66 Years Ago Today - Iwo Jima

[doc540]

May God bless and keep them all.

My neighbor hit the beach in the second wave to land, fought the entire campaign and went hand to hand at night in the last battle on Kitano Point.

The last of the Japs snuck out of their holes and slaughtered many P-51 pilots, cutting their throats as they slept.

Ray said no prisoners were taken.

I make sure I contact him on this day every year and thank him for his service and sacrifice.

[The Annoyed Man]

I've posted a number of times about Iwo. My dad went ashore there on D-Day +3 as part of a 3rd Division replacement draft. He was a 2nd Lt., and he was assigned to command of 1st Platoon, E/2/9. He was WIA in Cushman's Pocket a few days later, the bullet striking his solar plexus and exiting his back. His best friend in the Corps, 1st Lt. George Todd, led 2nd Platoon into Cushman's Pocket. Todd was KIA with a bullet between the eyes in the first few minutes of the fight. My dad was one of 7 survivors of E Co. Everyone else was killed. Of the 7, only 1 guy wasn't hit.

I posted his account of the action here: http://texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php? ... 3&#p480233" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rebel]

I knew I saw this exact post somewhere else today, then it hit me Calguns.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

I'm not sure if this Iwo Jima incident was the one, but during
the Pacific island-hopping campaign, one of the islands was deemed
to be fully under control by the US military. US troops were still on the
island, but were getting ready to go back out to the troop ships in order
to attack the next island.

Unbelievably, orders were given to US troops to turn in all ammo before
leaving the island and going back on the ships. Most of the US forces
complied with this order.

When the diehard Japanese attacked the tents at night, the US forces had
little or no ammo with which to repel the Japanese.

SIA

[The Annoyed Man]

I'm not sure if this Iwo Jima incident was the one, but during
the Pacific island-hopping campaign, one of the islands was deemed
to be fully under control by the US military. US troops were still on the
island, but were getting ready to go back out to the troop ships in order
to attack the next island.

Unbelievably, orders were given to US troops to turn in all ammo before
leaving the island and going back on the ships. Most of the US forces
complied with this order.

When the diehard Japanese attacked the tents at night, the US forces had
little or no ammo with which to repel the Japanese.

SIA

That was Iwo.

The last Japanese soldier to surrender was Lt. Hiroo Onada:

Circumstances of His Surrender
Despite the efforts of the Philippine Army, letters and newspapers left for them, radio broadcasts, and even a plea from Onoda's brother, he did not belive the war was over. On February 20, 1974, Onoda encountered a young Japanese university dropout named Norio Suzuki who was traveling the wold and told his friends that he was “going to look for Lieutenant Onoda, a panda, and the abominable snowman, in that order. The two became friends, but Onoda said that he was waiting for orders from one of his commanders. On March 9, 1974, Onoda went to an agreed upon place and found a note that had been left by Suzuki. Suzuki had brought along Onoda’s one-time superior commander, Major Taniguchi, who delivered the oral orders for Onoda to surrender. Intelligence Officer 2nd Lt. Hiroo Onada emerged from the jungle of Lubang Island with his .25 caliber rifle, 500 rounds of ammunition and several hand grenades. He sureendered 29 years after Japan's formal surrender, and 15 years after being declared legally dead in Japan. When he accepted that the war was over, he wept openly.

Source: http://www.wanpela.com/holdouts/profiles/onoda.html

[surprise_i'm_armed]

Thanks TAM.

SIA

[Texas_Tactical]

I'm not sure if this Iwo Jima incident was the one, but during
the Pacific island-hopping campaign, one of the islands was deemed
to be fully under control by the US military. US troops were still on the
island, but were getting ready to go back out to the troop ships in order
to attack the next island.

Unbelievably, orders were given to US troops to turn in all ammo before
leaving the island and going back on the ships. Most of the US forces
complied with this order.

When the diehard Japanese attacked the tents at night, the US forces had
little or no ammo with which to repel the Japanese.

SIA

That was Iwo.

The last Japanese soldier to surrender was Lt. Hiroo Onada:

Circumstances of His Surrender
Despite the efforts of the Philippine Army, letters and newspapers left for them, radio broadcasts, and even a plea from Onoda's brother, he did not belive the war was over. On February 20, 1974, Onoda encountered a young Japanese university dropout named Norio Suzuki who was traveling the wold and told his friends that he was “going to look for Lieutenant Onoda, a panda, and the abominable snowman, in that order. The two became friends, but Onoda said that he was waiting for orders from one of his commanders. On March 9, 1974, Onoda went to an agreed upon place and found a note that had been left by Suzuki. Suzuki had brought along Onoda’s one-time superior commander, Major Taniguchi, who delivered the oral orders for Onoda to surrender. Intelligence Officer 2nd Lt. Hiroo Onada emerged from the jungle of Lubang Island with his .25 caliber rifle, 500 rounds of ammunition and several hand grenades. He sureendered 29 years after Japan's formal surrender, and 15 years after being declared legally dead in Japan. When he accepted that the war was over, he wept openly.

Source: http://www.wanpela.com/holdouts/profiles/onoda.html

wow. I'm a WWII history buff and I've never heard of this. Very Interesting stuff.

On a slightly different note. I watched "Letters from Iwo Jima" the Clint Eastwood movie a couple weeks ago. it was entertaining but not very historically accurate.

[doc540]

I'm not sure if this Iwo Jima incident was the one, but during
the Pacific island-hopping campaign, one of the islands was deemed
to be fully under control by the US military. US troops were still on the
island, but were getting ready to go back out to the troop ships in order
to attack the next island.

Unbelievably, orders were given to US troops to turn in all ammo before
leaving the island and going back on the ships. Most of the US forces
complied with this order.

When the diehard Japanese attacked the tents at night, the US forces had
little or no ammo with which to repel the Japanese.

SIA

I generated that story online a year or two ago.

It was told to me by my neighbor, Pfc Ray Hudson.

The Island was declared secure around March 16th, but on the 26th the last battle was fought.

When an officer came around and told them to turn in their ammo and the battle was over, one of the hardened survivors challenged him by saying, "Who says this battle is over?".

The officer pointed to a ship anchored offshore and replied, "Your commanding officer says it's over, and when I come around tomorrow if you don't turn in your ammo as ordered, you'll get (and I forgot what the specific threat was, but it was akin to "the brig")."

Ray said one of his buddies replied, "Well, you tell him to come sleep with us tonight".

Around 3am, the last of the Japanese soldiers on Iwo, (some say General Kuribayashi was among them, but it's never been proven) crawled out of their holes and silently (not a screaming Banzai charge) swept into the tents housing the very valuable P-51 pilots and began bayoneting them as they slept. It was a bloodbath as many pilots were killed.

Ray and his fellow Pioneer Marines and a few others fought them hand to hand until they'd killed every last one of the remaining Japanese soldiers.