Pacific War Fifth and Thirteenth Air Forces to attack targets throughout the Philippines and the South China Sea. The Battle of Iwo Jima ("Operation Detachment") in February 1945 was one of the bloodiest battles fought by the Americans in the Pacific War. Iwo Jima is an 8 sq mile (21 km) island situated halfway between Tokyo and the Mariana Islands. Holland Smith, the commander of the invasion force, aimed to capture the island and prevent its use as an early-warning station against air raids on the Japanese Home Islands, and to use it as an emergency landing field. Lt. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi,
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