemyresistancewasfanaticaland theMarineswere soon down to 150men from the original 900who hadlandedat0900hrs.At thebaseofMountSuribachi the28thRegimentwere consolidating their

positions. LT Keith Wells’ 3rd Platoon were ordered to cross the isthmus toreinforcethe1stPlatoonwhosepositionwasindangerofbeingoverrun.Underheavyfirefromtheirleftthefoursquadssprintedforward,comingacrossmanydead and wounded Marines who had to be left behind until the base of thevolcano had been secured. By afternoon a few Sherman tanks that hadpenetrated the beachhead were moving up to provide valuable assistance bydestroying many Japanese pillboxes with their 75mm (2.95in) guns, and byevening Suribachiwas securely isolated from the rest of the island. The grimtaskofoccupyingthisformidablebastionwouldhavetowaituntillater.

OnthebeachaMarineinpensivemoodsitswithhisM1rifle.(NationalArchives)

In the center, the 27th and 25th Regiments were gradually extricatingthemselvesfromtheRedandYellowbeachesandmovingtowardsAirfieldNo.1. The Seabees (Naval Construction Battalions), largely recruited from thecivilianconstructionindustryandmannedbyvolunteersusuallyin their40sorearly 50s, were performing miracles on the beaches. Landing with the early

wavesofassault troops theyattacked the terraceswith theirbulldozerscarvingpassagesthroughwhichthetanks,artillery,andtransportcouldpassandclearedthe masses of bogged down landing craft and vehicles that cluttered theshoreline.Therewasajoke:“ProtectyourSeabees.Oneofthemcouldbeyourdad.”Turnerhadhadtohaltthelandingsaround1300hrsastherewasnowheretogetmoreMarinesashore,buttheheroiceffortsoftheSeabees,whosufferedheavy casualties onD-Day, allowed the flow ofmen andmaterials to resumeaftertwohours.Evenso,invirtuallyeveryshellholetherelayatleastonedeadMarine and at the foot of the terraces scores of wounded lay among theexplodingshellsandmortars,waitingforevacuationbythelandingcraftwhichwererunningthegauntletoftheterrificbarrage.By 1130hrs someMarines had reached the southern end of Airfield No. 1

whichwassitedonaplateauwhoseperimeterrosesteeplyontheeasternside.TheJapanesemountedafiercedefense,hundredsbeingkilledandtheremainderpouringacrosstherunwayordisappearingintothepipesofthedrainagesystem.AtonepointoverahundredJapanesechargeddowntherunwaytobemetbyahailofmachinegunandriflefire.As evening approached, the Marines held a line running from the base of

MountSuribachiacross thesouthernperimeterofAirfieldNo.1andendingatthe footof theQuarry, (SeeMap).The0-1 line, theD-Dayobjective,hadnotbeenreachedbutitwasalwaysanunrealisticgoal.PerhapsifAdmNimitzhadprised someofhisdeskboundplannersaway from their comfortableoffices inHawaiiandgiven themaspellwith theassault troops theymayhavecomeupwithmorerealisticprojections.TheMarineshabituallysoughttoconsolidatetheirpositionsduringthenight

while the Japanese,on theotherhand,wereadept atnighttime infiltrationandfavored darkness for their famous “banzai” charges. Throughout the nightdestroyers fired flares to illuminate the front lines. As they descended onparachutes they cast an eerie glowover the scene.The Japanese kept up theirmortarandartilleryfire,whileatseaashuttleserviceoflandingcraftbroughtinsuppliesandevacuatedthewounded.AboardthecommandshipEldorado,“Howlin’Mad”Smithstudiedtheday’s

reports.Progresshadnotbeenasgoodashehadhopedandthecasualtyfiguresmadegrimreading:“Idon’tknowwhoheis,buttheJapaneseGeneralrunningthisshowisonesmartbastard,”heannouncedtoagroupofwarcorrespondents.

D+1–D+5:“INFLICTMUCHDAMAGETOTHEENEMY”

D+1Afour-foothighsurfonthebeachesandabitterlycoldwinddidlittletoraisethespirits of either the Marines or their commanders on Tuesday, D+1. HavingisolatedMount Suribachi, the 28th Regiment were faced with the unenviabletaskofcapturingit,whiletothenorththeremainderoftheinvasionforcewerepoisedtomountaconcertedattacktosecureAirfields1and2.Withdaylightcamethecarrierplanes,poundingthevolcanowithbombsand

napalmwhile destroyers shelled the gun positions directly to the front of the28thRegiment.Attacking on a broad frontwith artillery support, theMarinescould only gain 75yds (69m) of ground by 1200hrs in the face of fierceresistance fromColAtsuchi’sdefenders.Tankshad joined thebattle at around1100hrsfollowinglongdelaysinrefuellingandaddedvaluablesupport,buttheJapanesehadahugeadvantageintheirpreparedpositionsonthehigherground.Looking ahead, Lt Wells said: “I saw little or nothing to shield us from theenemy’sfirepower;mymenwouldbeopentargetsalltheway.”

SectionChiefMarinePrivateFirstClassR.F.Callahancallsin155mm(6.1in)artilleryfireagainstaJapaneseposition.(USMC)

Aslandingcraftcontinuetoarriveonthebeachhead,troopscanbeseenadvancingtowardsAirfieldNo.1whilescoresofothersstillcrowdthebeachesunderabarrageofartilleryfire.(NationalArchives)

ColonelAtsuchi radioedGenKuribayashi that theAmerican bombardmentsfrombothartilleryandoffshorenavalunitswereveryfierceandsuggestedthatheandhismenshouldattempta“banzai”charge.TheGeneralhadexpectedthegarrisononMountSuribachitomaintaincontrolforatleasttendaysanddidnotevenbothertoreply,butsuspectedthatAtsuchiwasbeginningtowaver.LittleprogresswasmadeintheafternoonandtheMarinesduginandawaited

reinforcementsandadditionaltanksforanall-outassaultthefollowingday.TheJapanese were determined that there should be no respite for the enemy andcommencedabarrageallalongthefrontline.“Theshellscontinuedwalkingupourlines,explodingonlyafewfeetaway.AllIcouldthinkaboutwasthegreatlossofmen.Whatmade itevenmorehorrifying, it stoppedsoonafterpassingthroughusandstartedbackagain,”saidWells.Duringthenight,Japanesetroopsbegan to gather near the eastern slopes of the volcano but the destroyerUSSHenryA.Wileyblastedthemundertheglareofsearchlights,andtheanticipatednighttimecounterattackwasnippedinthebud.To the north, the other three regiments began their offensive at around

0830hrs,withtherightflankanchoredattheQuarryandtheleftswingingnorthinanattempttostraightentheline.TheMarinesencounteredstrongopposition

from themassofbunkers,pillboxes, and landmines thathadbeen socarefullyprepared. Mid-afternoon saw the arrival of the brand new battleship USSWashington which blasted the cliffs around the Quarry with its massive 16ingunscausingalandslidethatblockeddozensofenemycaves.By 1200hrs themajority ofAirfieldNo. 1was inAmerican hands, a bitter

blowtoGenKuribayashiwhohadnotanticipatedsucharapidadvance,andtheMarinesnowhadanalmoststraightfrontlineacrosstheislandalthoughtheD-Day0-1objectivestilleludedthem.GeneralSchmidtdecidedtocommitthe21stRegimentof the3rdDivision,an indication that the topbrassdidnotconsiderthat progress had been swift enough. (The Joint Chiefs of Staff had hoped tokeep the whole of the 3rd Division intact for the upcoming invasion ofOkinawa.)However,thehighseasandcongestedbeachesfrustratedthelandingsandaftersixhoursintheirlandingcrafttheRegimentwereorderedbacktotheirtransports.AstheseconddaydrewtoaclosetheMarineshadcontrolofalmostaquarter

oftheislandbutthecosthadbeenveryheavy.Kuribayashi’sorders,“Eachmanshould think of his defense position as his graveyard, fight until the last andinflictmuchdamagetotheenemy”wasbearingfruit.Heavyrainbegantofallintheafternoonandcontinuedthroughoutthenight,fillingfoxholeswithwaterandcollapsing their sides. The old hands among theMarines shivered andwishedthemselves back among the hot sands of the atolls that they had so recentlyliberated.

D+2Wednesday’splanlookedstraightforward–the28thRegimentwouldbegintheirfinal assault on Mount Suribachi and the remainder would move north on abroadfront:inthewest,the26thand27thRegiments,inthecenterthe23rdandintheeastthe24th,butsimpleplansseldomdevelopsmoothly.Thebadweatherofthepreviousdayhaddeterioratedevenfurtherasahowlinggaletorethroughtheislandandraincloudsscurriedoverhead.Six-footwavescrasheddownontothebeachesforcingAdmTurnertoclosethemdownagain.

Thebeacheswerealreadybeginningtobecomecongestedwithswampedjeeps,trucks,andtanksasthisgroupofMarinesawaittheirchancetomoveout.(NationalArchives)

AmachineguncrewsitamongapileofspentammunitionsomewherejustsouthofMountSuribachi.(NationalArchives)

Foran18yearoldMarineinhisfirstbattle,IwoJimawasatryingexperiencefor“Chuck”Tatum,amemberofamachinegunsquadwiththe27thRegiment:“DawnonD+2greeteduswithacoldrainandwewerestillnexttoAirfieldNo.1. Iworked this out tobe agrand total of 1,000yds (914m) advance from thebeachintwodays–wewouldn’tbearrestedforspeeding!Theterrainwewereinwasflat fromtheedgeof therunway to thewesternshoreline,probably theonlyflatgroundinIwo.Thedarkovercastskyfilledwithrain,soakedus,andtransformed the volcanic soil into a gooey sticky mess. Vehicles and menstruggledtomoveandfinallyboggeddown.Onthelandingbeachestoourrightchaos continued as increasing winds and seas smashed derelict, broachedlandingcraft.BeachesremainedclosedtoallbutemergencytrafficandwoundedlaypatientlyinhastilypreparedshelterswhileCorpsmendidwhattheycouldtosave lives. At 0800hrs the frontal attack northward was renewed. The 5thDivisionobjectivewas the left flankof the island, the entire areabetween therunwaysand thebeaches.Aswehad thedaybefore,wemoppedupbypassedpositionsandconsolidatedthegainsmade.”Supported by a blistering artillery barrage, fire from Navy cruisers and

destroyers, and napalm andmachine gun fire fromover 40 carrier planes, the

28th Regiment launched their assault on Mount Suribachi at 0845hrs. Thegunfire denuded the ground before them, revealing chains of blockhouses andconnecting trencheswith little or no cover between the two front lines. TherewastheadditionalhazardofrowsofbarbedwirethattheMarineshadplacedinfront of their own lines during the night to prevent enemy infiltration. It hadbeenassumedthatthemorning’sadvancewouldbespearheadedbytankswhichwouldflattenallbeforethembutagaintheyweredelayedbyfuellingproblems.

WithMountSuribachijustvisibleattheleft,thesetroopshavemovedoffthebeachesandareheadinginland.Rowsofpillboxesandminefieldsweretobartheirwaytotheairfield.(USNavy)

The3rdPlatooninthecentermetheavyoppositionbutthelatearrivaloftanksand halftrack 75mm (2.95in) guns helped their progress. By evening theregiment had formed a semi-circle around the north side of the volcano andmoved forward 650yds (594m) on the left, 500yds (457m) in the center and1,000yds(914m)ontheright,–goodprogressunderthecircumstances.“Wehadnothing toprotectusbut theclothesonourback,”saidWellswho

wasinthethickofthefighting,reducingenemybunkerswithhandgrenadesandreceivingseverewoundstohislegs.“Icouldfeelmyselfrunningoutofenergy,mywoundswere beginning to take their toll. I had not eaten, drunkwater, ordefecatedintwoandahalfdays.”To the north, 68 Navy planes blasted the Japanese lines with bombs and

rockets, andat0740hrs amassivebarrageof artillery andnavalgunfire added

theirweight as the 4th and5thMarineDivisionsmoved against a complexofwell-hiddenenemypositionsandcasualtiessoonbegantomount.Nearthewestcoast,Shermantanks ledanadvanceofover1,000yardsbythe26thand27thRegimentsandtheD-Day0-1linewasfinallyreached.Ontheeastsideof theisland, the 4thDivision could only take 50yds (46m) of ground in the ruggedterrain around the Quarry despite being reinforced by an extra company.FightingamongthecliffsandcavesintheQuarryareawasahazardousbusinessand involved heavy casualties. Capt “Jumpin’ Joe” McCarthy, commandingofficer ofGCompany 2ndBattalion of the 24thRegiment states: “We landedwith257menandreceived90 replacements.Of that totalof347only35menwereable towalkoff the islandwhenthefightingwasover.”McCarthy’smenwereunder terrific fireallmorningandweresufferingheavy lossesand in theafternoonheassignedanassaultsquad tocleanout thepillboxes thathadkepthisadvancetoastandstill.

NavyPharmacist’sMateFirstClassJackEnte,attachedtothe3rdMarineDivisionhuddlesinablanketonIwoJima.VeteransofSouthPacificbattleswereunaccustomedtothecoolerclimatesoftheVolcanoIslands.(USMC)

OneofthegroupwasPfcPeteSantorowhorecalls:“Itookitonmyselftogotomyleftastheothersmovedright,andbelowmewastheentrancetoatunnel.I saw two Japswith rifles crawlingout on their hands andknees. I shot themboth in the back I’m sorry to say as I don’t know how to say turn around inJapanese.CaptainMcCarthycamearoundtheothersideandshotthemagainandI said I got them already. As wewent to takemore high ground I found the

entrance toanother tunnel. I firedariflegrenadebut it fellshortsoI firedmylastone.AsIstartedtomoveinIwasshotintheback.ItfeltlikeIwashitwithasledgehammer.Icouldn’tmovemylegs.Icrawledouttotwoofourmenwhoasked if Ihadbeenhitbyashotgun.TheJaphadhitmyM1ammunitionclipand my shells had shattered and penetrated all over my back.” Santoro waseventually taken to thehospital shipSolace andafter treatment returned to thebeach.ItwasherethathedisposedofaJapanesesniperwhohadbeentakingpotshots

atairmenfromAirfieldNo.1,andfromtherehereturnedtohisunitmuchtothesurprise of McCarthy who put him in charge of the ammunition dump. OnMarch9,amortarroundexplodedclosebyandSantorowasseverelyconcussed.Returningagain to theSolace,heswore thathewouldnotbe returning to thatisland.General Schmidt again disembarked the 21st Regiment of the 3rd Division

andtheycameashoreonYellowBeach.TheJapanesecontinuedtheirdisruptivefirethroughoutthenightandbetween150and200troopsgatheredattheendofthe runway of Airfield No. 2 and rushed the lines of the 23rd Regiment at2330hrs.A combination of artillery and naval gunfire annihilated thembeforetheycouldreachtheMarines.TheshipsoftheNavyTaskForcesupportingthelandingsweretobecomethe

targets of one of the early kamikaze attacks of thewar.As the light began tofade,50Japaneseaircraftapproachedfromthenorth-west.Theywerefromthe2ndMilate Special Attack Unit based at Katori Airbase and had refuelled atHachijoJima125milessouthofTokyo.TheywerepickedupbytheradaroftheUSSSaratoga,aveterancarrierofthePacificWar,andsixfightersweresenttointercept. They shot down two Zeros (Mitsubishi AGM fighters), but theremainingZeros plowed on through the low lying cloud, two of them trailingsmoke, and slammed into the side of the carrier turning the hangers into aninferno.Anothersolitaryattackersmashedintotheflightdeckleavingagapinghole100yds (91m) from thebow.Damagecontrol teamsworkedwonders andwithin one hour the fires were under control and the Saratoga was able torecover a few of her planes. The otherswere taken aboard the escort carriersUSSWakeIslandandUSSNatomaBay.Anotheraircraft,a“Betty”twinenginedbomber(MitsubishiG4M),toreinto

the escort carrier USSBismarck Sea. The decks were full of aircraft and theensuingexplosioncauseduncontrollable fires.Abandon shipwas soundedand800menwentovertheside.Withinafewminutesahugeexplosionrippedoffthe entire stern of the carrier and she rolled over and sank. Three other shipswere also damaged: the escort carrier USS Lurga Point was showered with

flaming debris as four aircraft were blasted out of the sky; the minesweeperKeokukwasdamagedwhena“Jill”divebomber(NakajimaB6N)hitherdeck;andLST477loadedwithShermantanksreceivedaglancingblow.

NearthebaseofMountSuribachi,Marinesdestroyanenemypositionwithdemolitioncharges.ThedashacrossthebaseofSuribachiwasaccomplishedingoodtime,thecaptureofthevolcanotakingdayslonger.(USMC)

TheSaratoga,withdestroyerescort,returnedtoPearlHarbor,butbythetimethedamagewasrepairedthewarwasover.Thekamikazeshaddonetheirworkwell:358menkilled,onecarriersunk,andanotherseverelydamaged.Itwasagrim preview of the mayhem they would later cause during the invasion ofOkinawainApril.

D+3There was no let-up in the weather on Wednesday as Marines of the 28thRegiment, drenched to the skin and bent by the wind, prepared to renew theattackonSuribachi.Freshsuppliesofammunitionhadbeenbroughttothefrontduringthenight,buttheShermansweremiredinmudandtheNavydeclinedtosupplyair support in theappallingweather. Itwas tobeup to the foot soldierwithrifle,flamethrower,grenade,anddemolitionchargetowintheday.Colonel Atsuchi still had 800–900 men left and they had no intention of

allowing theAmericansaneasyvictory.MajorYouamataannounced: “Wearesurrounded by enemy craft of all sizes, shapes and descriptions, enemy shellshavesmashedatourinstallationsanddefenses,theirplanesbombandstrafeyetwe remain strong and defiant. TheAmericans are beginning to climb the firstterracestowardsourdefenses.Nowtheyshalltasteoursteelandlead.”ThroughoutthedaytheMarinesattackedtheJapanesepositionsonthelower

slopes of Mount Suribachi. There was little room for maneuver and it wasimpossible touse support fire fromartillery and tanks tomaximumadvantagebecause of the close proximity of the lines. By afternoon, patrols fromCompaniesGandEhadworkedtheirwayaroundthebaseofthevolcanoanditwas surrounded. The bitter fighting on the northern slopes had reduced theJapanesegarrisontoafewhundredmenandmanywereinfiltratingtheMarinelinesthroughthemazeoftunnelsandjoiningKuribayashi’sforcesinthenorth.Othersmovedupwardstowardsthesummit.Thefinalassaultwouldhavetowaituntilthefollowingday.

TheShermantankshadgreatdifficultycomingashoreuntilthebulldozerscouldclearawayforthemthroughthesoftsand.Here.“Cairo,”fittedwithwoodenplanksasprotectionagainstmagneticmines,hasshedatrack.(NationalArchives)

The sweep to the north continued with Harry Schmidt placing the newlylanded3rdDivisionreinforcements,the21stRegiment,inthecenterofthelinebetween the4thand5thDivisionsaroundAirfieldNo.2.HereCol Ikedawithhis145thRegimenthadthestrongestsectionoftheJapanesedefenses.Lackofsleep and hot food, heavy casualties, and terrible weather were affecting thefightingefficiencyofthemenwhohadlandedonD-Dayandmanyofthehardpressedunitswerereplaced.Thenew3rdDivisionmenhadabaptismoffireasthey stormed the heavily defended ground south of the airfield and the day’sgains amounted to amere 250yds (229m) – FCompany of the 2ndBattalionweresobadlymauledthattheyonlylastedoneday.On the eastern flank near the Quarry, “Jumpin’ Joe” Chambers had rocket

firingtrucksbroughtforwardtopoundtheenemyhideouts,resultingindozensofJapanesefleeingtothelowergroundwheretheyweredecimatedbymachinegunfire.Chamberswashimselfbadlywoundedintheafternoonandevacuatedtoahospitalship.The Japanesemounted a series of strong counterattacks throughout the day

which were repulsed by heavy artillery fire, and as the weather deterioratedfurtherwithicyrainandlowmistspreventingtheNavyfromprovidinggunfireandairsupport,thefightingdieddown.Casualtiesstillcrowdedthebeachesasthe rough seas prevented LSTs from evacuating thewounded, and behind thelinesnearAirfieldNo.1,the4thDivisioncemeterywasinaugurated.Uptillnowthedeadhadbeenleftinrowsundertheirponchos,“stackedlikecordwood”asoneMarinedescribedit.

Underriskofenemyfire,acommunicationsteamrushesforwardtolaytelephonewires,ascommunicationsbetweenfrontlineunitswasessential.(NationalArchives)

“Howlin’Mad”Smithaboard theUSSAuburnwascounting thecost.Threedays of battle and the Regimental Returns listed 2,517 casualties for the 4thDivisionand2,057forthe5th:4,574deadandwoundedandthe0-1linehadjustbeen reached. Little did he know that as his Marines approached the hills,ravines,canyons,gullies,andcliffsofthenorththeworstwasyettocome.

D+4February 23 was the day that the 28th Regiment captured Mount Suribachi.GeneralKuribayashihadnotexpectedthisstrategicallyimportantfeaturetofallsoearly in thebattleandwhen thesurvivorswhohad infiltrated theAmericanlinesarrivedinthenorththeywereseverelyreprimanded.With much improved weather, LtCol Chandler Johnson gave the order to

occupyandsecure thesummitandMarinesfromthe3rdPlatoonstartedoutat0800hrs. A forty-man patrol led by Lt Hal Schrier labored up the northern

slopes, laden with weapons and ammunition. The going became increasinglydifficultbut theoppositionwassurprisingly light.At1000hrs theyreached therimof thecraterandengagedanumberof theenemywhoattacked themwithhandgrenades.At1020hrstheStarsandStripeswereraisedonalengthofpipeandLeatherneck photographer LouLowery recorded themoment. Throughoutthesouthernhalfoftheislandtheshoutwas“theflagisup”andtroopscheeredand vessels sounded their sirens. Around 1200hrs, a larger flagwas raised toreplace the smaller one and the event was photographed by Associated Presscameraman JoeRosenthal, and this became themost famouspicture ofWorldWarII.(ForafullaccountoftheflagraisingsonMountSuribachiseeAppendix3.)

Nearthebeach,rowsofdeadlieundertheirponchos:burialpartiescheckidentificationandpersonalpossessions.(NationalArchives)

Marineartillerywasvitalinthesupportofthefrontlinetroops.MostoftheMarineadvanceswereaccompaniedbymassivebombardmentsfrombothoffshorenavalunitsandforwardartillery.(NationalArchives)

FlamethrowerswereinvaluableonIwoJimawheretheenemyhadtobeprisedoutofeverycave,pillbox,andbunkerbygroupsofMarines.Aflamethrowerwasalwaysaccompaniedbyanumberofriflementoprotecthimagainstsnipers.(USNavy)

WithaboutonethirdofIwoJimainAmericanhandsandagreatimprovementin theweather,GenHarrySchmidtandGenCatescameashore tosetup theirHQs (Gen Rockey had come ashore the previous day), and the three met todiscuss the situation. Itwas decided that the 3rdDivisionwouldmaintain thecenterwiththe5thDivisioninthewestandthe4thintheeast.TheNavywouldcontinue to add support with gunfire and carrier aircraft, and the tanks of allthreedivisionswouldcomeunderasinglecommand,LtColWilliamCollinsofthe5thDivision.D+4was largelyadayofconsolidationandreplenishmentalthoughfighting

continuedsouthofAirfieldNo.2andnorthoftheQuarry.Schmidtwasplanningamajoroffensiveforthefollowingdayinanattempttobreakthestalemate.

D+5True to hisword,HarrySchmidt provided a tremendous barrage all along thefrontline.FromthewestthebattleshipUSSIdahoblastedtheareanorthoftheairfieldwithher14ingunsasthecruiserUSSPensacola, repairedafterherD-Daybattering,joinedinfromtheeastcoast.Massesofaircraftaddedbombsandrockets, and the Marine artillery and mortars expended huge amounts of

ammunition.

ASSAULTONMOUNTSURIBACHID-DAY-D+4The28thMarineslandedonGreenBeachandadvancedacrossthe700yds

(640m)wideisthmusatthebaseofMountSuribachi.Despitefierceoppositionandveryheavycasualties,theyhadisolatedthevolcanoanditsdefendersby1035hrs.GeneralKuribayashihadanticipatedthatSuribachiwouldbecutoff

earlyinthebattle,butwasverydisappointedthatColAtsuchi’sgarrisonheldoutforonlyfourdays.

AnarmoredAmtrac,“OldGlory”somewhereontheisland.(NationalArchives)

The attack was spearheaded by the 21st Regiment deployed in the areabetweenthetwoairfields.MassedtankswerescheduledtoprecedetheinfantrybutColIkedahadanticipatedthismove,andthetaxiwaysofbothairfieldswereheavilyminedandcoveredbyanti-tankguns.Thefirsttwotanksweredisabledby mines and the remainder ground to a halt. Deprived of their armor, theMarines had no alternative but to clear themass of bunkers and pillboxes thehardway,with small arms, grenades and flamethrowers. Inwhat lookedmorelikeanepisodefromWorldWarI,theMarineschargedthehighgroundandtheJapanese retaliated by leaving their positions and engaging the Americans inhand-to-hand fighting. In a frenziedmêlée of clubbing, stabbing, kicking andpunching, arms and legs were broken, swords slashed, bodies fell and bloodspurted until over fifty of the enemy lay dead and theMarines occupied thehigherground.With only four hours of daylight remaining, the Marines, exhausted and

desperatelyshortofammunition,weredeterminedtoholdontotheirgains.Asthe lightfadedtheredoubtableSeabeescameforwardwith tractorsand trailersloadedwithammunition,food,andwaterandthetroopssettledinforthenight.WarrantOfficeGeorgeGreen remembers the incidentwell: “TheSeabees hadloaded trailerswith supplies and ammunition andbrought them to the limit of

AirfieldNo. 1, only 200yds (183m) from the battlefront.As darkness fell theentrenchedMarinesstaredinwonderasatractortrundledtowardsthemtowingatrailerwithammunition,water,andcontainersofhotfoodprecededbytwomenonfootcarryingflashlightstoshowtheway.HowtheydiditIdon’tknow.Afterdark we heard the tractor coming, and sure enough there’s a guy driving thethinginpitch-blacknight.TothisdayIdon’tknowhowheknewwherehewasgoing.Tomethatguyhadguts.”On the right flank, the 24thRegiment of the 4thDivisionwere battling for

“CharlieDogRidge,”anescarpmentsouthofthemainrunwayofAirfieldNo.2.Backedupbyhowitzersandmortarstheyblastedandburnedtheirwaytothetopsustainingheavy casualties.At 1700hrsColWalter Jordanordered themen todiginforthenight.ByIwoJimastandardstheoverallgainsforthedayhadbeenimpressive, but so toohad the casualty figures.BetweenD+1andD+5,1,034menhaddied,3,741werewounded,5weremissingand558weresufferingfrombattlefatigue.Lessthanhalfoftheislandhadbeensecuredandthebattlehadafurther30daystorun.

D+6–D+11:INTOTHEMEATGRINDERD+6Havingsecuredafrontacrosstheislandthatapproximatedtothe0-1line,HarrySchmidtwasintentonpressingnorthwardacrosstheplateauandtheunfinishedAirfieldNo. 3 to the north coast to split the enemy in two.Other factors alsoinfluencedthecommander’schoice.Thewestcoastoftheislandhadaccessiblebeacheswhichweredesperatelyneededtounloadthevastamountofequipmentand supplies still stacked in the armadaof transports.WithOkinawaonly twomonthsawaytheseshipswereurgentlyneededelsewhere,butatthemomenttheJapanesestillcommandedtheheightsnorth-westofAirfieldNo.2fromwhichtheycouldshellthewesterncoastwithimpunity.

Theopeningupofthebeachesonthewestsideoftheislandwasvital.Littlecouldbelandedontheeastcoastuntilthemassesofvehiclesandequipmentwascleared.(NationalArchives)

RocketfiringtruckswereusedextensivelyonIwoJimawheretheterrainpermitted.Itwasusualforthetruckstolineup,fireofftheirrocketsasfastaspossible,andgetthehelloutbeforetheJapanesemortarslocatedthem.(NationalArchives)

Eventhoughthesouthernendoftheislandwasstillwithinrangeofmanyofthe Japanese guns, the area around Airfield No. 1 was being turned into agigantic construction site.Over 2,000 Seabeeswere extending the runways tomake them capable of handling the giant B29 Superfortress bombers, P51Mustangfighters,andP61BlackWidownightfighters.OfftheshoresofMountSuribachi, a basewas being established for the Catalina and Coronado flyingboatsengagedinrescueoperationsbetweentheMarianasandJapan.Elsewherea“city”ofNissanhuts,tents,workshops,andsupplydumpswasreplacingwhatonlydaysearlierhadbeenabloodybattlefield.Thethrust tothenorthbeganonD+6,Sunday,February25–nodayofrest

for theMarines.As the3rdBattalionmovedagainsthighgroundat theendofthemainrunwayofAirfieldNo.2,26Shermansrumbledout tospearhead theattackandranintoafusilladeofartillery,anti-tankgun,andmortarfire.Threeoftheleadingtanksburstintoflamesandwereabandoned.Thestrongestpointinthe Japanese defenses was “Hill Peter,” a 360ft high prominence just off therunway. This was stormed repeatedly but by 1430hrs the Marines had onlygained200yds(183m).The2ndand1stBattalionshadslightlybetter luckandwerenorthoftheairfield,although“HillPeter”remainedinenemyhands.NineShermanshadbeenknockedoutandMarinecasualtiesstoodatnearly400deadandwounded.The 5thDivision on the leftwere already 400yds (366m) ahead of the 3rd

Divisionlinesandwereorderedtostaywheretheywere,butontherightthe4thDivision faced a complex of four formidable defense positions that becameknowncollectivelyasthe“Meatgrinder.”ThefirstwasHill382(namedfromitselevationabovesealevel),withitsslopespepperedwithcountlesspillboxesandcaves. Four hundred yards to the south lay a shallow depression called the“Amphitheater,” and immediately to the east was “Turkey Knob,” a hillsurmountedbyamassiveblockhouse.Thefourthobstaclewas theruinsof thevillage ofMinami, long reduced to rubble by naval gunfire and now studdedwithmachinegunemplacements.ThiscollectivekillinggroundwasdefendedbyMajGen Senda and his 2ndMixedBrigadewhich included themen ofBaronNishi’s26thTankRegiment,nowlargelydevoidoftanksbutstillfulloffight.

ThemostfamousphotographofWorldWarII.AssociatedPresscameramanJoeRosenthal’ssuperbshotofMarinesraisingtheflagonthesummitofMountSuribachionFebruary23,1945.(USNavy)

The 23rd and 24th Regiments, some 3,800 men of the 4th Division, littleknowingthatthiswastheisland’smostimpregnablefortress,preparedtotakeonthe“Meatgrinder”andat0800hrsthenowcustomarynavalbarrageandarmadaofcarrierplanesprecededtheassaultonHill382.Oneplatoonbattledtheirwayto the summit only to be surrounded when the Japanese mounted a massivecounterattack.Vicioushand tohand fightingensuedas the survivorswithdrewundercoverofsmoke.Tenofthewoundedwererecoveredafterdarkbygallantvolunteers,anddayoneinthe“Meatgrinder”wasacompletestalemate.About100yds(91m)hadbeengainedatthecostofnearly500casualties.

D+7Monday,February26,dawnedbrightbutchilly.TheMarinescouldnotbelievethat theyhadonlybeenon the islandforaweek; it seemed likemonths.“HillPeter” remained defiant and at 0800hrs the 9th Regiment advancedwith tanksupport.One flamethrower tank got behind the enemy lines and incinerated anumberof theenemywhowereescaping througha tunnel,but theday’sgains

wereinsignificant.To thewest the 5thDivision set their sights onHill 362A, 600yds (549m)

southofthevillageofNishiandsurroundedbypillboxesandcaves.Tanksfromthe5thTankBattaliongroundthroughtherocksandboulderstogivesupportbutthecomplexprovedimpregnable.Alittletotheright,thetankssmashedthroughthe enemy defenses to a depth of 100yds (91m), and the 27th RegimentadvancedupthewestcoastassistedbygunfirefromtheAmphibiousBattalionsfromoffshore.DaytwoofthebattleforHill382inthe“Meatgrinder”sawthe24th Regiment replaced by the 25th Regiment. The initial attack lookedpromisingwithagainofover100yds(91m)untilheavymachinegunfirefrom“TurkeyKnob”broughttheadvancetoahalt.

Boggeddowntank,Amtracsblownoverbyshellfire–aviewonthebeachestakensomedaysafterthelanding.(NationalArchives)

The23rdRegimenttotheleftworkeditswaythroughaminefieldbesidetheperimetertrackoftheairfieldandadvancedtowardsaruinedradiostationatthefootofthehill.Amassivefusilladeofmortarandmachinegunfirefromnearby“TurkeyKnob”andHill382broughttheMarinestoagrindinghaltas17menlay dead and 26 were wounded. Under cover of smoke grenades, stretcher-

bearersevacuatedthesurvivors.ItwasduringthisengagementthatPvtDouglasJacobsonsilencedsixteenenemypositionsusingabazookasingle-handedly.The19-year-old had killed 75 of the enemy in less than 30 minutes and earnedhimselftheMedalofHonor.

D+8“HillPeter”stillstoodoutlikeasorethumbatthefrontofthe3rdDivisionlineandat0800hrstwobattalionsofthe9thregiment,LtColRandall’s1standLtColCushman’s2nd,movedforwardtosecurethecomplex.Inchingforwardagainstmurderousmachinegunandmortar fire the1st reached the topof thehill butwere pinned down by fire from bypassed positions at their rear. In the earlyafternoonanotherconcertedeffortwaslaunchedandelementsofbothbattalionsrelievedthebeleagueredMarines.

AstanksassemblednearAirfieldNo.2,MarinesofGCompany24thRegimentrelaxbeforerenewingtheattackonenemypillboxesinthearea.(USMC)

Totheeastthe4thDivisionappearedtobeboggeddownbeforetheseeminglyimpregnable“Meatgrinder.”GeneralCatescommittedfivebattalionstothearea,two against Hill 382 and three against “TurkeyKnob,” and all day the battleseesawedupanddowntheslopesofthehill.Rocketlaunchingtrucksblastedthehillwithover500rocketsbeforehavingtoscurryawayunderatorrentofenemymortar fire, and at one point a small group of Marines actually reached the

summituntilshortageofammunitionandviciouscounterattacksforcedthemtofall back. At the foot of the hill theMarines finally completed an encirclingmaneuverafterbitterhand-to-handfighting,andthelasthoursofdaylightwerespentinconsolidatingtheirprecariousgains.Asthebattlemovedfurthernorththetanksfounditmoreandmoredifficultto

operate among the gullies and boulder-strewn terrain. Tankdozers, Shermansfittedwithbulldozerblades,wereconstantlyinactionclearingpathsthroughtherubbleand scrublandbut thebattlewasdeveloping intoahorrificman-to-mansloginwhichcasualtiesescalatedbythedayandprisonerswereanovelty.Theonly grim consolation for the Marines was that their casualties could bereplaced.Duringthenight,Japaneseaircraftmadeadesperateattempttogetsuppliesto

their garrison. In the only attempt that wasmade during the battle to supporttheir troops, the aircraft succeeded in dropping a few parachutes containingmedicalsuppliesandammunition.Threeoftheplaneswereshotdownbycarrierbased night fighters. General Kuribayashi was moved to say: “I pay manyrespectstothesebraveaviators.ItisdifficulttoexpresshowthefightingyouthofIwoJimawhostoodbeforetheirdeathfeltwhentheysawthesebraveflyers.”

ASSAULTONTHEMEATGRINDERD+6–D+19AsHarrySchmidt’sthreeDivisionsfoughtslowlynorthwardthroughIwoJima,the4thDivisioncameupagainstacomplexoffourformidabledefensepositionstotheeastofAirfieldNo2,thatsoonbecameknowntotheMarinesas“TheMeatgrinder”.DefendedbyMajGenSenda’s2ndMixedBrigadeandelementsofBaronNish’s26thTankRegiment,Hill382,TurkeyKnob,TheAmphitheaterandtheruinsofMinamiVillageweretoholdoutuntilMarch15andbethesceneofsomeofthebloodiestactionsofthewholebattle.

TherockettruckswereprimetargetsforJapanesemortarsandartillery.HereaMarinemakesadramaticexitasabarrageofmortarfirearrivesnearhistruck.(NationalArchives)

D+9ThelastdayofFebruarywastobeagoodoneforthe3rdDivisioninthecenteroftheisland.AlthoughthiswasthedaythatHarrySchmidthadpredictedastheendofthebattle,hisordersforthedaywereforthe3rdtopressforwardtowardsthe north coast. Relieving the battered 9th, the 21st Regiment moved out at0900hrs and, under a huge naval and artillery barrage that appeared to havestunnedtheenemy,madegoodprogress.Atonepointtheywereconfrontedbysomeofthefewremaining“Ha-Go”tanksofBaronNishi’s26thRegiment,butthese flimsy vehicles were wiped out by bazookas and marauding aircraftleavingtheBaronwithonlythreeserviceabletanksontheisland.TheJapanesesoonrecoveredandbyafternoonresistancehadstiffenedtosuchanextentthatasecondmassiveartillerybarragewascalled inandby1300hrs the troopswereagain on themove. This time themomentumwasmaintained as theMarinesstormed theirway into the ruins of the village ofMotoyama, once the largestsettlementonIwoJima.Themachinegunnersandsniperswhohad takenovertheruinsweresoonoustedandColDuplantis’3rdBattalionsweptontooccupythehighgroundoverlookingtheunfinishedAirfieldNo.3.Asthe3rdBattalionadvanced,the1stand2ndBattalionswerebusydealing

withthemassofoverrunenemypositionsandinanafternoonofgrimfighting

the flamethrowers and demolition teams secured the flanks.The flamethrowerwasthemostpracticalweaponforclearingtheenemyfromcaves,pillboxes,andbunkers.Horrificinitseffect,itsavedthelivesofcountlessMarineswhowouldotherwise have had to prise the enemy out in hand-to-hand fighting with anopponent who did not consider surrender an option. Pfc Hank Chamberlaindescribesanattackthatwastypical:“Iwascoverforaflamethrowerneararowofcaves.Agrenadecameflyingouttowardsusandwedivedbehindanoutcropofrockstoourleftandthegrenadeexplodedharmlessly.Theflamethrowerwasnowalongsidethecaveentranceandsidesteppedinfrontofitandletoffalongblast.AsingleJapcametearingout.Hewasamassofflamesfromheadtofootandhisshriekswereindescribable.BothBuckeyandIhademptiedourgunsintothecaveandwereloadedasfastaswecould.TheJapwasnowwrithingonthegroundwithhisarmsflayingtheair.Weputhimoutofhisagonywithenoughbulletstokilladozenmen.”

A155mm(6.1in)howitzeraddsitssupporttothe5thDivisionbarrage.(USMC)

Over on the 5thDivision front, theMarineswere still confrontedwithHill362A–thetopdottedwithanti-tankgunsandmortars,theslopesbristlingwithmachineguns,andthebaselinedwithbunkersandpillboxes.Twobattalionsofthe 27th Regiment, supported by tanks, assaulted the hill with demolitioncharges and flamethrowers, but little progress was made and at 1200hrs sixrocketfiringtrucksaddedsalvosof4.5inrockets.Somemenreachedthetopbutweredrivenbackbydeterminedenemytroops.Theonlygainsofthedaywere

made by the 1stBattalionwho pushed back strong opposition to gain 300yds(274m)nearthebase.Theimpasseatthe“Meatgrinder”continuedasthe4thDivisioncontinuedto

batterHill 382 and “TurkeyKnob.”Attempts to encircle these positionswerefrustrated, and as smoke shells covered thewithdrawal of forward troops, theoperationwascloseddownforthedayat1645hrs.Themostmemorableeventofthedaycameat1400hrswhenaJapaneseshell

landed in a large ammunition dump near Airfield No. 1, and the whole ofsouthern Iwo Jima erupted in a spectacular display of pyrotechnics. Shellsexplodedwithadeafeningbang,bulletspoppedandcrackled,andhugecloudsof smoke rolled out to sea.Miraculously therewere no casualties, but the 5thDivisionlostalmostaquarterofitstocks.

D+10AfteranightoverlookingAirfieldNo.3,the21stRegimentofthe3rdDivisionmovedforwardagainstsurprisinglylightresistanceandby1200hrswereacrossthemain runway. Tanks rolled forward to stiffen the attack and allwentwelluntil the forward troops reached Hills 362B and 362C, two more heavilydefendedbastionsbarringthewaytothecoast,andtheadvanceranoutofsteam.

AcoupleofMarinesutilizeacapturedJapaneseNambomachinegunasthefightinginthenorthintensifies.(NationalArchives)

On thewest coast, the 28th Regiment, the conquerors ofMount Suribachi,were now bolstering the 5th Division front as all three battalions were pittedagainst the complex of strongpoints north ofHill 362A. The day startedwithshellingbyabattleshipandthreecruisers,andasthedustsettledthe1stand2ndBattalions stormed the slopes and reached the summit. The Japanese hadabandonedthesite througha labyrinthofcavesandtakenupnewpositionsonNishiRidge,araggedcliffline200yds(183m)furthernorth.Forthe4thDivision,Hill382wasthekeytotheimpasse.Untilitwastaken

thewholeoftheeasternsideofIwoJimawouldbefirmlyinenemyhands,andinthepre-dawndarknessthe24thRegimentmoveduptoreplacethe23rd.Inadayofunremittingsavagerythebattleflowedbackandforth.Anearlyadvancebythe1stand2ndBattalionswasstalledbyahailofmortarfire.TheJapanesethentooktotheircavesasabarragefromnavalguns,artilleryandcarrierplanessweptthearea.Asthe1stBattalionresumedtheattacktheenemyemergedfromthedepthsandresumedtheirmachinegun,mortar,andsmallarmsfirefromthehighground.Byafternoonitwasobviousthattherewasyetanotherstalemate.The Generals were becoming increasingly concerned about the combat

efficiencyoftheirunits.Itwasnotunusualtoseecommandpassfromcaptaintolieutenant to sergeant and in some cases to Pfc (Private First Class). Aconfidential report of the 3rd Battalion 25th Regiment makes note of thesituationat the frontaround this time:“Specialnotemustherebemadeof themental condition andmorale of our troops.We have been in the assault for aperiod of ten days during which we have shown a gain of approx. 800yds(732m).Initially,wehadrelievedtroopswhosepositiononthegroundwasfarshortofthepositiontheyshowedthemselvestooccupyonthemap.Throughoutthe assault we have suffered heavy casualties. One company commander andtwo platoon leaders have been killed in action.While it was true we did notmove fromD+11 toD+17, nevertheless throughout that periodof time enemymortar fire of various calibers fell in our zone of action inflicting manycasualties. On D+8, without warning a strafing and napalm strike was madebehind and within our lines although our front line panels were clearlydisplayed.OnD+11,aTBF(AvengerTorpedoBomber)accidentallydroppedalone bomb behind our lines.OnD+12,withoutwarning in anyway, a rocketbarrage,apparentlyfromarocketjeep,felldirectlyonourflankplatoon.Allofthis contributed tomakeour troops“jittery.” It is commonknowledge thatwewererelievingaunitwhichhadbeenunabletoaccomplishitsmission.”

Twoflamethrowers,PvtRichardKlattontheleftandPfcWildredVoegeli,demonstratetheterrifyingeffectoftheirweapons.(NationalArchives)

General Erskine was scathing in his criticism of the quality of thereplacements:“Theygetkilledthedaytheygointobattle,”hesaid.Theproblemwastheuseof“battlereplacements”asopposedto“organicreplacements.”“BattlereplacementswererecruitswhohadgonethroughParrisIslandinthe

summerof1944,wheretheyhadfiredforqualificationonce.InearlySeptembertheywere formed into an InfantryTrainingUnit atCampLejeunewhere theywent through ‘musketry range’ once, threw one live grenade, fired one riflegrenade and went through one live fire exercise. Designated the 30thReplacementDraftinOctober,theywenttoCampPendletonandstraightontoMaui inHawaiiwhere theyworkedonmessdutiesorworkingpartieswithnoadditional training.The day afterChristmasDay they began boarding for IwoJima.Thosewhosurvivedwentback toMauiandbeganreceiving the trainingthatmighthavehelpedthembeforetheoperation,”writesauthorandIwoJimaveteran John Lane. The situation was typified by one replacement who wasplacedwithamachinegununit.Whenaskedifhehadanyquestionshereplied,“Yes,howdoyoufirethisthing?”

Asthe5thDivisionadvancedupthewestcoast,manyenemygunpositionswerecaptured.HereaMarinestandsguardoveraJapanesecoastalartillerypiece.(NationalArchives)

D+11ThepressurecontinuedonHill382and“TurkeyKnob.”The1stBattalionofthe25th Regiment made pre-dawn infiltrations but were driven back by mortarshells raining down from the heights above. Sherman tanks and “Zippos”(flamethrowertanks)poundedtheblockhouseonthetopof“TurkeyKnob”andthe“Zippos”expendedover1,000gallonsoffuelonthecaves,buttheJapanesesimplyretiredtothedepthsoftheirtunnelsandsatouttheinferno.Meanwhilethe26thRegiment,insomeofthefiercestfightingoftheday,securedafootholdon the summit of Hill 382. Casualties were horrendous, one unit losing fiveofficers in rapid succession–two fatallywounded, twoseriouslywoundedandtheotherloosinghislegbelowtheknee.

Utilizinganenemyinstallation,Navydoctorsperformfrontlinesurgerysomewhereinthe4thDivisionsector.Notethedoctorwithscissorsinhistoppocketandkneepads.Conditionswereprimitiveuntilthecasualtiescouldbeevacuated.(NationalArchives)

Inthecenter,hopesofadashtothenorthcoastwerefading.Althoughtheseawas only 1,500yds (1372m) away the 3rdDivision had yet to dealwithHills362BandC.Fourthousandmenheadedoutinatwo-prongedassault,onegroupheaded for Hill 362B while the other deployed around Airfield No. 3. Theapproachtothehillwasaflatareaoverlookedbyartilleryandofferingvirtuallyno cover. Tanks were brought forward and under their cover an advance of500yds(457m)wasmadetothebaseofthehill.Ontherightthe2ndBattalionmovedtowardstheeastoftheairfieldbutmade

little progress as they came face to facewithBaronNishi’s lines.Without histankstheBaronwasresignedtodyingonthefrontlinewiththeremainsofhiscommand. The glory dayswhen he hadwon anOlympicmedal on his horseUranusandsocializedwithLosAngelessocietyandHollywoodstarswereonlyamemory.ColonelChandlerJohnson’s28thRegimentonthewestcoastweredetermined

to secureNishi Ridge.Advancing along the left side ofHill 363A they cameunderheavyfirebutpushedontotheravinebetweenthehillandtheridgewherethey had a clear area from which the Shermans could blast the cliff face.Johnson,wellknown forbeingup frontwithhismen, fellvictim towhatwasprobablyamisplacedAmericanroundwhichblewhimtopieces.

D+12–D+19:DEADLOCKD+12Casualty figures were reaching epidemic proportions. By D+12 the Marinefigure stood at 16,000 of whom more than 3,000 were dead. The Japanesenumberswerestaggering.Ofthe21,000troopsinGenKuribayashi’scommandonD-Day,amere7,000 remained.Thebattlewasdraggingon far longer thanthe forecast of the Chiefs of Staff, deteriorating into an inexorable slog fromgullytogully,ridgetoridge,andcavetocave.The5thDivisionkeptupthepressureonthewestcoastasthe26thRegiment

attackedHill 362B (previously located in the 3rdDivision sector but now re-allocatedtothe5th),andthe28thRegimentconfrontedNishiRidge.Inagrimday’s fighting during which they suffered severe casualties, the 26th finallystormedtothetopofHill362Balthoughtheenemystilloccupiedmuchofthesurroundingarea.But thebestnewsof thedaycamewith thecaptureofNishiRidgebythe28thRegiment,anachievementthatpleasedGenRockeywhohadenvisagedaprolongedstruggleforthisstrategicallyimportantlocation.The3rdDivisionagainpittedthemselvesagainstthe“Meatgrinder.”Colonel

Jordan’s 24thRegiment renewed their assault onHill 382 asColWensinger’s23rd tackled“TurkeyKnob,” theAmphitheaterandMinamiVillage.Shermansof the4thTankBattalionhadbeenassigned tobothunits,but the increasinglyrockyterrainwastakingitstollasalargeproportionofthetanksgroundtoahaltbefore impenetrable mounds of rocks and boulders. Engineers braved heavyenemy fire in an attempt to clear a path but with little success. As the 24thRegiment advanced theywere confronted by a nest of concrete pillboxes but,with the help of the few tanks that had broken through, surroundedHill 382.Thiswastobetheonlysignificantgainofthedayasthe23rdcametoagrindinghaltfromenfiladingfirefromtheremainingpositions.

THEATTACKNORTHD+5-D+16MountSuribachi,withit’scommandingviewsovermostofIwoJima,wasnowsecureandMajGenHarrySchmidt,theVAmphibiousCorpsCommander,plannedtoattacktheJapaneseonabroadfrontwithhisthreeDivisionsabreast–the5thinthewest,the3rdinthecenter,andthe4thintheeast.ItimmediatelybecameapparentthattheMarineshadreachedGenKuribayashi’smaindefensebelt,andthefightingdegeneratedintosmallunitactionsofincrediblesavagery.

TheSuperfortress“DinahMight”wasthefirstB29tolandontheisland.Thearrivalattractedagreatdealofattention,ascrowdsofMarinesandSeabeesgatheredtoseethehugebomber.(NationalArchives)

Althoughthedayhadbeendisappointinginmaterialgainsithadbeenoneofincrediblevalor, fiveMedalsofHonorbeing awarded for actsofheroism thatalmost defy belief.TwoMarines died saving the lives of their companions bythrowing themselves onto hand grenades. Two Corpsmen enhanced thereputation of the Navy medics by outstanding acts of self-sacrifice. Oneministeredtothewoundeduntilhehadtobedraggedtothereartohavehisownlife-threateningwoundsattendedto,andtheotherdiedasherefusedaidsothathecouldcontinuetendingwoundedMarines.Thefifth,SgtWilliamHarrell,wonhis medal defending his front line position against nighttime infiltrators,sufferinghorrificwoundsincludingthelossofbothhands.

D+13Indeterioratingweather,icydrizzle,andleadenclouds,carrierplanesortiesandnaval bombardments were called off because of poor visibility. An overallweariness seemed to permeate the entire front as the Marines battled with aseeminglyinvisibleenemywhichspentmostofitsdaylighthoursintheircavesand tunnels, emerging at night to infiltrate theAmerican line,more intent onforagingforfoodandwaterthankillingtheenemy.In the knowledge that the battle was swinging irrevocably in favor of the

Americans,GenKuribayashiradioedTokyo:“Ourstrongpointsmightbeabletofightdelayingactionsforseveralmoredays.Icomfortmyselfalittleseeingmy

officers andmen diewithout regret after struggling in this inch-by-inch battleagainst an overwhelming enemy …”. The General’s predictions were, ifanything, on the pessimistic side as his garrison would prolong the battle foranotherthreeweeks.AstanksandrocketlauncherspoundedtheAmphitheaterintheeast,the3rd

Divisioninthecenterwereunabletomakeanysignificantprogress.Inthewestthe 5th Division continued to engage the more exposed positions withflamethrowersandgrenades,butlittleprogresscouldbereportedovertheentirefront.Acommuniquéat1700hrsfromtheCommandPostsofGeneralsRockey,Erskine,andCates:“Therewillbenogeneralattacktomorrow…Divisionswillutilise the day for rest, refitting, and re-organization in preparation forresumption of action on March 6.” It was clear that the Marines desperatelyneeded a break after two weeks of the bloodiest fighting the Corps had everexperienced.The highlight of the day was the arrival of “Dinah Might,” the first B29

SuperfortressbombertolandonIwoJima.Withbombbaysjammedintheopenposition and problems with the fuel transfer valve, the aircraft had struggledbackfromamissionsouth-westofTokyo.AsshegroundtoahaltatthenorthernendofthemainrunwayonAirfieldNo.1,theJapanesedirectedasteadyhailofartilleryfireinthegeneraldirection,causingthehugeplanetoswingaroundandretirerapidlytotheMountSuribachiendoftheairfield.ThebloodysacrificesoftheMarineCorpsinsecuringtheislandwerebeginningtopaydividendsinthelivesofwhatweretobethousandsofAirForcecrewmen.

D+14Thedaywasoneof“consolidation,replenishment,andrest.”Unfortunately,noonehadinformedtheJapanesewhocontinuedtolobartilleryroundsandmortarshells into the Marine lines all day. Tank crews serviced their machines;ammunition, food, and fresh water were brought to the front; hot coffee anddoughnutsarrivedfromthenewlyinstalledbakeryintherear,andreplacementsfiltered through to relievemany of the exhausted troopswho had slogged forfourteendaysinhell.

Asthebattlemovedfurthernorth,theterrainbecameincreasinglydifficult.HereagroupexamineanabandonedJapanesecaramongamassofbouldersandrocks.(NationalArchives)

With undue optimism the Navy began to run down its support. AdmiralSpruance in his flagshipUSS Indianapolis departed forGuam, alongwith the3rdRegiment of the 3rdDivision, seasoned troops thatHarry Schmidtwouldhave preferred to the green replacements from Hawaii. However, there weresomenewcomers.ArmyunitswhoweretogarrisonIwoJimaafterthedepartureof the Marines began to disembark, and the first of the Mustang and BlackWidowfighterstooktheirplacesonthehandstandsoftheairfield

D+15IftheGeneralshadhopedthatthedayofrestandreplenishmentwouldmeanbigadvancesonTuesdaytheyweretobebitterlydisappointed.TheNavyandMarineartillerymountedoneoftheheaviestbombardmentsof

thebattleandwithin67minutestheartilleryfired22,500rounds.Abattleship,acruiser,andthreedestroyersaddedafurther450roundsof14inand8inshells,while Dauntless and Corsair carrier planes strafed and dropped bombs andnapalmcanisters.Between0800hrsand0900hrs the4thand5thDivisionsmovedforwardbut

resistancewasasfierceasever.The21stand27thRegimentsonthewestcoast

were halted by shredding machine gun and mortar fire before they had gonemorethanafewyards,andsupportfrom“Zippo”flamethrowertankshadlittleeffect.MarineDaleWorleywrote: “They have almost blownHill 362 off themap. There are bodies everywhere and the ground is spottedwith blood. Thesmellissickening.”In the center the3rdDivisionmade littleprogress.Oneelementof the21st

Regiment, underLtMulvey,battered theirway to the topofyet another ridgeand saw before them the prize that had so long eluded them – the sea. Heestimated that it was less than a quarter of a mile away and called forreinforcements. A dozen men came forward but before they could reach theLieutenantsixwerekilledandtwowounded,andthegrouphadtoretireunderastormofenemyfire.Intheeastthebestadvanceofthedaywasamere350yds(320m) by the 3rd Battalion of the 24th Regiment aided by four “Zippo”flamethrowertanks.

D+16General Erskine had, for a long while, been toying with the idea of a nightattack.AsaveteranofWorldWarIhehadwitnessedmanysuchactionsandwasawarethattheJapaneseknewthattheMarinesusuallyconfinedtheirfightingtodaytime.Hisplanwastoinfiltratetheenemylinesforabout250yds(229m)andcaptureHill362C,thelastmajorobstaclebetweenthe3rdDivisionandthesea.At 0500hrs the 3rd Battalion of the 9th Regiment under the command of

LtColHaroldBoehmmoved silently forward and for thirtyminutes their luckheld until an alert enemy machine gunner opened up on their left. Pressingforward,BoehmandhismenstormedtothetopofthehillandradioedbacktoErskinewhosaid:“Wecaughtthebastardsasleepjustaswethoughtwewould.”Buttheeuphoriawasshortlived,asBoehmcheckedhismapsandrealisedthathewasatopHill331andnot362C. In thedarknessanddriving rain,one IwoJimahill lookedmuchlikeanother.Callinginartillerysupport,Boehmandhisbattalion pushed forward despite heavy opposition from the front and bothflanks,andby1400hrsfinallyreachedthecorrectobjective.

WithMountSuribachialmostinvisiblebeneathanintensenavalbombardment,landingcraftdashbackandforthtothebeachescarryingtroopstotheshoreandreturningthewoundedtothetransportsandhospitalshipsoffshore.(NationalArchives)

As he was moving towards Hill 362C, the 1st and 2nd Battalions wereadvancingonhis right flank,butsoonencounteredheavyresistancefromtheirfront and from bypassed positions. LtColCushman and his 2ndBattalion hadstumbled across the remains ofBaronNishi’s TankRegiment and soon foundthemselves surrounded. It was not until the next day that the remains ofCushman’sbattalioncouldbeextricatedwiththeaidoftanks.Bitterfightingwastocontinue in this area for another sixdays inwhatwas tobecomeknownas“Cushman’sPocket.”Onthe5thDivisionfront,the26thRegiment,approachingaridgejustnorth

of the ruins of Nishi Village, found the enemy opposition to be almostnonexistent.Cautiously proceeding to the summit they expected a fusillade offirefromthefarsideashadoftenhappenedinthepast.Instead,thewholeridgedisappeared in amassive explosion that could be heard formiles around.TheJapanese had mined their Command Post and it was left to the Marines torecoverthebodiesof43oftheircomrades.Inaclevermaneuverinthe4thDivisionsector,the23rdand24thRegiments

moved to the east and then swung sharply south, edging the Japanese towardsthe25thRegimentwhichhadassumedadefensiveline.Realizingthattheyweretrapped, Gen Senda and Navy Capt Inouye, with 1,500 men, elected for a“banzai”attack,strictlyagainst the instructionsofGenKuribayashi.Ataround

2400hrsa largecolumnofmenarmedwithgrenades, smallarms, swords,andbamboospearsmovedsouthinabizarreattempttoinfiltratetheAmericanlines,scaleMountSuribachiandraisetheJapaneseflag.Caughtinthenightlydisplayofflaresprovidedbyoffshoredestroyers,thecolumnwasdecimatedbyartilleryandmachinegunfire.Themorninglightwastorevealscoresofbodieslitteringthearea.ThestoryofInouye’s“banzai”attackwasrevealedyears laterbytwoofhis

orderlies who survived and were captured. Many of his troops believed thatInouyewasasuperiorleaderwhoinspiredhismentoperformoutstandingfeatsofbravery–othersthoughthewasamaniac.ThesightoftheStarsandStripesflying on top of Mount Suribachi had filled him with increasing rage. He isquotedassaying:“Weshalldestroytheirbanner,weshallreplaceitwithoursinthenameofthegreatEmperorandthegreatpeopleofJapan.”

Corpsmenandstretcher-bearersevacuatesomeofthewoundedtolandingcraftonthebeach,fromwheretheywenteithertooffshoreLVTsortohospitalships.(NationalArchives)

InouyewasinchargeoftheNavalGuardForcewhomannedtheshoregunsthat sank and damagedmany of the US warships and landing craft, and wasdescribedasabombasticandtemperamentalcharacter,afineswordsman,heavydrinker,andwomanizer.Hisbizarreplanalmostbeggarsbelief.TheCaptainwas

certainthattheairfieldswouldbelightlydefendedbyservicetroops.Heandhismen would move southward, destroying B29 bombers as they passed; climbMount Suribachi and tear down the Stars and Stripes; and replace it with theRisingSunasaninspirationtoallJapanesetroopsontheisland.General Sendra radioedKuribayashi to seek approval for the attack but the

Generalwas furiousanddeclared it impracticalandstupid.Sendraand Inouyeconsultedanddecidedtogoaheadanyway.Asnightfell,theMarinesofthe23rdand 24th Regiments became aware of increasing activity in the enemy lines.First voices, and after about two hours, a barrage of artillery fire thunderedacrossthefrontlineaslargenumbersofJapanesetroopsbegantoinfiltratetheAmericanlines.Some,probablytheofficers,wieldedsabres,afewhadmachineguns,mosthadriflesandgrenades,andsomeofthesailorscarriedcrudewoodenspears or had demolition charges strapped to their chests. In the chaos thatfollowed, theMarines fired flares and star shells to illuminate the sky as theyshreddedtheonrushingenemywithmachinegunfire,rifles,and60mm(2.36in)mortars.SomeoftheJapaneseworeMarinehelmets,othersshouted“Corpsman”inEnglishand throughout thenightbitterhand-to-handstrugglesandgrenade-throwingcontestseruptedallalongtheline.Themorningrevealedtheextentofthe carnage. A body count showed almost 800 Japanese dead, probably thelargestnumberofcasualtiesthattheysufferedinasingledayandajustificationofGenKuribayashi’s reluctance to sanction theattack.Marinecasualtieswere90deadand257wounded.

D+17March9sawtwomoreMarinesearntheMedalofHonor.NineteenyearoldPfcJamesLaBelleflunghimselfonasplutteringgrenadeanddiedsavingthelivesofhistwocompanions,whileinapushupthewestcoasttowardsKitanoPoint,Lt JackLummussilenced twoenemyemplacementsand then ranaheadofhismenurgingthemforward.Ashedidhesteppedonamineandbothhislegswereblownoff.When thedustanddebris settled,hismenwereamazed to seehimstillstandingonhisbloodystumpswavingthemon.Lummusdiedthatafternooninthe3rdDivisionhospitalfromshockandlossofblood.Thedaysawsteadyifunspectacularprogress.Cushman’sPocketstillbarred

theprogressofthe3rdDivision,andthe4thwerestillconfrontedwith“TurkeyKnob”andtheAmphitheater.

D+18The final breakthrough to the seawas achieved by a 28-man patrol led byLtPaulConnally.As themen swilled their faces in the icywater,mortar roundsbeganfallingamong themand therewasamadscrambleback to thesafetyof

thecliffs.ConnallyhadfilledhiswaterbottlewithseawaterandpasseditbacktohisCO,ColWithers,whointurnsentittoGenErskinewiththemessage“forinspection,notconsumption.”

Withthebattlenowconfinedtothenorthoftheisland,theDivisionalcemeterieswereestablished.The5thDivisioncemeteryisflankedontheleftbythatofthe3rdDivisionandontheright,the4thDivision;MountSuribachiloomsinthedistance.(USMC)

That same night, as theMarines bedded down after another frustrating daywhich saw onlyminor gains on the 4th and 5thDivision fronts, the drone ofhundreds of aircraft was heard as they skirted the east of Iwo Jima. Threehundredandtwenty-fiveB29sfromSaipan,Tinian,andGuamwereheadingforTokyo for the first of Gen Curtis LeMay’s “fire raising” raids. In a dramaticchange in policy, daylight precision bombing had been abandoned in favor of“area bombing”whichhadbeenpracticedby theRAFagainstGermany since1941.Inaspectacularraid thatdestroyedalmostaquarterofTokyoandkilled83,793people,LeMayhadspelledouthis intentions for the futureof the20thAirForce’sassaultagainsttheJapanesemainland.

D+19It was obvious to both sides that, by March 10, the battle was reaching itsclimax. Cushman’s Pocket was proving a tough nut to crack and the“Meatgrinder”and“TurkeyKnob”werestilltobetaken.However,theJapanesewere nearing the end of their endurance as diminishing numbers, chronicshortages of ammunition, food, andwaterwere taking their toll. In the north-westcorneroftheislandGenKuribayashipreparedhisfinalenclave,onewhichwas significantly to be called “Death Valley” by the Marines. Located about500yds (457m) south ofKitano Point, itwas a nightmare of rocks, caves andgullies where the 1,500 remaining troops prepared for the end. The GeneralinformedTokyo:“Theenemy’sbombardmentsareverysevere, so fierce that Icannotexpressorwriteithere.Thetroopsarestillfightingbravelyandholdingtheirpositionsthoroughly.”

D+20–D+36:“GOODBYEFROMIWO”

The Japanese were now confined to three distinct areas: one was Cushman’sPocket,thesecondanareaontheeastcoastbetweenthevillageofHigashiandthe sea, and the other was Death Valley on the north-west coast where GenKuribayashi and the remains of his command were entrenched. Conventionalbattle was abandoned as the infantry slugged it out with a desperate enemy.Tankscouldonlyoperateinthefewareaswherebulldozerscouldclearapathforthem. Artillery fire was reduced dramatically as the front lines merged, andmany gunners found themselves donning combat gear. The heavy elements ofthe Navy departed for Guam, and the Mustangs took over from the carrieraircraftinprovidinggroundsupportwithbombs,rocketsandnapalm.

Thisphotographdramaticallyshowsthetypeofterraininwhichthefinalphaseofthebattlewasfought.Everyrockandbouldercouldhideasniper;tankwarfarewasimpossible;thefightingdescendedintoahand-to-handslogbetweenopposinginfantrymen.(USMC)

PrisonerswererareonIwoJima.AgroupofcuriousMarinesstoptostareatoneofthefewJapanesetakenalive.(NationalArchives)

In a cynicalmove to placate public alarm at themounting casualty figuresreleasedbytheWarDepartment,IwoJimawasdeclared“secure”onMarch14.In a ceremony held in the shadow of Mount Suribachi, Harry Schmidt’spersonnelofficerreadthestatementasanartillerybarragethunderedinthenorthof the island, almost drowning out his words. The irony of the situation wasobvioustoall.Inthenorth-west,the5thDivisionregroupedandre-armedinpreparationfor

the final assault onGenKuribayashi’s headquarters in DeathValley (or “TheGorge” as theMarinemaps labeled it).Meanwhile the 3rd Division fought abloodybattleinCushman’sPocket,slowlygrindingdownthefanaticalremnantsofBaronNishi’scommand.TheBaron,partiallyblindedinthefighting,heldoutuntil theendusingdug-in tanksasartilleryandfighting fromamazeofcavesuntilthePocketfinallyfellsilent.TheBaron’sfateisuncertainashisbodywasneveridentifiedandnoneofhisstaffsurvived.

GeneralSenda,whohaddeclined to takepart in themad“banzai”attackofD+16,was stillholdingout inanareaeastofHigashi.Prisonersestimatedhisstrength at around 300 men, and in an attempt to reduce the carnage, GenErskine arranged for loudspeakers to broadcast to the Japanese to explain thefutility of further resistance. However, the equipment failed to work and hisefforts were in vain. The slaughter continued four more days until the wholegarrisonwereeliminated.ThebodyofGeneralSendawasneverfound.

ThethousandsofJapanesedeadthatwerefoundthroughoutthenorthofIwoJimawerecollectedintractorsandunceremoniouslydumpedinanyconvenientshellholeorpit.(USMC)

With only Death Valley to secure, Harry Schmidt could be forgiven forthinking that thebattlewasall butover.He sadlymisjudgedKuribayashi, andanothertendaysofsavagefightingand1,724casualtieslayahead.DeathValleywasaround700yds (640m) longandbetween300 (274m)and500yds (457m)widewith dozens of canyons and gullies leading off on both sides. In a cavesomewhereinthislabyrinththeGeneralplannedhisfinalstand.Colonel Liversedge’s 28th Regimentmoved up the coast and took up their

positionsonthecliffsoverlookingtheValley,whiletheremainderofthedivisionattacked from the center and from the east. In aweekof attrition theMarinespainfullysqueezedtheJapanesefurtherandfurtherbackuntil,byMarch24,theenemyhadbeenreducedtoanareaofaround50yds(46m)square.Flamethrowertankshadexpendedover10,000gallonsoffuelperdayburningoutcavesandcrevices.Sobadlymauledwas the2ndBattalion that theyceased toexistasafighting force, and the1stBattalionwason its third commander inninedays.

Thefirstwasdecapitated, thesecondmaimedbyamine,and the third losthisleftarmtoaburstofmachinegunfire.Again Gen Erskine tried to persuade the enemy to give up the hopeless

struggle,sendingJapanesePOWsandNisei(JapaneseAmericans)tocontactthedefenders. General Kuribayashi, in radio contact withMajor Horie on ChichiJima, said: “We only laughed at this childish trick and did not set ourselvesagainstthem.”OnMarch17,HoriehadcontactedtheGeneralinforminghimofhispromotiontofullGeneral,andontheeveningofMarch23receivedafinalmessage:“AllofficersandmenofChichiJima,–goodbyefromIwo.”In the pre-dawn darkness of March 26, the final act of the tragedy was

performed.Between200and300JapanesetroopsfromDeathValleyandotherscatteredpositionsonthewestcoastsilentlycreptthroughtheravinesofthe5thDivision sector headed for a tented area between Airfield No. 2 and the seaoccupiedbyamixtureofSeabees,AirForcepersonnel,ShorePartiesandAAGunners.Most of themwere sleeping, secure in the knowledge that the battlewasvirtuallyover.Inathree-prongedattacktheyslashedtents,stabbedsleepingmen, threw grenades, and fired pistols and rifles at the hapless sleepers. Thenoisesoonalertedtroopsfromthesurroundingarea,andMarinesfromanearbyPioneerBattalion,NegrotroopsfromaShoreParty,andsoldiersfromthe147thInfantry joined battle in a frenzy of shooting, punching, kicking and stabbing.Dawn revealed the full extent of the carnage in the ruined encampment: 44Airmanand9Marineslaydeadwithafurther119wounded;oftheattackers262werekilledand18captured.LtHarryMartinofthe5thPioneershadhurriedlyorganizedadefenselineduringtheattackandsingle-handedlykilledfourenemymachinegunnersbeforedyinghimself.HewastobeIwoJima’sfinalMedalofHonorhero,bringingthetotaltoanincredible27.ThecircumstancesofGenKuribayashi’sdeathhavealwaysbeenshroudedin

mystery. Over the years various sources have suggested that he died in thefightingaroundDeathValleyorthathekilledhimselfinhisHQ.Inalettertotheauthor, his son Taro offers the following version,which is probably themoreauthoritative:“ItseemsthatitwasaftersunsetonMarch25tothedawnofthe26ththatsurvivingImperialJapaneseforceswereobligedtostandstillundertheUSonslaughtandshoweringshells.Undersuchcircumstances,hehadhisswordinhislefthandandorderedthechiefstaffofficer,ColTakaishi,whowasbesidehim, ‘Send snipers to shoot’ (Sgt Oyama heard the order.). Oyama, who wasseriouslywoundedinthelastcombat,fellunconscious,washospitalizedbytheUS and after having served as a POW came back and testified the dreadfulaccountofthenighttome.Myfatherhadbelieveditshamefultohavehisbodydiscoveredby theenemyevenafterdeath, sohehadpreviouslyaskedhis two

soldierstocomealongwithhim,oneinfrontandtheotherbehind,withashovelinhand.Incaseofhisdeathhehadwantedthemtoburyhisbodythereandthen.Itseemsthatmyfatherandthesoldierswerekilledbyshells,andhewasburiedat the footofa tree inChidoriVillage,along thebeachnearOsakaMountain.AfterwardsGenSmith spent awhole day looking for his body to pay respectaccordinglyandtoperformaburial,butinvain.”

ThehandsomeanddashingLtCol(Baron)Nishi,commanderofthe26thTankRegiment,wassomethingofalegendinJapan.Hehadwonagoldmedalintheequestrianeventatthe1932OlympicGamesinLosAngeles,andwasamemberofaverywealthyandinfluentialfamilywithlinkstotheEmperor.AroundD+20,inCushman’sPocket,theBaronandtheremainsofhiscommandwereresistingstronglyfromacomplexofcavesasthe5thDivisionbeganthefinalonslaught.Partiallyblinded,theBaronandhismenheldoutforlongerthanmostuntilthePocketfellsilent.Somesaythathewaskilledleadingaraid,othersthathecommittedhara-kiri.Theexactnatureofhisdeathwillneverbeknown.

AmemorialstandsnearthesiteofGeneralKuribayashi’scaveinDeathValley.(TaroKuribayashi)

WhatiswithoutdoubtisthatheprovedtobeJapan’sgreatestwartimegeneralandinHollandSmith’sopinion:“Ourmostredoubtableadversary.”

O

AFTERMATH

peration Detachment was planned and executed in accordance with thenecessitiesofthetime.IwoJimaposedamajorthreattothe20thAirForce’s

campaign against the Japanesemainland and its occupationwas imperative assubsequentstatisticsproved.Atotalof2,251B29Superfortressbombersmadeforcedlandingsontheislandduringandafterthebattle.Thisrepresented24,761crewmenwhowouldotherwisehavehad toditch in the1,300-mileexpanseofoceanbetweenJapanandtheMarianaswithaminimalchanceofsurvival.In an interview with the author, General Paul Tibbets, pilot of the

Superfortress“EnolaGay”whichdroppedtheHiroshimabombsays:“OnMarch4,1945,whenthefirstB29indistresslandedonIwoJima,untiltheendofthewar,morethan2,200aircraftmadeemergencylandingsonIwo.Manywoundedcrewmenonboardwouldnothavemadethereturntriptotheirhomebases.Hadit not been for the heroic valor of theMarines in securing the island and theNavy Seabees who built the runways, more than 22,000 pilots and air crewwouldhaveperishedincrashlandingsatsea.”

TheB29Superfortress“EnolaGay”(namedafterthepilot’smother)withColonelPaulTibbets,itspilot.TheatomicbombingofHiroshimaandNagasakibroughtthewartoanend.FewMarineshaveanyregretsabouttheeventsandconsiderthattheyowetheirlivestothebombings.(PaulTibbets)

The capture of thePhilippine Islands and the invasion ofOkinawa inAprilaccelerated the pace of thewar. The 20thAir Force fire raising raids and thedropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended it, and theislandofIwoJima,securedataterriblecostinMarinelives,playedamajorroleintheseevents.Sincetheendof thewarmanyrevisionistshavecondemnedthedroppingof

the atomic bombs as acts of terrorism against helpless civilians; few haveconsidered the alternative. Operation Downfall, the invasion of the JapanesemainlandbytheMarineCorpsandtheUSArmy,wasalreadyplannedandfilledthe Government, Army, and USMC with foreboding. Knowing the ethos offanatical commitment toEmperor and country thatwas prevalent at that time,and drawing from experience gleaned at Saipan, Iwo Jima, andOkinawa, themilitaryknewthateverybeach,town,village,andfieldwouldbedefendedtothedeathbyboththearmedforcesandthecivilianpopulation.

Japan still had 2,350,000 regular troops, 250,000 garrison troops, 7,000aircraft, 4,000,000 employees of the armed services and 23,000,000 men,women,boysandgirlssworntofighttothedeath.Addingthekamikazesandtheremnantsofthenavyprovidedtheingredientsforabloodbaththatwouldmakeprevious battles pale into insignificance. The Joint Chiefs were expecting 70percent casualties in the landing force and thewarwas projected to last until1946 or even 1947. Troops, ships, and aircraft (Tiger Force)were already ontheirwayfromtheEuropeantheaterwhenthewarended.Theauthor,whohascorresponded and talked to hundreds ofMarine veterans, has yet tomeet onewhodoesnotconsiderthatheoweshislifetothedroppingofthosebombs.

W

IWOJIMATODAY

ith the exception of Pearl Harbor on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, themajorityof thePacificWorldWar II battlefields are remote, anddifficult

andexpensivetovisit.InthecaseofIwoJimaitisalmostimpossible.

Evidenceofthebattleremainsaroundthiscaveentrancewiththemassofbulletholes.(TaroKuribayashi)

After thewar theUSAir Forcemaintained a base on the island for twentyyears and a US Coast Guard contingent remained until 1968 to operate theLORAN(LongRangeAid toNavigation)stationsituatednearKitanoPoint inthenorth.Thistokenpresencevanishedin1993whentheislandwasturnedovertotheJapaneseMaritimeSafetyAgencyandIwoJimawasreturnedtoJapanesejurisdictionandisnowagovernment installationandanationalwarmemorial.Withnovisitorfacilitiesorcivilianairporttheonlyaccessforwesternersisviathe annual one-day trips, organizedbyMarineCorpsoriented tour companies,whicharealmostexclusivelyallocatedtoIwoJimaveterans.All American dead were removed prior to the handover and re-interred in

either thePunchbowlCemetery inHawaiior returned to theUnitedStates.NosuchservicecouldbeprovidedfortheJapanesedeadmostofwhomwereeitherburiedinmassgravesorsealedincavesandtunnelsduringthebattle.Formany

years groups of “bone diggers” from Japan, led by Tsuenzo Wachi, formerImperial Navy Captain and one time commander on Iwo Jima, returned torecovertheremainsofthegarrison.Theislandnowbears littleresemblancetothewartimebattlefield.Thethree

airfields havebeen replacedbyonehugenorth to south runwaywith adjacenthangers and living quarters. Once-familiar locations like Cushman’s Pocket,Nishi Ridge, the Quarry, the “Meatgrinder” and Motoyama Village havevanishedunderthebulldozer,andMountSuribachiisstuddedwithmonuments.Only the landingbeacheswith their familiar black ash are tangible reminders,fortheveteranswhomaketheirpilgrimages,ofthecarnagethattookplaceheremorethanhalfacenturyago.

CHRONOLOGY

1941December7 JapaneseattackPearlHarbor.USdeclareswaronJapan.December8 JapaneseassaultPhilippines,HongKong,MalayaandWakeIsland.December11 GermanyandItalydeclarewarontheUnitedStates.

1942February15 SingaporefallstoGenYamashita.March12 GeneralMacArthurleavesPhilippinesvowing“Ishallreturn.”May6 AllUSforcesinPhilippinessurrender.May7 BattleoftheCoralSea–firstJapanesesetbackofthewar.June4–7 BattleofMidway–Japaneselosefourcarriers;turningpointofthePacific

War.August7 USMarineslandonGuadalcanalinSolomonIslands.

1943February1 AllJapanesetroopsevacuateGuadalcanal.June30 OperationCartwheel–operationsagainstremainderofSolomonIslands.November20-23 BattleofTarawa–startofMarines“islandhopping”operations.

1944February2 MarinesassaultKwajaleininMarshallIslands.June11 USTaskForce58bombardsMarianaIslands.June15 InvasionofMarianasbeginsatSaipan.June19 BattleofthePhilippineSea–destructionofJapanesenavalairpower.August8 IslandofGuaminMarianasoccupied.September15 1stMarineDivisionassaultPeleliuinPalauIslands.October20 USArmyunderMacArthurlandonLeyteinPhilippines.November27 B29SuperfortressbombersfirebombTokyo.

1945

February19 ThreeMarinedivisionsassaultIwoJima.March26-June30 BattleofOkinawa.August6 AtomicbombdroppedonHiroshima.September2 JapanesesurrenderaboardUSSMissouriinTokyoBay.

SELECTBIBLIOGRAPHY

Alexander,ColJosephClosingIn–MarinesintheSeizureofIwoJima,MarineCorpsHistoricalCenter(Washington,DC,1994)

Alexander,ColJosephAFellowshipofValor,HarperCollins(NewYork,1997)Bartley,LtColWhitmanSIwoJima,AmphibiousEpic,USMCOfficialHistory1954.ReprintedbyBatteryPress(Nashville,Tennessee,1988)

Lane,JohnThisHereisGCompany,BrightLightsPublications(GreatNeck,NY,1997)Newcomb,RichardFIwoJima,Holt,Rinehart&Winston(NewYork,1965)Ross,BillDIwoJima–LegacyofValor,RandomHouse(NewYork,1985)Vat,DanvanderThePacificCampaign,Simon&Schuster(NewYork,1991)WaterhouseColCharlesMarinesandOthers,SeaBagProductions(Edison,NJ,1994)Wells,JohnKeithGiveMe50MarinesNotAfraidtoDie,QualityPublications(1995)Wheeler,RichardIwo,Lippincott&Crowell(NewYork,1980)Wright,DerrickTheBattleforIwoJima1945,SuttonPublishing,(Slough,Glos.,1999)

APPENDICES

APPENDIXNO.1

USCOMMANDANDSTAFFLIST

ExpeditionaryTroops(TF56)CommandingGeneral LtGenHollandM.Smith

VAmphibiousCorps(VACLF)CommandingGeneral MajGenHarrySchmidt

3rdMarineDivisionCommandingGeneral MajGenGravesB.Erskine

3rdRegiment ColJamesA.Stuart

(ThisregimentdidnotlandonIwoJimaanddidnotactivelyparticipateinthatoperation.The3rdReg.remainedintheareaasExTrpPacReserveuntilMarch5,1945,whenitreturnedtoGuam.)

9thRegiment ColHowardN.Kenyon1stBattalion LtColCaryA.Randell2nd“ LtColRobertE.Cushman3rd“ LtColHaroldC.Boehm

21stRegiment ColHartnollJWithers1stBattalion LtColMarloweWilliams2nd“ LtColLowellE.English3rd“ LtColWendellH.Duplantis

4thMarineDivision

CommandingGeneral MajGenCliftonB.Cates

23rdRegiment ColWalterW.Wensinger1stBattalion LtColRalphHaas2nd“ MajRobertH.Davidson3rd“ MajJamesS.Scales

24thRegiment ColWalterI.Jordan1stBattalion MajPaulS.Treitel2nd“ LtColRichardRothwell3rd“ LtColAlexanderA.Vandegrift,Jr.

25thRegiment ColJohnR.Lanigan1stBattalion LtColHollisU.Mustain2nd“ LtColLewisC.Hudson,Jr.3rd“ LtColJusticeM.Chambers

5thMarineDivisionCommandingGeneral MajGenKellerE.Rockey

26thRegiment. ColChesterB.Graham1stBattalion. LtColDanielC.Pollock2nd“ LtColJosephP.Sayers3rd“ LtColTomM.Trotti

27thRegiment. ColThomasA.Wornham1stBattalion. LtColJohnA.Butler2nd“ MajJohnW.Antonelli3rd“ LtColDonnJ.Robertson

28thRegiment. ColHarryB.Liversedge1stBattalion. LtColJacksonB.Butterfield2nd“ LtColChandlerW.Johnson3rd“ LtColCharlesE.Shepard,Jr.

OfthebattalioncommanderswholandedonD-Day,onlysevenremainedunwoundedandincommandattheendofthebattle.

USTaskForceOrganizationOverallCommandofIwoJimaOperation AdmRaymondA.SpruanceTaskForce51(JointExpeditionaryForce) V/AdmRichmondK.TurnerTaskForce52(AmphibiousSupportForce) R/AdmWilliamH.P.BlandyTaskForce53(AttackForce) R/AdmHarryW.HillTaskForce54(Gunfire&CoveringForce) R/AdmBertramJ.RogersTaskForce56(ExpeditionaryTroops) LtGenHollandM.SmithTaskGroup56-1(LandingForce) MajGenHarrySchmidtTaskForce58(FastCarrierForce–5thFleet) V/AdmMarcA.MitscherTaskForce93(StrategicAirForce–PacificOceanArea)

LtGenHillardF.Harmon

TaskForce94(ForwardArea–CentralPacific) V/AdmJohnH.Hoover

AerialviewofMountSuribachifromthewestinMarch,2000.(TaroKuribayashi)

APPENDIXNO.2

JAPANESECOMMANDANDSTAFFLIST

CommanderinChief LtGenTadamichiKuribayashiChiefofStaff ColTadashiTakaishi

ARMYUNITS

109thDivision LtGenTadamichiKuribayashi145thInfantryRegiment ColMasuoIkeda17thMixedInfantryRegiment MajTamachiFujiwara26thTankRegiment LtCol(Baron)TakeichiNishi2ndMixedBrigade MajGenSadasueSendaBrigadeArtillery ColChosakuKaidoArmyRocketUnit CaptYoshioYokoyama

NAVYUNITS

CommandingOfficer R/AdmToshinosukeIchimaruNavalGuardForce CaptSamajiInouye125thNavalAnti-AircraftDefenseUnit LtTamura132ndNavalAnti-AircraftDefenseUnit EnOkumura141stNavalAnti-AircraftDefenseUnit LtDoi149thNavalAnti-AircraftDefenseUnit NotknownOperations. CommTakejiMaseCommunications LtCommShigeruAriokaEngineering LtCommNarimasaOkadaSupply LtCommOkazakiSuribachiCommander CaptKanehikoAtsuchi

TotalnumberofJapaneseforcesonIwoJima–February19,1945(D-Day).–21060.

AssociatedPressphotographerJoeRosenthalwithhisSpeedGraphiccamerastandsatopMountSuribachiminutesaftertakingthepicturethatwastomakehimfamous.(USMC)

APPENDIXNO.3FLAGSOVERSURIBACHITheSecondWorldWarproducedmanyoutstandingphotographs–CecilBeaton’spictureofthedomeofStPaul’sCathedralsurroundedbyaringoffireduringtheLondonBlitz,themushroomcloudoverHiroshima,GenDouglasMacArthurwadingashoreinthePhilippines,andthehorrificpitsfullofemaciatedbodiesatBelsenconcentrationcamptonameafew–butnoneofthemachievedthefameofJoeRosenthal’spictureofUSMarinesraisingtheflagonthesummitofMountSuribachi.

PvtRobertCampbelltookthisphotographofthefirstflagbeingloweredasthesecondflagwasraised.RosenthalandGenaustwerestandingafewyardstohisleft.(USMC)

WhenitwasfirstseeninAmericaitbecameaninstantsensationandlentitselftoanissueofthree-centstampsthathadthelargestsaleinhistory.Apaintingwasusedforthe7thWarloandrivethatraised$220,000,000,itappearedon3,500,000posters,and175,000carcards,wasportrayedinfilms,re-enactedbygymnasts,andafloatwonfirstprizeintheRoseBowlParade.Thegreatestaccoladewasthe100-tonbronzestatuebyFelixdeWeldonthatstandsnearthenorthernendofArlingtonNationalCemeteryinWashington,DC,asamemorialtotheUnitedStatesMarineCorps.Becauseofitsoutstandingcompositionandthefactthatitwasthesecondflagtoberaisedthatday,there

hasalwaysbeenspeculationthatthepicturewasposed,aviewcompoundedbymanybooksandmagazinearticlesovertheyears.Incorrespondencewiththeauthor,JoeRosenthalgivesthetruestoryoftheeventsofthatdayandclearsupthemisconceptionsforgood.OntheFebruary23,JoeboardedanICTalongwithBillHippie,amagazinecorrespondent,andlanded

nearMountSuribachiwheretheboatswaintoldthemthatapatrolwasgoingupSuribachiwithaflag.Theywenttothe28thRegimentcommandpostandlearnedthata40-mandetachmenthadalreadyleftfollowingtwopatrolsthathadreachedthetopat0940hrs.AtthecommandpostwereBobCampbell,acombatphotographer,andSgtBillGenaust,acinephotographer(killedninedayslateratHill362);andRosenthal,GenaustandCampbellstartedthetoughclimb,stoppingoccasionallywhileMarinesdealtwithenemytroopsholedupincaves.AbouthalfwayuptheymetfourMarinescomingdown.OnewasLouLowery,aphotographerfor

Leatherneck,theMarineCorpsmagazine,whotoldthemthataflaghadbeenraisedonthesummitandthathehadphotographedtheevent.Joewasintwomindswhethertocontinuebutdecidedtopressonandtakeapictureanyway.Reachingthetopofthevolcano,hesawtheflagflyingandalsosawagroupofmen

draggingalongironpipeandholdinganotherneatlyfoldedflag.“Whatareyoudoing?”heasked.“We’regoingtoputupthisbiggerflagandkeeptheotherasasouvenir,”theysaid.ThissecondflagcamefromIST779whichwasbeachedatthebaseofSuribachi.EnsignAlanWoodwhowasaboardtoldtheauthor:“Adirty,dusty,battle-wornMarine(2ndLtAlbertTuttle)askedforaflag.ItwasonethathadbeensalvagedfromasupplydepotatPearlHarbor.Ihadn’ttheslightestideathatonedayitwouldbecomethesymbolofoneofthewar’sbloodiestbattlefields.”Rosenthaltoyedwiththeideaofashotshowingthefirstflagcomingdownandthesecondonegoingup,

butleftthattoCampbellandconcentratedonapictureofthesecondflagbeingraised.Hemovedbackbuttheslopinggroundmaskedhisviewandhehadtobuildaplatformofsandbagsandstones(heisonly5ft5intall).WithGenauststandingonhisright,hesawthemenstarttoraisetheflagandshouted,“Thereshegoes,”andswunghiscameraandcaughtthescene.HealsotookpicturesofagroupofMarinesundertheflagwavingandcheeringbeforeheandCampbellmadetheirwaybacktothe28thRegimentcommandpost.

JoeRosenthalassembledagroupofMarinesforaposedshotaftertakinghisfamousflagraisingpicture.Itwasthisthatwastostarttherumoursthathisfamouspicturewas“posed.”(USMC)

BackontheUSSEldorado,hewrotecaptionsfortheday’spicturesandhandedthemintogoonthedailymailplanetoGuam.WhenhispicturereachedtheUnitedStatesviaradiophotoitwasanimmediatesensation.Ironically,JoewasnottoseeitforanotherninedayswhenhereturnedtoGuamwherehewascongratulatedbyagroupofcorrespondents.“It’sagreatpicture,”theysaid.“Didyouposeit?”“Sure,”hesaid–hethoughtthattheywerereferringtotheshotwiththewavingandcheeringMarines,butthensomeoneshowedhimthepicture.“Posethatone?”“Gee,”Isaid.“That’sgoodalright,butIdidn’tposethatone.”Itwasherethatthefirstmisunderstandingsaboutthepicturestarted.SomeoneheardhimsaythathehadposedapictureandwrotethattheshotwasaphoneyandthatRosenthalhadposedit.JoeRosenthal’slifewascompletelychangedbythatphoto.HewasrecalledtoAmericabyAssociated

Presswherehebecameacelebrity,gotaraiseinsalary,wasawardedthePulitzerPrize,andmetPresidentHarryTruman.Speakingengagementsfollowed,atoneofwhichhewasbizarrelyintroducedas“Mr.JoeRosenbergwhoraisedtheflagatOkinawa.”Theaccusationsofaposedphotographhavebeenasorepointsincetheendofthewarastheold

misconceptionscontinuedtore-appearinbooksandmagazinesovertheyears.The“posed”mythiseasilydiscountedbylookingatBillGenaust’sfive-secondcinefilmtakenatthesametimewhichshowsoneframeidenticaltoRosenthal’sphotograph.JoeRosenthal’sfinalwordsonthesubjectare:“IcanbestsumupwhatIfeelbysayingthatofalltheelementsthatwentintothemakingofthispicture,thepartIplayedwastheleastimportant.Togetthatflagupthere,America’sfightingmenhadtodieonthatislandandonotherislands,andofftheshore,andintheair.Whatdifferencedoesitmakewhotookthepicture?Itookit,buttheMarinestookIwoJima.”Thesixflagraisersinthepictureareallnowdeceased.Theywerefromlefttoright:PfcIraHayes,Pfc

FranklinSousley,SgtMichaelStrank,Pharmacist’sMate2ndClassJohnH.Bradley,PfcReneA.GagnonandCplHarlonH.Block(Sousley,StrankandBlockwereallkilledonIwoJima).BothflagsnowhangintheMarineCorpsHistoricalCenterinWashington,DC.

APPENDIXNO.4THEMARINECORPSMEMORIALDirectlyinspiredbyJoeRosenthal’sfamousIwoJimaphotograph,aMemorialtotheUnitedStatesMarineCorpswaserectedatArlingtonNationalCemeteryinWashington,DC,in1954.Thesculptor,FelixdeWeldon,chosetheIwoJimaimageastheMarineCorpssymbolmostfamiliartotheAmericanpublicalthoughtheMemorialofcourserepresentsthenation’stributetothedeadoftheCorpssinceitsformationin1775.Threeyearsinthemaking,thefiguresare32fthighandstandonaSwedishgranitebasesurroundedbypolishedblackgraniteblockslistingthenamesanddatesofallmajorMarineCorpsengagementssincetheCorpswasfounded.AlsoengravedonthebaseisAdmChesterNimitz’sfamoustributetotheMarinesofIwoJima:“UncommonValorwasaCommonVirtue.”

This100-tonbronzestatuedesignedbyFelixdeWeldonisthememorialtotheUnitedStatesMarineCorpsatArlingtonNationalCemeteryinWashington,DC.(USMC)

TheMemorialwasofficialdedicatedonNovember10,1954,byPresidentDwightD.Eisenhower,accompaniedbyVicePresidentRichardNixonandthethenCommandantoftheMarineCorps,GenLemuelC.Shepherd,Jr.AlsopresentattheceremonywerethethreesurvivingflagraisersfromRosenthal’spicture,JohnH.Bradley,IraHayesandReneA.Gagnon.Surprisingly,Rosenthal’snamewasnotmentionedonthemonumentanditwasmanyyearsbeforeitwasacknowledgedthatthestatuewasbasedonhisphotographandaplaquewasaddedtothebase.Pharmacist’sMate2ndClassJohnH.Bradley(USNavy)seldomspokeofhispartintheflagraising,

eventohisfamily,andlivedaquietpost-warlifeinhishometownofAntigo,Wisconsin.ThelongestsurvivingmemberofthesixwhoraisedthesecondflagonMountSuribachi,hediedaged70inJanuary1994.CorporalIraH.Hayes,aPimaIndianfromtheGilaRiverReservationinArizona,enlistedintheCorpsin

1942asamemberoftheParachuteRegiment.Whenthisunitwasdisbandedin1944hewastransferredtothe5thDivisionwithwhichheservedatIwoJima.OrderedbacktotheUSaftertheflagraisingtopromoteaWarBondsellingtour,hefoundthepublicityoverwhelmingandwelcomedthereturntohisunit.Inlaterlifehehadmajorproblemswithalcoholismanddiedaged32in1955andisburiedinArlingtonNational

Cemetery.ReneGagnon,a5thDivisionMarine,wasalsoco-optedtotheTreasuryDepartmenttopromotethe7th

WarLoanDriveand,afterhereturnedtohisunit,servedwiththeoccupationforcesinChinauntilhisdischargein1946.Hediedin1979andwasburiedinManchester,NewHampshire.In1981attherequestofhiswidowhewasre-interredinArlingtonCemetery.

AerialpictureoftheMarineCorpsMemorialonthedayofthededicationceremony,November10,1954.TheceremonywasconductedbyPresidentDwightD.EisenhoweraccompaniedbyVicePresidentRichardNixonandthethenCommandantoftheMarineCorps,GeneralLemuelC.Shepherd,Jr.(USMC)

TheMemorialbordersthenorthernendofArlingtonNationalCemetery.Thecastingsstand32fthighandthebronzeflagpoleis60ftinlength.Theoverallheightofthememorialis78ft.(USMC)

AllthreesurvivorshadposedfordeWeldonwhomodeledtheirfacesinclay.Photographsofthedeceasedflagraiserswereusedtodepicttheirlikenesses.ThecastingsofthefigurestookalmostthreeyearstocompleteandweremadeattheBedi-RassyArtFoundryinBrooklyn,NewYork.TheMonumentwasfundedbyUSMarines,Reservists,friendsoftheMarineCorpsandmembersofthe

NavalServiceatacostof$850,000–nopublicfundswereused.NowoneofWashington’smajortouristattractionsandcertainlythemoststrikingWarMemorialinthecapital,themonumenthasstoodforoverfourdecadesintributetotheCorps.AmajorcontroversyaroserecentlywhentheUSAirForceattemptedtosecureanareaneartheMemorial

fortheirownmonument.ItwasrightlyjudgedthatanotherlargestructuresoclosetothisonewouldbeobtrusiveanddetractfromtheMarineCorpsMemorial.Aftermuchinter-serviceandpoliticalin-fighting,theAirForcewereobligedtofindalocationelsewhereontheArlingtonsite.

Thethreesurvivingflagraiserswereinvitedtotheceremony.Theyare,fromlefttoright,JohnH.Bradley,IraHayesandReneA.Gagnon.Allarenowdeceased.(USMC)

APPENDIXNO.5THEMEDALOFHONOR–UNCOMMONVALORTheUnitedStates’highestdecoration,theMedalofHonor,wasawardedto27combatantsatIwoJima,afigurethatrepresentsathirdofthetotalnumberofawardstomembersoftheUnitedStatesMarineCorpsduringthewholeofWorldWarII.AdmiralChesterNimitz’swords:“AmongtheAmericanswhoservedonIwoJima,uncommonvalorwasacommonvirtue,”couldnothavebeenmoreappropriate.

CplCHARLESJ.BERRY–1stBattalion26thRegiment5thDivision(Posthumous)OnthenightofMarch3,BerryandtwootherriflemenwereinafoxholeclosetoNishiRidge.AgroupofJapanesemadeaninfiltrationandlobbedahandgrenadeintothefoxholewhereuponBerryimmediatelythrewhimselfontoitandwaskilledinstantly,savingthelivesofhiscomrades.

PfcWILLIAMCADDY–3rdBattalion26thRegiment5thDivision(Posthumous)NorthofAirfieldNo.3,aJapanesesniperhadCaddyandhistwocompanionspinneddownfortwohoursinashellhole.Around1600hrsoneoftheMarinesscrambledtotheedgeoftheholetotrytolocatetheenemybutwasspotted.Thesniperthrewahandgrenade,andCaddythrewhimselfontoitandtookthefullblastinhischestandstomach,dyingimmediately.

LtColJUSTICEM.CHAMBERS–3rdBattalion25thRegiment4thDivisionAt38,“Jumpin’Joe”Chamberswasoneoftheoldmenofthebattle.Determinedtotake“CharlieDogRidge,”hecalledinasalvoofrocketsandrushedtotheheadofhismeninawildchargetowardsthesummit,butwashitinthechestbyaburstofmachinegunfireandwasdraggedbacktohisobservationpost.AfteralongconvalescenceinAmericahereceivedhismedalfromPresidentTrumanattheWhiteHouse.

ThisdramaticshotfromtherearofalandingcraftshowsthechaosintowhichtheMarinesweredeposited–volcanicashuptotheirankles,enemypillboxesandbunkersstraightahead,andmoretroopsarrivingeveryfiveminutes.(NationalArchives)

Onthefourthdayofthebattlethe21stRegimentwerefacedwithastubborncomplexofbunkersandanti-tankgunsadjoiningAirfieldNo2inthecenteroftheisland.MajHousercalledupon21-year-oldCplHershelWilliams,thelastofhisflamethrowers,togoforwardescortedbyriflemen.Withcompletedisregardforhisownsafety,Williamsmovedfromonepositiontoanother,burningoutbunkersandstrongpoints,untilthewayaheadhadbeencleared.Hewasthefirst3rdDivisionMarineonIwoJimatobeawardedtheMedalofHonor.

SgtDARRELLS.COLE–1stBattalion23rdRegiment4thDivision(Posthumous)StormingthebeachesonD-Day,Cole’splatooncameunderveryheavyfirefrompillboxesonYellowBeaches1and2.Armedwithhandgrenadesanda.45calpistolhesilencedsixpositions,returningtohislinestwiceformoreammunitionbeforebeingkilledbyanenemygrenadethatexplodedathisfeet.

CaptROBERTH.DUNLAP–1stBattalion26thRegiment5thDivisionDunlap’scompanywerepinneddownnearAirfieldNo.1underahailofmortarfire.Grabbingafieldtelephoneheadvancedtoanisolatedpositiononly50yds(46m)fromtheenemyandforthenext48hourscalledindevastatingfireontheJapanesepositionsfromvariousdirections,playingasignificantroleinclearingthewesternsectionoftheisland.

SgtROSSF.GRAY–1stBattalion25thRegiment4thDivisionWhenhisplatoonbecameboggeddowninfightingaroundAirfieldNo.2,Graygrabbedasatchelchargeandsilencedthenearestemplacement.Inshortorderherepeatedtheprocessuntilallsixadjacentpositionslaysilentandthewaywasclearforanadvance.LaterinthedayGrayclearedapaththroughadangerousminefieldsingle-handedly.

SgtWILLIAMG.HARRELL–1stBattalion28thRegiment5thDivisionManningafrontlinefoxholenearNishiRidge,SgtHarrellandPfcCarterwereattackedbynighttimeinfiltrators.FourofthemwereswiftlydisposedofbeforeahandgrenadewasthrownintothepositionandalmostblewoffHarrell’slefthandandcausedotherseriousinjuries.Carter’sgunhadjammedandhelefttogetanother.MeanwhiletwomoreJapanesechargedintothefoxhole,oneplacedagrenadenexttoHarrellandattemptedtoleave.Harrellshothimwithhispistolandlobbedthegrenadeout,butitexplodedblowingoffhisrighthand.Theindomitablesergeantwasevacuatednextmorningandafterthewar,withtheaidofmechanicalhands,becamearancherinhisnativeTexas.

LtRUFUSG.HERRING–USNRLGI(G)449ThefirstofIwoJima’smedalwinners,HerringwasthecaptainofGunboat449whichwaslayingdownacarpetofrocketsinsupportoffrogmentwodaysbeforeD-Day.AdirecthitfromJapaneseartillerykilled12ofthecrewandseriouslywoundedHerring.BleedingprofuselyhestruggledforthirtyminutestosteerhisvesselandwoundedcrewawayfromtheenemybarrageandalongsidethedestroyedUSSTerror,remainingproppedupbyemptyshellcasesuntilallofhismenhadbeenevacuated.

PfcDOUGLAST.JACOBSON–3rdBattalion23rdRegiment4thDivisionBattlingtotakeHill382,19yearoldJacobsonseizedabazookaandbegantowagehisownwarontheenemy.Forthirtyminutesheranfromblockhousetoblockhouse,blastingeachoneinturnuntilsixteenpositionsfellsilentand75oftheenemylaydead,openingupagapforhiscompanytoreachthetopofthehill.Usingabazookaisatwo-manoperation,butJacobsonachievedhisremarkablefeatalone.

ThetwelveLCIgunboatssupportingtheactivitiesoftheNavyfrogmencameinforlethalenemygunfire.Madelargelyofwood,thefrailcraftwereeasytargetsforJapanesegunnerswhohadhadmonthstopractice.Hereacrewmanliesdeadamongthespentammunitiononthevessel.(USNavy)

Mr.TaroKuribayashi,sonoftheJapanesecommanderofIwoJima,standsbesidethe5thDivisionmemorial.Mr.Kuribayashiisafrequent

visitortotheislandandactivelypromotesAmerican–Japanesereconciliation.(TaroKuribayashi)

DouglasJacobson,seenhereatanIwoJimareunioninWichitaFalls,Texas,inMarch,2000,proudlydisplayshisMedalofHonor.(Author)

SgtJOSEPHR.JULIAN–1stBattalion27thRegiment5thDivision(Posthumous)InviciousfightingaroundKitanoPointonthe18thdayofthebattle,Juliansilencedfourenemyemplacementsandamachinegunnest.Dashingbacktohislineshecollecteddemolitionchargesandabazookaandoncemorechargedtheenemy,thistimedestroyingfourmorestrongpointsbeforebeingkilledbyaburstofmachinegunfire.

PfcJAMESD.LaBELLE–2ndBattalion27thRegiment5thDivision(Posthumous)ItseemsthatLaBellewasdestinedtodieonIwoJima.OnD-Dayhemisseddeathbyincheswhenthreecompanionsweremowndownbymachinegunfire;threedayslaterhewastheonlyoneunhurtwhenagrenadelandedinashellholehewassharingwithfourotherMarines;andondaytenhisbestfrienddiedathissidenearNishiRidge.Whiletheywerestandingbehindanoutcropofboulderswithtwofriends,asolitaryJapanesesoldierlobbedagrenadeintotheirmidst.Shoutingawarning,Labellethrewhimselfonthegrenadesavingthelivesoftheothers.

2ndLtJOHNH.LEIMS–1stBattalion9thRegiment3rdDivisionAttackingHill362C,eastofCushman’sPocket,Leimsandhiscompanywerecutoff.Hepersonallyadvancedandlaidtelephonelinesacrossanexposedexpanseoffire-sweptterrain.Later,learningthatseveralcasualtieswerestillbehindenemylines,hemadetwotripsunderheavyfiretobringbackhiswounded.

PfcJACKLYNH.LUCAS–1stBattalion26thRegiment5thDivisionAbornrebel,LucashadenlistedintheCorpswhenhewasonly14;nowat17hewaswantedbythe

MilitaryPoliceinHawaiiforbeingAWOL.OnD+1nearAirfieldNo.1hewasoneofthreemenpinneddownbyenemyfire.Whengrenadesfellamongthemhegrabbedoneandsmothereditwithhisbodyandthengrabbedasecondandpulleditunderneathhim.Miraculouslyhesurvivedtheblastsandafterspendingmonthsinhospitalrecoveredwithonlyapartiallyparalysedarm.

1stLtJACKLUMMUS–2ndBattalion27thRegiment5thDivision(Posthumous)DeterminedtokeepupthemomentumwhileattackingacomplexofenemycavesandbunkersnearKitanoPoint,Lummus,a29yearoldex-professionalfootballstarfromTexas,spearheadedanattackandwassoonblowntothegroundbyagrenade.Jumpingtohisfeet,heattackedthepositiontohisfrontkillingtheoccupants.Wavinghismenforwardforanothercharge,hesteppedonamineandbothlegswereblownoff.Asthedebrissettled,hismenwerehorrifiedtoseehimuprightonhisstumpsstillurgingthemforward.Hediedseveralhourslaterinafieldhospital

1stLtHARRYL.MARTIN–5thPioneerBattalion(Posthumous)BeforedawnontheMarch26,between200and300Japanesetroops,theremnantsofGenKuribayashi’scommand,launchedamassedattackagainstarestareaoccupiedbyaircrews,Seabeesandothernon-combattroopswestofAirfieldNo.2.MartinimmediatelyformedadefenselinemannedmainlybyBlacktroopsandheldmanyoftheenemyincheck.Herecoveredanumberofwoundedandattackedamachinegunpositionkillingfouroftheenemybeforebeingseriouslywoundedbyagrenade.Asdawnrevealedthecarnage,thebodyofMartinwasrecoveredfromamongthehundredsstrewnaroundthecamp.

Herschel“Woody”WilliamsstillattendsIwoJimareunionsandisoneofthediminishingnumberofIwoJimaMedalofHonorrecipients.(Author)

CaptJOSEPHJ.McCARTHY–2ndBattalion24thRegiment4thDivisionAnother“Jumpin’Joe”,33yearoldMcCarthy,rallyinghismenontheapproachtoAirfieldNo.2,filledbagswithgrenades,musteredathree-manflamethrowerteam,andheadedfortheenemyyelling:“Let’sgetthebastardsbeforetheygetus.”Thrustinggrenadesthroughthefiringvents,hepersonallysilencedfourpillboxesallowinghiscompanytoadvance.

PvtGEORGEPHILLIPS–2ndBattalion28thRegiment5thDivision.(Posthumous)OntheverydaythatIwoJimawasofficiallydeclared“secure,”PfcPhillips,an18yearoldreplacementwhohadonlylandedontheislandtwodaysearlier,threwhimselfontoagrenadeanddiedinstantly,saving

thelivesofthethreecompanionsthathebarelyknew.

Pharmacist’sMate1stClassFRANCISPIERCE,Jr.–2ndBattalion24thRegiment4thDivisionCorpsmanPierceandapartyofstretcher-bearerswereambushedwhileevacuatingwoundedonMarch15.HeengagedtheenemywithriflefireandcarriedawoundedMarinetosafety,returningforanotherwhileunderconstantfirefromJapanesesnipers.Badlywoundedthefollowingday,herefusedaidandcontinuedtoministertocasualtiesuntilhecollapsed.Pierce’sactionsweretypicalofIwoJima’sCorpsmen,andshowwhytheywereheldinsuchhighregardbytheMarines.

PfcDONALDJ.RUHL–2ndBattalion28thRegiment5thDivision(Posthumous)21yearoldRuhlshowedconspicuousgallantryfromthedaythathelandedonIwoJima.OnD-Dayhekillednineoftheenemywhilechargingablockhouse.ThefollowingmorninghedraggedawoundedMarinetosafetyacross40yds(37m)ofgroundsweptbyheavyfireandlateroccupiedanenemygunemplacementandsecureditovernighttopreventtheenemyfromre-occupyingit.HemethisdeathonD+2whenheandhisplatoonsergeantwereinacamouflagedbunkerbringingfiretobearontheenemy.Agrenadelandedbetweenthepair,andwithoutathoughtforhisownsafetyhethrewhimselfuponittoprotecthiscompanion.

PvtFRANKLINE.SIGLER–2ndBattalion26thRegiment5thDivisionInthefinalstageofthebattleinDeathValley,Siglertookcommandofhisleaderlesssquadandledanattackagainstagunemplacementthatwascausingchaosamongthe2ndBattalion.Inthefaceofmurderousfirehesilencedthepositionwithhandgrenades,killingtheentireenemycrew,butwasseverelywoundedbyfirefromnearbycaves.Continuingtheattack,hesealedseveralcavesbeforewithdrawingtohislines.Refusingmedicaltreatment,hecarriedthreewoundedMarinestosafetyandcontinuedtodirectrocketandmachinegunfireattheenemyuntilorderedtotherearformedicaltreatment.

CplTONYSTEIN–1stBattalion28thRegiment5thDivisionDuringtheadvanceacrosstheislandatthebaseofMountSuribachionD-Day,Stein,armedwithanimprovisedaircraft.50calmachinegunthathecalledhis“stinger,”attackedfiveenemypositionskillingatleast20oftheenemy.Whenhisammunitionranouthemaderepeatedtripstothebeachformore,carryingawoundedmarinebackeachtime.Althoughwoundedbyshrapnel,hecontinuedtofight,supervisingthewithdrawalofhisplatoonalthoughhavinghis“stinger”twiceshotfromhishands.SteinwaskillednearHill362Alaterinthebattle,neverknowingofhiscitation.

GunnerySgtWILLIAMG.WALSH–3rdBattalion27thRegiment5thDivision(Posthumous)DuringtheattackonHill362A,Walshledhisplatoontothesummitinthefaceofheavyenemyfire,buthissuccesswasshortlivedwhentheywereforcedtowithdrawunderdevastatingmachinegunfirefromthreeenemypositions.Undeterred,Walshmountedacounterattack,againreachingthetopwherethesixmeninhissquadtookcoverinatrench.TheJapaneseretaliatedbylobbinghandgrenadesandwhenonefellintheirmidstWalshthrewhimselfuponitanddiedinstantly.

PvtWILSOND.WATSON–2ndBattalion9thRegiment3rdDivisionTwohills,codenamedPeterandOboe,nearAirfieldNo.2wereformidablestumblingblocksforthe3rdDivision.WatsonwasthefirstmanatopHillOboe,havingsilencedabunkerandamachinegunnestontheway.AidedbyonlyoneotherMarine,hestavedoffrepeatedenemyattacksforthirtyminutesuntilreinforcementsarrivedinsupport.Pressingforward,hedestroyedanotherbunkerandwasattackingasecondwhenhewaswoundedbymortarfireandhadtobeevacuatedfortreatment.Intwodayshehadkilledover90oftheenemyandplayedamajorroleinthereductionofthesekeypositions.

Hereseeninthesettingsun,theMemorialisoneofWashington’smoststrikingimagesandaverypopulartouristattraction.(USMC)

Pharmacist’sMate2ndClassGEORGEE.WHALEN–2ndBattalion26thRegiment5thDivisionAnotherofIwo’sgallantCorpsmen,WhalenwaswoundedonFebruary26,butcontinuedtendingtheinjureddespiteintenseenemyfire.WoundedagainonMarch3,herefusedaidandwaswoundedforathirdtimebutcrawledamongthecasualtiestoadministeraiduntilhehadtobecarriedtotherearforurgenttreatment.Whenevacuated,WhalenhadbeentreatingwoundedMarinesnon-stopforfivedaysandnights.

CplHERSHELW.WILLIAMS–1stBattalion21stRegiment3rdDivisionConfrontedwithacomplexofbunkersandanti-tankgunsadjoiningAirfieldNo.2,MajRobertHousercalledupon21yearoldWilliams,thelastofhisflamethrowers.Escortedbyriflemen,heincineratedtheoccupantsofthefirstpillboxandagroupofJapanesetroopswhoattemptedtoshoothimdown.Movingfromonepositiontoanotherheburnedoutbunkersandpillboxesandinfourhourshadclearedthewayforhisregimenttomoveforward.Williamswasthefirst3rdDivisionMarineonIwoJimatowintheMedalofHonor.

Pharmacist’sMate3rdClassJACKWILLIAMS–3rdBattalion28thRegiment5thDivision(Posthumous)Williams,a21-year-oldfromHarrison,Arkansas,addedtotheprestigeofIwo’sCorpsmenonMarch20.UnderheavyfirehewenttoaidawoundedMarine,screeninghimfromenemyfirewithhisownbodywhileattendingtohiswounds.Inevitablyhewaswoundedhimself,receivinggunshotstotheabdomenandgroin,butcontinuedtreatinghispatientbeforeattendingtohisowninjuries.Hethenmovedontoasecondcasualtyandalthoughbleedingprofusely,administeredaidbeforeattemptingtoreturntotherearbutwaskilledbyanenemysniper.

Pharmacist’sMate1stClassJOHNH.WILLIS–3rdBattalion27thRegiment5thDivision(Posthumous)WillishadbeentendingthewoundedalldayaroundHill362onFebruary28untilhewaswoundedbyshrapnelandwasorderedtotherearfortreatment.WithinhourshewasbackwiththetroopsattendingaseriouslywoundedMarineinashellhole.Withhisriflestuckintheground,hewasadministeringplasmawhenagrenaderolleddownbesidehim.Hethrewitout,butsevenmorefollowedinrapidsuccessionandeachwasquicklythrownoutuntilthelastoneexplodedinhishandkillinghiminstantly.

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FirstpublishedinGreatBritainin2001byOspreyPublishing,MidlandHouse,WestWay,Botley,OxfordOX20PH,UK44-0223rdSt,Suite219,LongIslandCity,NY11101,USAE-mail:info@ospreypublishing.com

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Author’sNoteTheauthorwishestothankMr.TaroKuribayashi,sonofthecommanderoftheIwoJimagarrisonLtGenTadamichiKuribayashi,forpermissiontoquotefromhisfatherʼswritingsandforsupplyingphotographsfromthefamilycollection.

ThanksalsotoMr.JoeRosenthalforadefinitiveaccountofthefamousflagraisingonMountSuribachiandtoGeneralPaulTibbetsforinformationandphotograph.

OtherphotographsarefromtheNationalArchivesWashington,DC,USMC,USNavy,USAirForceorascreditedinthetext.

Editor’sNoteManythanksareduetoJimMoranforhisinvaluablehelpinsupplyingreferencesforthebattlescenesandbirdʼs-eye-viewswhichappearinthisbook.

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