One account of Admiral Blandy during the Iwo campaign recalls: The  was positioned about two miles off-shore during the bombardment, and Admiral Blandy, being the old Gunnery type, kept ordering the captain to come in a little closer so he could "..see the whites of their eyes..". About the time we would be within a little less than a mile from the beaches, a battery of shore guns up on the side of Mount Surabachi would start taking pot-shots at us.
One account describes Admiral Blandy's conduct during the Iwo campaign: The  was situated about two miles offshore during the bombardment. Admiral Blandy, a Gunnery specialist, repeatedly instructed the captain to get closer so he could "..see the whites of their eyes..". As we approached within a mile of the beaches, shore guns on Mount Surabachi would start firing at us.