Posted on 03/26/2023 9:07:07 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
The Allied forces suffered 25,000 casualties, with nearly 7,000 dead. Over 1/4 of the Medals of Honor awarded to marines in World War II were given for conduct in the invasion of Iwo Jima.
The island of Iwo Jima was declared conquered by Chester Nimitz on 14 Mar 1945, noting that "all powers of government of the Japanese Empire in these islands are hereby suspended." However, he made the declaration too early, for that fighting had by no means ceased on the island. "Who does the admiral think he's kidding?" yelled Marine Private Bob Campbell. "We're still getting killed!" On 16 Mar, General Schmidt declared the island secure; fighting still did not end by then, but Kuribayashi knew it was approaching the end. On the same day as Schmidt's declaration, Kuribayashi radioed Tokyo that "[t]he battle is approaching its end. Since the enemy's landing, even the gods would weep at the bravery of the officers and omen under my command." On 21 Mar, Kuribayashi reported that "[w]e have not eaten or drunk for five days, but our fighting spirit remains high." A day later, as his last soldiers were falling around him, he radioed what would become his last words on official record: "The strength under my command is now about four hundred. Tanks are attacking us. The enemy suggested we surrender through a loudspeaker, but our officers and men just laughed and paid no attention." Kuribayashi was likely to be killed on that same day, but his body was never found. The United States officially declared the island secure on 26 Mar, twelve days after Nimitz's initial declaration.
(Excerpt) Read more at ww2db.com ...
See Paul Fussell’s article “Thank God for the Atomic Bomb”
It’s been posted as a topic many times (and in many versions) over the years, but thanks c_va for posting it here.
Sgt. John Basilone, who got the Medal of Honor for his tireless work on Guadalcanal, was doing bond tours and such for a few years, while continually requesting a return to action at Iwo Jima. He found and singlehandedly destroyed one of the Japanese bunkers that was raking the beach, and then helped a trapped US tank and enabled the landing forces to get up and at the enemy. And he was killed in that first day of the battle.
As Patton said, “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.”
Whoops, “continually requesting a return to action”, then a period. “On February 19, 1945, he returned to action for the Battle of Iwo Jima” etc.
Interestingly enough, his widow is buried in the same cemetery as Mitchell and Mrs. Paige.
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