Memorial Day forr many Americans has simply become a three day week end, beer and barbeque, or a family get together, but little do we give thanks to those who died defending our country. Those forgotten names on “Gardens of Stone” at the Arlington Cemetery are only a small percentage of the unsung heroes buried in overseas grave sites from the Pacific theater of war to the beaches of Normandy. It is hard for anyone to recall the hellish existence of war or if we would give our lives for this country we are lucky enough to live in, but there are those who indeed did. They left their families, their sweethearts, and their Mom and Pop headed for exotic places unknown to fight an enemy that seemed far away but would gladly conquer this land given the opportunity.

Famous flag raising photo

There are many things few people realize about the war. Let us examine World War II for some little known insights into the gruesome business we know as war. The flag raising photo at Iwo Jima is perhaps one of the most iconic photographs in either peace time or under the category of conflict ever taken. The majestic image of 5 US Marines raising the flag is an inspiring shot, but there are facts that have become distorted over the years. Few know that the final take was actually the second photo that was accepted for its PR value. In the photo instead of 6 US Marines one of the flag raisers was a Navy Corpsman, the medic who attends to the wounded.

Not quite as expected

Secondly, in the next photo shoot, a different flag was used as the first was not considered large enough to be seen clearly all over the island. The raising of the flag did not signify the capture of the island of Iwo Jima which was a prime target due to its long runway for B-29’s to strike at mainland Japan. The fighting went on for days afterward. Three of the  6 soldiers raising the flag were shot and killed before the island was finally taken. The Japanese made several sneak attacks trying to lower the flag and reinstall the red flag of the rising sun, but failed as they were beaten back and killed in action. Iwo Jima was the only captured island in the Nimitz Island Hopping Campaign where US Casualties exceeded those of the Japanese due to the fact that the entire Iwo Jima landscape was not only a targeted killing field but the intricate system of tunnels and underground bunkers were hardly damages by the incredible firepower of US Naval battleships and destroyers. It only took 4 days for the Marines to take the mountain top and plant the American stars and stripes but the siege would rage on for 32 more days.

Unbelievable bombardment

As US Marine LST’s ( Landing Ship Tank) and Higgins Boats disembarked from the sides of the troop ships, Iwo Jima appeared like the fire and brimstone of hell draped in black smoke and cordite. Sadly, as they closed the distance to the shore they had a terrible surprise as mortars, recoilless rifles, sniper fire, and artillery opened up on the exposed US Marines. On the volcanic ash of the beach footing was slippery, tank treads had a hard time gaining traction, and the surface was made even hotter as the dark color of the shore absorbed the searing heat. The US Marines had come to hell and to conquer, but they did so with their blood and guts! From the cave entrances from Mount Suribachi above gunfire rained down among the hapless US troops. The Japanese had intended on slowing down or destroying the American will to fight by taking as many casualties with them as they could, but their plans fell far short.

Gruesome tales

The enemy had to be burned out of their cave emplacements, blown up as few refused to surrender, and gunned down by M-1 rifle fire as they attempted their suicidal Banzai charges. Others were simply buried alive by tractors as they stubbornly refused to come out and the casualties were too heavy to risk more. The five day schedule by assault planners at Pearl Harbor stretched into a 36 day bloodbath. A number of men assigned as flame thrower operators had their weapons misfire at the mouth of a cave and fail to ignite in which case they were mobbed by the Japanese in the cave. Their US Marine buddies heard their screams at night as their comrades were being tortured.

Landing in hell

Even though Iwo Jima had yet to be secured, B-29 Super Fortresses began landing on the runway taking the risk of being hit by ground fire, but anxious to end the war by bombing the Japanese mainland, General Curtis Le May ordered flight operations up and running as the US Marines continued mopping up the remaining Japanese resistance. Iwo Jima would end up serving as an emergency landing facility that was used by 2,200 B-29 flights saving some 24,000 airmen’s lives. Iwo would be the prelude to the final battle of the Pacific, Okinawa prior to the end of the war. Seabees, the US Navy’s construction unit, under enemy fire began using their bulldozers to carve out roads off the contested beaches and to clean up the captured runways.

Enemy determination

Of the 18, 000 Japanese combat personnel stationed at Iwo Jima only 216 surrendered and those Japanese who cooperated as interpreters were used by the US Marines to talk the entrenched enemy into surrendering and getting medical care of water and rations. The Japanese trained under the Bushido doctrine had little respect for those captured as it was considered to be shameful if they did not fight to the death and could hardly believe the Americans would treat them so humanely.

Casualty report and victory

Of the 70,000 US Marines and Naval personnel who went ashore at Iwo Jima 7,000 were killed and 20,000 were wounded. It was one of the most costly battles in US Marine Corps history. Iwo Jima was considered a prime target as Japanese fighters had been intercepting US bombing formations and bombers from Iwo had been attacking US forces located on the Marianas. So, a formidable island fortress had to be captured in order to save more lives and speed up the road to victory on the Japanese mainland. Just before the fall of the island the Japanese commander radioed the Tojo Government apologizing for the defeat as US Marines began tossing hand grenades and satchel charges down into the openings leading to the command bunker. Lieut. Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi died with his men rather than surrender. The operation had finally erased the last of the resistance, and Iwo Jima was at last secured.