My dad was on USS West Virginia, she poured hundreds of 16 inch and 5 inch projectiles into the island to support the landings
My uncle once mentioned something in passing about being on Iwo Jima shortly after the landing (D-4 or something??). REALLY! You were on Iwo Jima!!??
“I was just setting up the communications for the airstrip - the Marines had already cleared the area. Well - sometimes a sniper would shoot from the jungle on the other side of the runway.”
Still got a Christmas card from him this year - but not sure how many more of those we will see.