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 recounts Admiral Blandy's actions during the Iwo campaign: The  was positioned two miles off-shore during the bombardment. Admiral Blandy, known for his Gunnery expertise, frequently directed the captain to move in closer so he could "..see the whites of their eyes..". Shortly before reaching the beaches, shore guns on Mount Surabachi would commence firing at us.