bigpigeon.us webpage WW II - Japan > Iwo Jima & Okinawa > Iwo Jima, updated by RAC 31 Jan 1920.
The Iwo Jima Landing
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After the capture of the Mariana Islands in the summer of 1944, massive air bases capable of accommodating the new B-29 Superfortress long range bomber were constructed. The strategic bombing of the Japanese Home Islands began in November 1944.
Iwo Jima was captured to support the this bombing campaign, both to provide a base both for escort fighters and on which crippled B-29 bombers could land. Elements of two Marine divisions landed on the southeast coast of Iwo Jima on February 15, 1945. This photo shows the first wave approaching the shore. Mt. Suribachi is on the left. |
The First Wave at Iwo Jima
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The Battle of Iwo Jima
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fSix thousand, eight hundred Americans from three USMC divisions died fighting over the tiny volcanic island of Iwo Jima in Febrary and March 1945.
23 February 1945 witnessed one of the most iconic events in World War II history, the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi. You can view both flag raisings in one of the slide shows at World Wars > WW II > The high casualties on Iwo Jima and in the subsequent Okinawa campaignm strengthened the view of military planners that an invasion of the Japanese Home Islands might cause loss of life unprecedented in American military history. |
Iwo Jima
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The Naval War at Iwo Jima
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The last American aircraft carrier lost in World War II, the Casablanca class escort carrier USS Bismarck Sea, was sunk by Kamikaze off Iwo Jima on 21 Feb 1945, taking 318 men to their deaths.
The same day, a larger carrier, the USS Saratoga, was almost lost due to multiple Kamikaze hits. |
USS Bismarck Sea
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Sources for the WW II - Iwo Jima webpage
- The First Wave at Iwo Jima photo is courtesy of WWII Today.
- The header photo Crashed B-29 on Iwo Jima is courtesy of the USAF Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Base, Dayton, OH.
- The Pacific Theater - mid-January 1945 map is courtesy of bookmice.net.
- The Iwo Jima map - https://www.quartoknows.com/blog/quartoexplores/this-day-in-history-iwo-jima
- The USS Bismarck Sea photo is courtesy of taraross.com
Pottawattamie County, Iowa area WW II Dead - Iwo Jima
(taken from the bigpigeon.us WW II Dead webarea)
08 - Iwo Jima (six dead, updated updated 24 Jul 2020)
† Deputy, Charles Dean, SN 940539, USMC, Pott. Co.
Co. I, 21st Marine Regt., 3rd Marine Div.; KIA 24 Feb ’45 Iwo Jima, Japan; Battle of Iwo Jima.
† Longmeyer, Frank Herman Jr., SN 504-952, USMC, Harrison Co.
Weapons Co., 27th Marine Regt., 5th Marine Div.; KIA 12 Mar 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan.
† McCracken, James Newton, SN 533-228, USMC, Crawford & Shelby Cos.
Co. E or F, 9th Marine Regt., 3rd Marine Div.; KIA 25 Feb 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan; Battle of Iwo Jima.
† Schuelzky, Robert Eugene, SN O-32072, USMC, Pott. Co. & Douglas Co., NE
Machine Gun Platoon Leader, Co. E., 28th Marine Regt., 5th Marine Div.; KIA 17 Mar 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan; other men from his company raised both flags over Mt. Suribachi on 23 Feb; Battle of Iwo Jima.
† Soar, Ernest Martin, SN 970147, USMC, Pott. Co.
Co. F, 23rd Marine Regt., 4th Marine Div.; KIA 28 Feb 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan; Battle of Iwo Jima.
† Wold, Leslie Wayne, SN 560533, USMC, Pott. Co.
26th Marine Regt., 5th Marine Div.; KIA 3 Mar 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan; Battle of Iwo Jima.
(taken from the bigpigeon.us WW II Dead webarea)
08 - Iwo Jima (six dead, updated updated 24 Jul 2020)
† Deputy, Charles Dean, SN 940539, USMC, Pott. Co.
Co. I, 21st Marine Regt., 3rd Marine Div.; KIA 24 Feb ’45 Iwo Jima, Japan; Battle of Iwo Jima.
† Longmeyer, Frank Herman Jr., SN 504-952, USMC, Harrison Co.
Weapons Co., 27th Marine Regt., 5th Marine Div.; KIA 12 Mar 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan.
† McCracken, James Newton, SN 533-228, USMC, Crawford & Shelby Cos.
Co. E or F, 9th Marine Regt., 3rd Marine Div.; KIA 25 Feb 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan; Battle of Iwo Jima.
† Schuelzky, Robert Eugene, SN O-32072, USMC, Pott. Co. & Douglas Co., NE
Machine Gun Platoon Leader, Co. E., 28th Marine Regt., 5th Marine Div.; KIA 17 Mar 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan; other men from his company raised both flags over Mt. Suribachi on 23 Feb; Battle of Iwo Jima.
† Soar, Ernest Martin, SN 970147, USMC, Pott. Co.
Co. F, 23rd Marine Regt., 4th Marine Div.; KIA 28 Feb 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan; Battle of Iwo Jima.
† Wold, Leslie Wayne, SN 560533, USMC, Pott. Co.
26th Marine Regt., 5th Marine Div.; KIA 3 Mar 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan; Battle of Iwo Jima.