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D-Day February 19, 1945
Shortly before 2am on Feb. 19, 1945, the Navy's big guns opened up on Iwo Jima again, signaling the beginning of D-Day. After an hour of punishment, the fire was lifted, leaving Iwo smoking as if the entire island were on fire. Both Americans aboard their transports and the Japanese in their caves looked to the skies now. One-hundred-ten bombers screamed out of the sky to drop more bombs. After the planes left, the big guns of the Navy opened up again. At 8:30am, the order, "Land the Landing Force," sent the first wave of Marines towards the deadly shores. Once ashore, the Marines were bedeviled by the loose volcanic ash. Unable to dig foxholes, they were sitting ducks for the hidden Japanese gunners. Heavy fire made it impossible to land men in an orderly manner. Confusion reigned on the beaches. The battle was unique in its setting. One hundred thousand men fighting on a tiny island one-third the size of Manhattan. For 36 days Iwo Jima was one of the most populated 7.5 miles on earth. |
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Mt. Suribachi, the 550-foot volcanic cone
at the islands southern tip, dominates both possible landing beaches. From
here, Japanese gunners zeroed in on every inch of the landing beach. Blockhouses
and pillboxes flanked the landing areas. Within, more heavy weapons stood
ready to blast the attacking Marines. Machine guns criss-crossed the beaches
with deadly interlocking fire. Rockets, anti-boat and anti-tank guns were
also trained on the beaches.
Every Marine, everywhere on the island was always in range of Japanese guns. The Japanese were ready. |
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The invading US Marines fought above ground. The defending Japanese fought from below ground. The US Marines on Iwo rarely saw a Japanese soldier. |
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Historians described U.S. forces' attack against the Japanese defense as "throwing human flesh against reinforced concrete." |
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There were no front lines. The Marines were above ground and the Japanese were below them underground. The Marines rarely saw an alive Japanese soldier. The Japanese could see the Marines perfectly. |
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Easy Company started with 310 men. We suffered
75% casualties. Only 50 men boarded the ship after the battle. Seven officers
went into the battle with me. Only one--me--walked off Iwo."
. . . Captain Dave Severance,
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The battle was won by the inch-by-inch tenacity of the foot soldier. |
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Liquid gas, napalm and hand grenades were more useful against the underground Japanese. |