Really interesting pictures of WW2 at Iwo Jima

http://picasaweb.google.com ^

[NKP_Vet]

Really interesting pictures of WW2 at Iwo Jima.

[exit82]

Thanks for posting this thread.

We know the history, but to these guys, they were living it one day at a time. And every day was full of danger. The crashed planes are testament to that.

The Banzai charge by the Japs on 3/21/45 on the pilot and crew tents is heartbreaking. Never heard of that before seeing these pictures. Just when you think the island is secure.

That’s why we took very few Jap prisoners in the Pacific. They wanted to die, and we wanted to accommodate them.

By contrast, in the European theater, we took hundreds of thousands of German POW by the end of WW2.

The bulk of our 400,000 KIA in WW2 were killed between D-Day in June, 1944 and V-J day in August, 1945—14 months.

Found a paper in my parents attic from Feb. 1945.

The KIA, WIA, and MIA lists from one county in northern NJ was more than one page long with tiny print in vertical columns.

[353FMG]

Most of all — no f’n muzzies.

[Little Bill]

I had a Platoon Sgt like that. He was working on 30 so he volunteered to VN to round out his career as a First Sleeve.

He enlisted in 1940, served with the 1ST Division in North Africa, Sicily and France, got busted by Patton, a story in itself, while returning to his unit, First Sgt, drunk.

His son was a VN Recon Marine, great guy, loads of stories.

[left that other site]

My dad loved the Panama canal. He took my mom on a cruise through it on the QE2 about 50 years after he went through it right after the War.

[left that other site]

You are right! It DOES! :-)

[CyberAnt]

Oh my gosh! This is so awesome!
Thank you so much. I have saved the site to My Favorites - and I’m sure there will be a little model hanging up very soon.

This is very appreciated.

[Altura Ct.]

Man - check out all those evil white guys. How’s they ever manage without the strength of diversity?

[caww]

Whatever headings are with the photos are those from the site....just so you know ...I couldn’t begin to tell the story or ships and planes one from the other. ;)

[caww]

Oh...just getting back on line so give me a moment to get them going....

[wardaddy]

Did you take these?

...couldn’t resist.

[caww]

In the early morning hours of 26 March 1945 the 21st Fighter Group area was hit by a Japanese "Banzai" attack on Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands. It is estimated that approximately 300 Japanese, the remnant of 3 units, participated in this charge. This is a general view of the 21st Fighter Group Officers' tent area showing Japanese and American dead lying where they fell. After the battle 150 Japanese dead were found in the 21st Group Area.

Services for men killed during a Banzai attack on 21st Fighter Group, VII Fighter Command, are held in the 4th Marine Division Cemetery, Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands. 1 April 1945.

[caww]

CRIPPLED B-29 CRASHES ON IWO JIMA - Returning from a strike over Tokyo, this B-29 of the 21st Bomber Command came into Iwo Jima for an emergency landing. Brakes on the Superfort locked and the huge plane careened into the flight line, plowed through four Mustang fighters, and burst into flames. Two members of the crew were hospitalized for burns, two others suffered minor burns end the remainder escaped unhurt. Men in the foreground crouch behind a jeep to avoid exploding ammunition.

[caww]

1st visible plane is San Antonio Rose; pilot Beaver Kinsel (later KIA). 2nd plane is Skeeter; pilot Joe D. Walker (kia July 20, 1945) This is the day the 45th landed on Iwo. The smoke is from a 78th FS plane that crashed on landing and hit two 45th FS P-51's

[caww]

When a North American P-51 of the 78th FS, 15th Fighter Group came in for a landing at its base on Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands, it slid into the 45th FS P-51 "Foxy" (left) setting it on fire, then nosed over and fell on the wing of another plane (background). Both planes are beyond repair and probably the third one because of the damaged wing. 10 March 1945.

[caww]

A 46th Fighter Squadron P-51 landing on Iwo Jima after a mission. Notice in the sky are two more P-51's in the circuit as well as a circling B-29

[caww]

T/Sgt. Garlan Vaught, 928 Allens Lane, Evansville, Indiana, a tired crew chief on Iwo Jima, takes a nap after finishing work on his Mustang for the next fighter strike against Japan.

[caww]

Jerry Yellin in fornt of his P-51 Mustang "Dorrie R"

[caww]

The new Premier of Japan was ushered in with a bang on 7 April 1945, when for the first time in World War II land based fighters escorted Boeing B-29's over Tokyo. Two hundred B-29's based in the Marianas, and a hundred North American P-51's pulled a one two over industrial Tokyo that brought twenty-one Jap planes tumbling down. Here, the sleek Mustangs have returned from their mission and a crowd gathers to get first-hand information from the pilots. This raid was the climax for which the Marines paid so dearly on Iwo Jima in the Bonin Islands where these fighters are based. James VandeHey’s 78th Fighter Squadron P-51 #100, Jeanne VIII, which was named after his wife.

[caww]

The new Premier of Japan was ushered in with a bang on 7 April 1945, when for the first time in World War II land based fighters escorted Boeing B-29's over Tokyo. Two hundred B-29's based in the Marianas, and a hundred North American P-51's pulled a one two over industrial Tokyo that brought twenty-one Jap planes tumbling down. Here, on 8 April 1945, the day after the raid, Boeing B-29's, North American P-51's and Northrop P-6l's are parked along Number #1 strip on Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands. Mt. Suribachi may be seen in the background. 78th Fighter Squadron

[caww]

Wreckage of Lt. Dahlquist's North American P-51 "Miss Jo III" of the 78th FS, 15th Fighter Group, which cracked-up" at the 7th Air Force base on Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands on 10 March 1945.