19 FEBRUARY IWO JM'S ANNIVERSARY
On the morning of the 19th of Febtfttaty; 1945# .*thV 4th and 5th Marine Divisions
landed on Iwo Jima with the 3rd Marine Division in floating reserve, hut the
fury of the Japanese defense soon brought two of the 3d’s regiiaents - the 9th
..and the .21st - into action from the vast U. S. Navy’s 450 ship armada, the lar
.. gept naval operation to date.
General Rockey’s 5th Division and General Cates’ 4th Division landed abreast
on four beaches# each with two reinforced-regiments in the assault. Still under
cover of the naval • barrage, these units hastily reorganized and commenced' the
inland push. During these first few minutes Japanese resistance was light. Both
Division reported only scattered mortar, artillery, and small arms fire, and
excepting a few land mines# no man made obstacles were found on the beaches.
The Marines could not even see the enemy, for he was ’dug deep in Iwo’s bottom
less volcanic ash. He had miles and miles of underground tunnels through which
, - to move safely, he had machine guns and artillery pieces literally by.the thous
ands, giant mortars that fired shells weighing 675 pounds and rocket launchers
handling missiles from 55 to 200 pounds.’ All that the Marines feould see was an
expanse of black, sand seemingly blistered with hummocks. But these hummocks were
actually the camouflaged tops of sunken enemy pillboxes and fire came from all
of them. . . •
The job of securing the southern end of the island belonged ho the 28thMarines,
Their plan of operation was to sever the Japanese at the narrowest part of.the
island,.isolating Mount Suribachi and it’s defenders from the rest of 'the Japan
ese- garrison. But General Kuribayashi had foreseen that the American landing
force would almost certainly split Iwo early in the operation and had designed
his defenses accordingly. Being able to defend Mount Suribachi with or without
assistance was a prime factor in the long and bitter assault to the summit. Four
days after the landing,' Mount Suribachi was secured, only after IstLt Harold G.
Schrier and a 40 man detachment set out to follow the patrols and occupy the
highest point of land on Iwo Jima. Positions along the rim of the crater were
reached and as Marines scrambled over the lip the tenseness was eased by'action*
A small defending force challenged the patrol and a short, hot fight developed*
Even while this skirmish was in progress some of the men located a.length of
Japanese iron p pe, secured a small American flag to one end, and raised the
.Stars and Stripes. It was am inspiring sight for thousands of Americans! on Iwo
Jima as the flag waved bravely from the .summit.
On 16 March 1945, Iwo Jima was declared secured at 1800 after 26 days of bitter
fighting. Casualties were tremendous. The Marine casualties totaled Over 22,000
with 5*563 dead. Japanese dead totaled over 26,000..
There were 24 Congressional Medals of Honor awarded to men participating in the
battle of . Iwo Jima. Notable amoung these, is the late Senator Joseph J. McCarthy
then a Captain in’the 2d Battalion,.24th Marines. He, in leading a picked ass
ault group.against a heavily fortified ridge, exposed himself Repeatedly to hurl
grenades • into enemy emplacements.' Then rallying the rest of his company, he led
a full scale attack" capturing the ridge.
."UNCOMMON VALOR WAS A COMMON VIRTUE”, words spoken by Admiral Chester Nimitz
of: the gallant action, of the U. S. Marines at Iwo Jima. In memory to all Marines
who have given their- lives for.thpir country, a 100 ton bronze rbplica of the
flag-raising at Iwq Jima has been erected on. a site overlooking Washington D. C.
Inscribed, at the*...base is Admiral Nimitz*s notable statement.