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Category: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts  -- See latest WWII news here. See also 'Battle of the Bulge', 'Battle of Okinawa', 'Medal of Honor'.

World War II Veteran returns to tour the battle of Iwo Jima site
WWII veteran Paul Linden, an Air Force radio operator, didn't plan on visiting Iwo Jima the first time around. In July 1945, his B-29 Superfortress had to make an emergency landing on the Pacific island. "We had to shut down 2 engines and stay there... I still remember how difficult it was to walk in that volcanic ash." While on the island he went up Mount Suribachi and flew an American flag for fellow WWII veteran George Gebes. "A good part of my enjoyment was talking with the natives. Many of them came up to me and thanked the Americans for giving them back their islands."     [ kcchronicle :: 2008-04-01 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

World War II veteran remembers battles on Iwo Jima, Guam
When Harold Lesser and the other Marines arrived in New Zealand for a layover during the Second World War, they thought they were safe. The colonel says to us: "You're just as safe here as if you were in San Diego." He was wrong. A big plane dropped bombs on our camp. One of the most terrifying moments was when the 21st Division landed on Iwo Jima. Lesser floated in the waters off the Iwo Jima shore for 14 hours, waiting for an opportunity to set foot on the island. "We couldn't land on the island the first day. There were so many bodies and small boats."     [ thevillagesdailysun :: 2008-03-14 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

The 63rd anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima - Veterans honor those lost
The 63rd anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima, where America gained one of its bloodiest victories in World War Two, was marked at a ceremony. A 21-gun salute was fired at the Camp Pendleton ceremony. Tuxedoed veterans, 200 of them, placed a wreath at the Iwo Jima war monument. Joe Garza, chairman of the Iwo Jima Memorial Committee, spoke about of the sacrifices made by the 6,821 service members who died. "They were there and then no more: the Jims, the Jacks, the Bobs that hailed from all parts of the USA..." The Battle of Iwo Jima, Feb. 19 - March 26, 1945, is one of the proudest chapters in the history of the Marine Corps.     [ signonsandiego :: 2008-02-18 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

Raymond Jacobs, last man in iconic Iwo Jima flag-raising photo, dies
Raymond Jacobs, the last member of the Marines photographed during the original U.S. flag-raising on Iwo Jima during World War II, has died at 82. He had spent his later years proving that he was the radio operator photographed looking up at an American flag as it was being raised by Marines on Mount Suribachi on Feb. 23, 1945. He was on the mountain during the raising of a smaller American flag, though he had returned to his unit by the time the renowned AP photo was taken of a second flag-raising. The radioman's face isn't fully visible in the first photo by Lou Lowery, but other negatives from the same film roll show the radioman is Jacobs.     [ cnn :: 2008-02-05 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

Iwo Jima reverts to prewar name Iwo To - Upsetting World War II vets
Japan has returned to using the prewar name for the island of Iwo Jima at the urging of its original inhabitants, who want to reclaim an identity hijacked by movies like "Letters from Iwo Jima." The new name, Iwo To, was adopted by the Japanese Geographical Survey Institute. Surviving islanders praised the move, but others said it cheapens the memory of Iwo Jima campaign. Back in 1945, the small island was the vortex of the fierce battle immortalized by the photograph by Joe Rosenthal showing Marines raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi. Marine Maj. Gen. Fred Haynes, captain in the regiment that raised the flag, was upset by news.     [ seattletimes :: 2007-06-22 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

Buel Cochran recalls Iwo Jima and dangers of souvenir hunting
On the second morning after Iwo Jima landing, his outfit, the 5th Engineers, came under fire with Japanese artillery units lobbing shells at them. "It was hell, that's what it was. They hit us all night. The sand must have been 6 feet deep. We dug foxholes with our hands. When one of those shells hit in that sand, it would go about 4 to 5 feet deep. You had to dig another foxhole just as soon as those shells hit." As a corporal, one of his commands was to discourage souvenir hunting. A comrade didn't listen and scoured the brush for a Japanese flag. A sniper caught the man and 2 shots pierced the air. "Oh, God, shot in the guts," the Marine gasped before dying.     [ register-herald :: 2007-05-28 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

The Battle of Iwo Jima
One-third of all Marine World War II losses happened at Iwo Jima; it was the only large engagement of the war in which Allied forces suffered more casualties than Japanese. To the Japanese, the loss of Iwo Jima would bring the Allies perilously close to the Home Islands, and to what many people expected to be an Allied invasion of Japan. Strategically, the Allies were eager to capture Iwo Jima's two airstrips; the Japanese used the island as a base from which their aircraft intercepted B-29 bombers on their way to the Japan. The island's capture would halve the distance those bombers would need to fly.     [ recordonline :: 2007-03-25 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

On Iwo Jima's beach, war dead are remembered
This was Invasion Beach, where 61,000 American marines poured onto this volcanic island. It was Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, who commanded the badly outnumbered Japanese defenders, most of whom fought to the death. The blasted concrete bunkers and rusting machine guns testify to the ferocity of the battle of Iwo Jima. Of the 21,925 Japanese who died in action, the remains of only 8,595 have been recovered. Most of the other 13,330 Japanese who died in the battle remain sealed in collapsed tunnels and bunkers, turning the entire island into one vast tomb. US was able to find all but 493 of the 7,000 Americans killed.     [ iht :: 2007-03-20 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

U.S. Marines at Iwo Jima - "the worst battle the Marines ever had"
Battleship guns boomed and bombers thundered as some 30,000 Marines from the 3rd, 4th and 5th divisions took to the beaches on Iwo Jima, a tiny island occupied by Japanese Imperial Army forces. The date was Feb. 19, 1945, and World War II veteran Robert McClean was among the U.S. Marines. During the next month, his focus was on staying alive: The island's surface was mainly volcanic rock and ash, and the Marines found it simply impossible to dig foxholes. Japanese forces under General Tadamichi Kuribayashi had spent months building a complex set of fortifications and underground tunnels to defend their positions.     [ qctimes :: 2007-03-17 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

Joe Combee was among the first ashore at Iwo Jima
"In the Marine Corps, when you get steak and eggs for breakfast, it means you're going to die," says Joe Combee. He remembers the landing Feb. 19, 1945, climbing into a Higgins boat with 30 other members of the 5th Marine Division, 27th Regiment. "There were ships as far as you could see." Combee's boat hit the shore near the base of Mount Suribachi, and the men began a push toward the interior of the island. He became well-acquainted with the sight of wounded men, dead bodies and detached limbs. "You didn't have any buddies. When you go into the Marine Corps, they tell you not to make any friends, because you're going to get upset."     [ dailybulletin :: 2007-02-20 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

The battleground that was Iwo Jima - Bunkers and tunnels
I was told the slopes of Mount Suribachi sometimes run red with rust, like blood, from shells left from the battle for Iwo Jima, but what struck me most was the tranquillity of the grassy hillsides. It's hard to connect this tiny island to the place where thousands of Japanese and Americans were shot to death in one of the crucial battles of the Pacific during WW2. At one stop on a rare media tour of the island with Japanese military escorts, a rusting naval artillery piece sat with an empty bird's nest in the barrel. From an abandoned bunker, I looked out to Mount Suribachi, where 6 U.S. Marines were photographed on Feb 23, 1945, raising US flag.     [ alertnet :: 2007-01-12 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

A few facts on Iwo Jima for war buffs
The following are facts and figures about the World War 2 Battle of Iwo Jima that was named by American strategists as "Operation: Detachment." -- American troops that landed at Iwo Jima were with the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine divisions. -- The American flag was raised at Mount Suribachi on day 4 of a battle that lasted 36 days. -- There were more Medals of Honor bestowed at the Battle of Iwo Jima than any other battle in American history. A total of 27 medals were awarded. -- Of 22,000 japanese soldiers only 1,083 survived. -- 19,000 Marines were killed during WWII. One-third died during the Battle of Iwo Jima.     [ mtstandard :: 2006-11-20 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

Little-known Colonel Harry B. Liversedge who fought at Iwo Jima
Article no longer available from the original source.
Iwo Jima, Japan, March 1945. The entire island was a death trap and the Japanese soldiers followed the Bushido code of samurai warriors who swore to fight to the death. U.S. Marines would have to storm across the island and conquer the Japanese hidden in forts and underground tunnels. It would be a bloody turning point, and Col. Harry B. Liversedge stood at the center of it. He would lead the men of the 28th Marine Regiment of the 5th Marine Division up the slopes of the island's only mountain, Mount Suribachi. Holding an American flag, he told his soldiers, "If you make it to the top, fly this flag."     [ lodinews :: 2006-11-18 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

Absent from history: the black soldiers at the Battle of Iwo Jima
Nearly 900 African-Americans fought on the Japanese island but not one appears in Clint Eastwood's film. "Of all the movies that have been made of Iwo Jima, you never see a black face. This is the last straw. I feel like I've been denied, I've been insulted, I've been mistreated. But what can you do? We still have a strong underlying force in my country of rabid racism." Iwo Jima vet Thomas McPhatter even had a part in the raising of the flag. "The man who put the first flag up on Iwo Jima got a piece of pipe from me to put the flag up on. That, too, is absent from the film."     [ guardian :: 2006-10-21 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

Fierce struggles on Iwo Jima -- The first wave of U.S. Marines
Marine Corps private Charles Kovel took a walk on the beach 62 years ago. And his life was the never the same. On Feb. 19, 1944, he was part of the first wave of U.S. Marines to land at "Green Beach" on Iwo Jima. He was trained to handle a Browning Automatic Rifle as part of an assault unit. During Kovel's first night, a Japanese soldier jumped into his fox hole. He fought with him and killed him. He found a flag among the enemy soldier's belongings. The Marine's mission was to capture Mount Suribachi. From there gunners could zero in on every inch of the landing zones, which were flanked by blockhouses (above-ground bunker) and pillboxes.     [ leatherneck :: 2006-10-13 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

Satoru Omagari was ordered to the defense of Iwo Jima
Satoru Omagari was a sub-lieutenant in the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force when he was ordered to the defense of Iwo Jima in 1944. Here, published for the first time in English, are some of his recollections of the battle of Iwo Jima. -- At 18:00 on March 8, 1945, 20 days after American forces had landed on Iwo Jima, we were ordered to launch a full-scale attack on Mount Suribachi. I was leading a group of 100 troops. We wandered into Commander Nishi's Tank Unit Bunker Headquarters, and I was persuaded by Nishi to stay and regroup his units. The unit had already lost all its tanks from mortar attacks and the Americans' M4 combat tanks.     [ japantimes :: 2006-08-14 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

Battle of Iwo Jima clippings from 60 years ago
It's unbelievable that someone would give away more than 100 faded, yellow clippings that chronicle the historic Battle of Iwo Jima day-by-day as it unfolded on the pages of two of this country's bigger newspapers. Included was the April 15, 1945, edition of the Corp's Leatherneck magazine containing more than 20 full pages of Lou Lowrey's photographs. He was a Marine staff sergeant, who photographed the little-known first flag raising on Iwo Jima. "When Marines of the 5th Amphibious Corps stormed ashore on Iwo Jima they opened what has come to be regarded as one of the most bitterly fought operations in the history of modern warfare."     [ sun-herald :: 2006-07-03 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

Legendary Marine Corps hero who died on Iwo Jima
The World War II Marine Corps hero, Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone, who died on Iwo Jima after legendary feats has a Navy destroyer and a lot more named for him. A stamp was issued with his image and tales of his courage are a boot camp staple. At Guadalcanal his unit defended against an elite Japanese regiment of 3,000 men. 12 of the 15 men were killed and two others wounded, but he held out and fired away for 3 days from the two machine guns, repairing one mid-battle and making a run for more ammunition. By the battle's end, 200 Japanese lay dead. His Medal of Honor citation credited him "Virtual annihilation" of the regiment.     [ washingtonpost :: 2006-05-29 :: Legends & Heroes of World War II ]

Remembering Iwo Jima
During World War II, United States forces fought a horrific battle on Iwo Jima, a small Japanese island with extreme significance to America. Thousands of U.S. and Japanese soldiers died in the battle that last a little more than a month. While Japanese forces were using this tiny island to gun down U.S. planes headed for Tokyo, the U.S. wanted to capture and take over the island to attack Japanese home islands and protect its bases in the Marianas.     [ kuam :: 2006-03-21 :: Pacific War - Allied powers ]

The first American flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima
A WWII hero whose accomplishments were forgotten for years may soon have a veterans' health clinic named in his honor. Lindberg helped raise the first American flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima. His accomplishment was later overshadowed when a replacement flag was raised a few hours later.     [ wcco :: 2006-03-04 :: Pacific War - Allied powers ]

Billings memorial planned for WWII Iwo Jima veteran
Grady Dyce was a member of the famous 3rd platoon, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines that scaled Mount Suribachi and raised the American flag. Dyce started and ended the battle to take the Japanese island of Iwo Jima. Like many WWII vets, Dyce was silent about his service for decades. It wasn't until after his company's 49th anniversary reunion that Dyce began to open up about his experiences. In the 36 days they were on Iwo Jima, Dyce's company suffered 85% casualties, meaning Marines killed or seriously wounded. Dyce's rifle and canteen were hit, and he carried scars from bullets and shrapnel that hit his left arm and the bridge of his nose.     [ helenair :: 2006-01-21 :: Memorials and Museums ]

Iwo Jima veterans mark battle's 60th anniversary
Aging American combat veterans and a handful of former Japanese soldiers gathered on a hillside over the landing beaches of the Battle of Iwo Jima to mark the 60th anniversary of one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. 50 U.S. vets, many dressed in their military uniforms and helmets, gathered at a Japanese military base on the island. A handful of Japanese survivors joined in the "honor reunion." During about a month of fighting that began Feb. 19, 1945, some 100,000 Americans battled 22,000 Japanese desperate to protect the first Japanese home island to be invaded.     [ dgc :: 2005-03-23 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

23 Feb 1945: US flag raised over Iwo Jima battlefield
US troops have raised the Stars and Stripes over Iwo Jima four days after landing on the Japanese-held volcanic island. The 28th Regiment of the 5th Marine Division took Mount Suribachi at 1030 local time. The extinct volcano offers a strategic vantage point for the ongoing battle for control of the island. Iwo Jima would serve as a useful base for long-range fighters to cover B-29 Superfortresses in a bombing campaign against the Japan's capital. Although the Stars and Stripes are flying over the island the battle is far from over and the Japanese are defending every inch of the island using elaborate underground defences.     [ bbc :: 2004-05-23 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

Iwo Jima hurled four young men into battle
The battle for Iwo Jima began Feb. 19, 1945, but didn't end until March 15, with nearly 7,000 Americans and 20,000 Japanese killed. After years of retaking soil conquered by a Japanese military machine, America was knocking on the enemy's door by taking Iwo Jima. Iwo Jima was heavily entrenched with a network of caves, tunnels and pillboxes. The Japanese commander, Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi, had been told to fight to the death, hoping high US casualties would deter further attacks. "We expected five days; it turned out to be five weeks," Rutan said. The cost of the assault was debated even then. Walker's battalion of 850 Marines had 87% casualties.     [ seattlepi :: 2004-05-23 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

The Battle for Iwo Jima
By 1945, the US was winning their fight against the Japanese retaking islands which had been taken from them earlier. Next on Admiral Nimitz' list was Iwo Jima. This island, known as "the unsinkable aircraft carrier," served as a fighter headquarters for Japanese pilots to attack the B-29's. In addition, there were over 21,000 Japanese troops garrisoned there. Iwo Jima had the strongest defenses and the heaviest firepower of all the Japanese Pacific strongholds. Under General Harry Schmidt's 5th Amphibious Corps an assault began on Feb 19th, 1945. The General was confident that the island would fall in 4 days.     [ otr :: 2004-05-23 :: Battle of Iwo Jima : Facts ]

See also

'Battle of the Bulge'

'Battle of Okinawa'

'Medal of Honor'.

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