[Poohbah]

Iwo was NOT declared secure in a week--that may have been the one you were thinking of, taking 31 days.

Tarawa was a bloody mess, but it was a BRIEF mess.

[RaceBannon]

Your right, I got my quotes mixed up a little. In the video that Sledge is in on Peleliu, he said the fighting was over in 3 days on Tarawa, but theirs was still raging, and that they lost more men in the first 3 days than on Tarawa did in the entire campaign.

Betio began on 9:10, November 20, 1943, and ended 76 hours later. Marine casualties 3301, with 980 dead.

Peleliu began on September 15, and before the end of the day had over 1300 casualties, by the end of the first week, Pullers Regiment had 1672 casualities out of 3,946 total casualties; a staggering 56% casuality rate; with the 1st Marine Division being pulled out on Oct 15 with 6256 Casualties, 1121 dead, 5,142 wounded and 117 missing, with the U.S. Army taking over operations totally, the 321st Infantry of the 81st division losing 277 killed, and 1008 wounded. All organized fighting stopped on November 27, 1943.

April 21, 1947, 26 Japanese surrendered!!!

For Iwo, I am 3/4 through with FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, and I could have sworn that he wrote that the Island was declared secure with 10 days, even though the fighting went on for 2 or 3 weeks after, I am scanning it now, and cannot find the statement, and havent found any dates in my Marine Corps history books either for the date Iwo was declared secure!