[Chainmail]

OK, have it your way, there was nothing special about the battle for Iwo.

Hurtgen Forest - 50 Square miles, 30,000 casualties killed and wounded with some of the difficulty being inexperienced units who fell apart during their first severe combat. Approximately two months until secured.

Saipan - 44.6 Square Miles, 3,225 KIA, 13,061 WIA, approximately one month until secured.

Betio - 3.5 Square miles, 920 KIA, 2,200 WIA, secured after three days.

Iwo Jima - 8 Square miles, 6,000 KIA, 25,000 WIA, approximately one month until secured.

On a per square mile basis, Iwo was the clear worst place on earth in terms of dead and wounded. I'm not sure what is driving your stubborn insistence that "other battles were just as bad" but even though all of the battles you cited were hell on earth, Iwo was still the worst of them all. I encourage you to read more about it.

[oh8eleven]

OK, have it your way, there was nothing special about the battle for Iwo.
Never said that, don't twist my words. Our disagreement is not abut the battles but rather the men who fought them.
You said the bravery on that island was "unparalleled."
I disagreed and said their bravery was no greater than that exhibited by the combatants in other battles.
Buuuuuut, the more I think of it, maybe your right. I think the Korean vets fought with much more bravery than the Vietnam vets.

[jmacusa]

The Hurtgen Forest didn't have any air fields and in truth was a total disaster. It accomplished nothing. Because of the over cast, damp and rainy conditions the Americans couldn't use their air power, artillery was all but useless against dug in, well fortified and well constructed concrete bunkers and they couldn't use their armor as well. The 9th.Inf. Div. and the 30th.Inf. Div. suffered horrendous losses and on December 14, 1944 the Allied High Command called off any further operations. Two days later 0n the 16th. of December the Germans came barreling out of the Ardennes hell bent on splitting the Allied armies in two and reaching the port of Antwerp.