Japanese air attacks on the Mariana Islands 1945. While the attacks on Iwo Jima damaged the island's airfields, the Japanese managed to keep at least one of them operational at all times, and none were closed for more than a single day. The need to repair damage to the airfields forced the Japanese garrison on Iwo Jima to divert labor from building defensive positions, however. The combination of heavy losses over Saipan and damage to the airfields on Iwo Jima caused the Japanese to break off their attacks against the Marianas on 2 January. Few Japanese aircraft visited Iwo Jima starting in January, and due to their
White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and opportunities for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders through increased access to, and participation in, federal programs in which they may be underserved." On October 14, 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 13515 reestablishing the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The Initiative, co-chaired by Education Secretary John King and Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, is housed within the U.S. Department of Education and led by Executive Director Doua Thor. The Executive Order established the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the Federal Interagency Working Group, and the Office of the White House Initiative