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
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.
I am a former Marine and agree with your basic premise. But the home-front was not happy about the staggering losses on Iwo (ultimately nearly 7,000 Marines KIA). MacArthur, moving toward the Philippines, had a much lower casulty rate than Nimitz, who was moving toward Japan. It's an interesting study, but looking back now at tactics isn't going to bring anyone back. I just thought I'd bring it up.