Remembering the Battle of Okinawa; Lessons Learned for Future Fights (80 years ago today)

defense.gov ^ | 03/27/2025 | David Vergun

[beaversmom]

#2 son is over there now as of Nov. Futenma. Temporarily doing some work at Camp Foster.

[MacNaughton]

Truly 1 of the best 1st person accounts of WWII. It covered the battles for Pelilu (sp) and Okinawa. Victor Davis Hanson wrote the foreword for 1 of the later editions. He was named after an uncle whom he never met who perished on Okinawa. Should be required reading for every American. The 2010 mini-series, “The Pacific”, was partly based upon this book.

[beaversmom]

Wow and wow.

[null and void]

Wow! Did he happen to catch the kamikaze hitting the Maryland? I once saw that photo, but wasn’t able to get a copy at that time. I’d sure like one...

[PsyCon]

With The Old Breed is a great book. I wish I had read it before serving in Vietnam Nam, (would have complained a whole lot less.)

[awelliott]

Truly 1 of the best 1st person accounts of WWII. It covered the battles for Pelilu (sp) and Okinawa. Victor Davis Hanson wrote the foreword for 1 of the later editions. He was named after an uncle whom he never met who perished on Okinawa. Should be required reading for every American. The 2010 mini-series, “The Pacific”, was partly based upon this book.

I agree. With the Old Breed is hands-down the best 1st person account of the war in the Pacific Theater. Sledge didn't glamorize or glorify the war; he laid out the facts and painted a harrowing picture of its cost.

[left that other site]

He did get some kamakazi pics, but I have no idea if it was the Maryland. He had some battle photos showing explosions, and one from the air showing all the ships and landing craft heading onto the beach, with their wakes sweeping behind them. I don’t have the pictures anymore, as I have five other siblings one of whom must have grabbed them all.

But I remember them vividly.

[left that other site]

I wish I still had them. I only have a few copies from a copier now.

[Verginius Rufus]

I think VDH's relative who died on Okinawa (in the battle of Sugar Loaf Hill) was a first cousin, not an uncle.

My father was in the Sixth Marine Division which landed on Okinawa 80 years ago today. My father was wounded in the battle of Sugar Loaf Hill and evacuated, several days before Victor Hanson was killed. My father was in the 22nd Marines and Hanson was in the 29th so they did not know each other.

[MacNaughton]

I think VDH's relative who died on Okinawa (in the battle of Sugar Loaf Hill) was a first cousin, not an uncle.

You are correct. Thanks for the tip.

11/22/2017, A New Year's Toast To The Old Breed

... As a college student, I once pressed him about my cousin and his closest male relative, Victor Hanson, a corporal of the Sixth Marine Division who was killed on the last day of the assault on Sugar Loaf Hill on Okinawa. ...

[Verginius Rufus]

My father was part of the group that first captured the top of Sugar Loaf Hill on the evening of May 14, led by Major Courtney (who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor). My father was one of a handful of the men who first went up who was still alive the next morning. He lived 65 more years He was offered a silver star for his role in the battle but opted for a bronze star since he already had a silver star (for Guam). That gave him one more ribbon.

[Verginius Rufus]

Victor Krulak was a veteran of the Okinawa campaign and wrote an excellent history of the U.S. Marine Corps: First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps.

[MacNaughton]

Wow. No wonder you knew about VDH. Powerful family story. I continue to pray that another U.S. generation will not have to go through that hell on earth.

[beaversmom]

Awww...terrible.

[Verginius Rufus]

I met Victor Davis Hanson many years ago, before I knew about his cousin's death on Sugar Loaf Hill.

James H. Hallas wrote a whole book on the battle: Killing Ground on Okinawa: The Battle for Sugar Loaf Hill. In the back he lists dozens of Marines as "sources" including my father.

[left that other site]

I know. Probably my brother, who has ‘em in a shoebox somewhere.

Oh well. I have my memories.

[fidelis]

Thanks. They have two Kindle versions of this book in my local library system. I just put it on hold, wait time about two weeks.

[MacNaughton]

I met Victor Davis Hanson many years ago, before I knew about his cousin's death on Sugar Loaf Hill.

A friend of mine had Eugene Sledge as a professor of biology at Montevallo State University (now the University of Montevallo) during the mid-1970s. He said that Dr. Sledge would occasionally lapse into stories about his war experiences.

[Verginius Rufus]

When I was growing up and even when I was in college a lot of the men I knew were WWII veterans. But I don’t remember them talking about their experiences, except for my father who told us many stories about the war.

[MacNaughton]

My mother was between 10-15 during WWII. She said that whenever there were family gatherings which included WWII vets, the vets never talked about their experiences.

It is clear from Eugene Sledge's 2 books, the 2nd was China Marine, that he was sorely afflicted with combat fatigue (PTSD). It was his wife who encouraged him to write the books in an attempt to moderate his condition. I met a man 2 years ago who had done some work for Sledge's son in Hoover, AL. The son said that he remembered as a small boy that his father would retreat to a room to brood.