[colorado tanker]

The airfield was not integral to the Japanese defenses, which were a system of mutually supporting caves, bunkers, tunnels and gun emplacements. The pre-invasion bombing was ineffective in degrading these defenses.

The code word for the operation was Detachment. Nimitz sometimes refers to it in his Graybook.

[occamrzr06]

David Colley wrote a book about it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/23/opinion/23colley.html?_r=0

[PeterPrinciple]

The airfield was not integral to the Japanese defenses, which were a system of mutually supporting caves, bunkers, tunnels and gun emplacements. The pre-invasion bombing was ineffective in degrading these defenses.
The code word for the operation was Detachment. Nimitz sometimes refers to it in his Graybook.

---

I disagree, the airfield HAS been the target because it was from IWO the b29 air base was bombed. Every report comments about the airfield.

It is only AFTER the assault do we learn of how well they were dug in.