Memorial to Our Fallen Veterans

U.S.M.C.

Iwo Jima Marine Hero's of WWII (Turn "ON" your sound)

This aerial portrait of Iwo Jima, taken months after the battle, provides an excellent perspective on the D-day objectives. The right side of the island is the eastern side, and the landing beaches run all along the more or less straight stretch in the middle foreground. From the bottom (southeast) to top (northeast) beaches, the vanguard battalions are to be the 5th Marine Division’s 1st Battalion, 28th Marines (1/28); 2d Battalion, 27th Marines (2/27); and 1st Battalion, 27th Marines (1/27); then the 4th Marine Division’s 1st Battalion, 23d Marines (1/23); 2d Battalion, 23d Marines (2/23);1st Battalion, 25th Marines (1/25); and 3d Battalion, 25th Marines (3/25). National Archives & Records Administration Iwo 07-02

As they approach the bombardment battle line, the Marines aboard this LCVP have their helmets and packs on, and they look more pensive than before. No wonder: Iwo is dead ahead. Official USMC Photo Iwo 07-18

It is 0859 hours. At the far left of the line, the amtracs carrying Marines to Beach Green have surged ahead of the units to their right and are just seconds away from touchdown. Official USMC Photo

Back at the landing beaches, and now under small-arms fire, larger landing craft and landing ships (an LSM is shown) have begun to land combat-support troops, tanks (at far left), and jeeps and trucks preloaded with water and ammunition. Unfortunately, as amtrac crews discovered early on, it is difficult for even tracked vehicles to find purchase in the volcanic ash. The beginnings of beach congestion are evident in this view of a 4th Marine Division beach taken a little after 1000 hours, but so far the congestion is not as crippling as it had been in virtually all earlier amphibious operations. Official USMC Photo Iwo 08-11

A brave flamethrower assaultman steps from cover and spits deadly fire at the embrasure of a large buried pillbox as fellow Marines hunker down at the foot of the structure. Official USMC Photo Iwo 08-30

Shore party and other rear-echelon troops have built beachside bunkers and sandbag retaining walls as far as the eye can see, but little has been done to salvage the many amtracs that came across on D-day. In this scene, two amtracs lie buried in sand in the foreground, then an armored amtrac, another amtrac, another armored amtrac, then a tank, and so on down the beach. Note that .50-caliber machine guns have been removed from the two near buried amtracs to be used to defend the beach against air and ground attack. Official USMC Photo Iwo 09-03

Despite the high surf, LSMs line up to disgorge all manner of supplies and equipment. The weather is foul, and vehicles and smaller landing craft lay swamped in the surf, but the beach party carries on. Official USMC Photo Iwo 09-11

Closely coordinated antiemplacement attacks using combined arms and split-second timing were a significant feature of preassault training for Iwo Jima. The lessons behind the training had come at a high price over the course of the Pacific War. First, one or two flamethrower assaultmen directed their fire at one position, then infantrymen pelted the position with hand grenades and gunfire, and finally demolitions assaultmen blew up the emplacement with satchel charges. Official USMC Photos Iwo 10-04, Iwo 10-05, Iwo 10-06

Each Marine tank battalion fielded a full company of flame tanks, but these tended to be spread thin across an entire division’s zone of operations. When a flame tank could be worked in against a target, the results were usually spectacular. Official USMC Photo Iwo 10-08

Marines affix the flag to a seven-foot iron pipe salvaged from a mountaintop cistern. Leatherneck by Staff Sergeant Louis R. Lowery Iwo 11-02

“The Flag Raising at Iwo Jima” National Archives & Records Administration by Joe Rosenthal Iwo 11-22

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