Posted on 02/19/2005 8:43:08 AM PST by kellynla
On this day, 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 February 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at historychannel.com ...
Ping!
Thank you!
All should be reminded especially during these times of war.
And Marines and Corpsmen made a huge sacrifice and some the ultimate sacrifice on Iwo Jima!
Freedom is not free!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
In day we lost 1/3 of the number of men we lost in Iraq. Why wasn't this called a Quagmire, a disaster and not well thought out? Where was the exit strategy? Nope instead theres a memorial to old Gumlegs and the Democraps still worship at his alter. Thank God the current crop of Democraps were in diapers, otherwise we would be goosestepping to cheers of Bonzi!
Well when you hit your knees tonight you can thank God that neither Gore or Kerry were elected POTUS!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
A Google search retrieves numerous articles today on the anniversary of Iwo Jima
http://news.google.com/news?q=MARINES+IWO+JIMA&hl=en&lr=&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-36,GGLD:en&sa=N&tab=nn&oi=newsr
Kelly, Thank you,
Right! Thank God today's Democratic nutjobs were not in control back then or we would likely never have entered the war! Can you imagine what they would have said..... "we need to understand why the Japanese are so angry! We must dialog with them" "It's hateful and racist to refer to them as 'Japs' ", etc...
Battle for Iwo Jima - World War II
February 19 to March 16,1945
Historical Facts and Figures
Location: Approximately 650 miles south of Tokyo, Japan.
Size of Island: Approximately 2 miles wide, 4 miles long; 8 square miles
Iwo Jima was the first native Japanese soil invaded by Americans in W.W.II. Approximately 60,000 Americans and 20,000 Japanese participated in the Battle.
The American Flag Raising on Mt. Suribachi took place on February 23, 1945 - the fifth day of battle. The Battle continued with increased intensity for a month more. Almost 7,000 Americans were killed in action at Iwo Jima - more than 20,000 American casualties.
Approximately one-third of all Marines killed in action in World War II were killed at Iwo Jima, making Iwo Jima the battle with the highest number of casualties in Marine Corps history.
Twenty-seven Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded in the Battle - more than were awarded to Marines and Navy in any other Battle in our country's history.
Three of the men who raised the flag in the Joe Rosenthal photo were killed before the Battle was over.
After the capture of Iwo Jima, more than 30,000 American Airmen's lives were saved when more than 2,400 disabled B-29 bombers were able to make emergency landings at the Iwo Jima Airfield after making bombing flights over Japan.
Approximately 132 Americans killed at Iwo Jima were unidentifiable and listed as unknown.
More than 50 4th Division Marines died of wounds aboard ship and were buried at sea.
The U.S. government returned the island of Iwo Jima to the Japanese government in 1968, after the bodies of the men in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Division cemeteries were removed to the United States.
Thanks for the link!
Never Forget!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Photo taken of the Iwo Memorial in Newington Connecticut.
Thank you!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
There is an incredible book about the battle of Iwo Jima, Flags of our Fathers;Heroes of Iwo Jima by James Bradley which should be required reading in all junior highs. Of course we all know the chance of that happening.
When James Bradley was going thru his father's possessions after his death, he came across a box of war memorabilia and articles. This was the first time he knew that his father was one of the Marines who had raised the flag over Iwo Jima--his father had never mentioned it. Had his name been John Kerry...
Bradley began a long search for any of the living flag raisers and during this time he learned about his father's service. He had joined the Navy because he didn't want to be an infantryman and was assigned to the Marines as a medic. This book was extremely difficult for me to read--it is very graphic; at times I had to put it aside for a while. But I decided that if these men could fight this terrible battle, the least I could do was read about their ordeal. I can't begin to describe how heartbreaking that was.
Every single American needs to know the price that was paid so they can live in this country--and this was only one battle!
We can never forget the sacrifices of these incredible heroes--their story begs to be told. And the flag raisers never thought they were--that the real heroes were those they left behind.
We are here because they served. Thank you for our liberty, American veterans!
Thank you Marine Corps. Thank you.
nice pic ~ which monument is that?
In 1970-1972 I had the distinct honor of working with both a Guadalcanal Vet and an Iwo Jima Vet. Both Irish guys who were then @ 45. I was working my way through school in a union job and these guys took me under their wing. Both were gentlemen who knew how to live. I loved them like uncles and miss them both.
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