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U.S. Marines invade Iwo Jima (80 years ago today)
History.com ^ | 11/16/2009 | History.com Editors

Posted on 02/19/2025 5:46:28 AM PST by DFG

Operation Detachment, the U.S. Marines’ invasion of Iwo Jima, is launched. Iwo Jima was a barren Pacific island guarded by Japanese artillery, but to American military minds, it was prime real estate on which to build airfields to launch bombing raids against Japan, only 660 miles away.

The Americans began applying pressure to the Japanese defense of the island in June 1944, when B-24 and B-25 bombers raided the island for 74 days. It was the longest pre-invasion bombardment of the war, necessary because of the extent to which the Japanese—21,000 strong—fortified the island, above and below ground, including a network of caves. Underwater demolition teams (“frogmen”) were dispatched by the Americans just before the actual invasion. When the Japanese fired on the frogmen, they gave away many of their “secret” gun positions.

The amphibious landings of Marines began the morning of February 19 as the secretary of the navy, James Forrestal, accompanied by journalists, surveyed the scene from a command ship offshore. As the Marines made their way onto the island, seven Japanese battalions opened fire on them. By evening, more than 550 Marines were dead and more than 1,800 were wounded. The capture of Mount Suribachi, the highest point of the island and bastion of the Japanese defense, took four more days and many more casualties. When the American flag was finally raised on Iwo Jima, the memorable image was captured in a famous photograph that later won the Pulitzer Prize.


TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs; iwojima; mountsuribachi; pacificwar; worldwar2; worldwareleven
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1 posted on 02/19/2025 5:46:28 AM PST by DFG
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To: DFG

2 posted on 02/19/2025 5:48:26 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: DFG

3 posted on 02/19/2025 5:50:49 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: DFG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBhLKQrgDHY


4 posted on 02/19/2025 5:56:32 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

You can’t show that anymore, there are no black people or trannies.


5 posted on 02/19/2025 5:57:31 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: DFG

We can’t imagine it today. 6800 Marines KIA in one month, on a small patch of land. More than 20,000 Japanese KIA.

That’s WW1 or Civil War level carnage.


6 posted on 02/19/2025 6:00:43 AM PST by lurk (u)
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To: DFG

It’s going to be raining all day today and I think it’d be good to pull out and watch “Sands of Iwo Jima” with John Wayne, Martin Milner (Adam-12 fame) and Richard Jaeckel.


7 posted on 02/19/2025 6:01:31 AM PST by Macho MAGA Man (The last two weren't balloons. One was a cylindrical object)
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To: DFG

“the memorable image was captured in a famous photograph that later won the Pulitzer Prize.”

When the Pulitzer actually meant something before leftists destroyed its credibility to push an agenda.

There’s not many WW2 vets left, in the next few years all will be gone and one of the great satisfactions I had by Trump winning is that these guys will go knowing the people didn’t stab them in the back by destroying the country and freedom they fought so hard to defend.


8 posted on 02/19/2025 6:02:46 AM PST by GrandJediMasterYoda (As long as Hillary Clinton remains free, the USA will never have equal justice under the law)
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda

According to the IRS Americans can reach the age of 150 so lots of WW II and WW I Vets must still be alive.


9 posted on 02/19/2025 6:08:37 AM PST by Forward the Light Brigade (. War is Hell, War IS a Crime.)
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To: Forward the Light Brigade

LOL! Even over the age of 300, people still collecting Social security. Wow, they should interview these people, they were around when George Washington was alive.

Speaking of which, I read an article today that Musk said we will get a refund from the IRS from all the money stolen. I don’t know how much, but if the left still complains they can absolutely go to hell


10 posted on 02/19/2025 6:15:30 AM PST by GrandJediMasterYoda (As long as Hillary Clinton remains free, the USA will never have equal justice under the law)
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To: DFG

I used to know a vet who was there. He was up in his 90’s when he passed away. I’m fascinated by history but he was all talked out on that subject (like many another combat vet). Fortunately his wife was able to tell me, and after he died she shared his letters from that time. They were married 70 years.
Getting back to normal and staying that way, is a life’s work by itself.


11 posted on 02/19/2025 6:16:21 AM PST by Buttons12 ( )
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To: Buttons12

The neutron bomb would have made it a lot easer. Too bad we didn’t have it then. Drop it and nobody lives to tell about it’s existence.


12 posted on 02/19/2025 6:20:55 AM PST by DIRTYSECRET
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To: lurk

If you want an interesting podcast to listen to, the Shawn Ryan Show had Don Graves, a US Marine who carried a flamethrower on Iwo Jima back in 1945, Graves is still really sharp and active for a man who is now about 100 years old.

He claims to have been near John Basilone, when was killed and was on top of Suribachi when the flag went up.


13 posted on 02/19/2025 6:22:27 AM PST by srmanuel
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To: DFG

I’ve got a little sample of the black volcanic beach ‘sand’.
It was picked up by a Marine veteran who made a return visit.
He gave it to me because my Dad hadn’t been able to make the trip with the rest of them.


14 posted on 02/19/2025 6:23:07 AM PST by ComputerGuy ( )
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To: dfwgator; All

I believe that “The Sands of Iwo Jima” was one of the two movies that John Wayne died in.

Okay, Freepers what was the other movie John Wayne died in ?


15 posted on 02/19/2025 6:31:05 AM PST by woodbutcher1963
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To: woodbutcher1963

The Cowboys?


16 posted on 02/19/2025 6:32:19 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: DFG

John Basilone

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Basilone


17 posted on 02/19/2025 6:33:50 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: DFG

An invasion that may not have happened had the Japanese not used Iwo as a transit point for launching sporadic small scale nuisance air raids against Saipan.


18 posted on 02/19/2025 6:34:36 AM PST by fso301
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To: dfwgator

Correct.
The Cowboys, with the ultimate bad guy played by Bruce Dern.

However, I am wrong. There is a third movie John Wayne died in.

For the bonus round, can you name it?


19 posted on 02/19/2025 6:35:14 AM PST by woodbutcher1963
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To: woodbutcher1963

I know he was dying of Cancer in The Shootist (his last movie).


20 posted on 02/19/2025 6:37:17 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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