The fact that we were able to use the Iwo Jima airfields for our air attacks on the Japanese homeland is because of the unbelievable sacrifices made by the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy Corpsmen. Iwo Jima was the only Marine battle where the American casualties, 26,000, exceeded the Japanese -- most of the 22,000 defending the island.

It was assaulted by the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions of the Fifth Marine Amphibious Corps, which included supporting sea and air units. Of the 3,400 coming ashore with the 28th Regiment, 5th Marine Division, about 600 were still standing when the battle closed. That is a casualty rate of about 82%.

We should all remember that this coming February 19th is the 65th Anniversary of the amphibious invasion of Iwo Jima and give thanks that these U.S. forces were able to accomplish this amazing feat.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PICTURES:

http://picasaweb.google.com/7thfighter/ ... 0448181842

Thanks for posting this.

great thanks

Great post on the Pacific battleground. It needs to be up there for others to see to make sure the sacrifice made and the gains to insure our freedom
are not lost. My father in law served from Omaha beach through the battle of the bulge, and up to when they stopped to allow the Russian's to take Berlin. Although they weren't allowed to bring cameras to battle, he and some buddies took them from empty farmhouses, took pictures on the film and then discarded the cameras as they went. We have pictures of him standing there in front of rows of open pits of dead war camp prisoners that they found shot but had never gotten dosed shut before the 35th infantry division got there. Any one who says it didn't happen can have a look at these. His story and others are now posted at the Smithsonian along with the pictorial of the campaign he served in.
He passed away on election day just after voting in the election of 2008. He said the world needs to be constantly reminded of its history, instead of revising it. Good job Lewis, we are taking good care of your farm, and good job on the Pacific front post.

DS - my Grandfather Curtis Larson took a similar path as yours. He was a farmer here in MN. He came ashore with the 3rd Army (3rd Cavalry) on Utah for the Cobra breakout. Fought across France, Fortress Metz, Luxembourg, Saar River Triangle (battlefield commission), Siegfried line, through Munich and down into Austria where he helped liberate Ebensee concentration camp. They took pictures the whole way across Europe, including many of the camp with it's stacks of bodies and ovens. Grandpa also went home to be with Jesus shortly after election day 2008. (my uncle Albert now has the farm) I sure miss him, he also liked flying with me and spotting deer or places he had hunted or where he had grown up.

Good post. If any of you have a family member that is a WWII vet or know someone well enough that they will share their experience with you, contact this web site for information. http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2004/04-087.html Congress authorized the Veterans History Project in 2000 to preserve their stories for future generations. My wife did this for her father and his story is now preserved in his own words. The remaining vets are fewer each year and in a few more the story will be left only to the history books. Make their story part of national history.

gbflyer, Those are fantastic pictures. Thanks.

Not many of the old guys left for sure. Thanks for the link to the VHP.

My grandfather was in Europe during the end of the war and was there for the occupation. He was a guard at the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal. He was there when they tried all of those monsters. He wasn't much of a talker, typical of that generation. They just went over and did the job and then came home to work. I look at his shadow box every day with regret that I didn't press him more about his experiences...he would have shared them with me. I don't really know what all he experienced over there, but I do know that when he died, his Bible was smooth worn out.

Thanks again for the stories.

gb