SIGforum
Seventy four years ago today....
February 19, 2019, 10:51 AM
FN in MTSeventy four years ago today....
My Father along with thousands of other Marines landed on Iwo Jima. What ensued would be one of the bloodiest battles of WW2 for the Marines.
Semper Fi Dad.
February 19, 2019, 10:53 AM
V-TailGod bless him, and his fellow American Marines.
I remember a print of that photo on the classroom in our elementary school. I was in third grade at the time.
הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים February 19, 2019, 10:55 AM
CQB60The greatest generation. God bless him
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Life is short. It’s shorter with the wrong gun…
February 19, 2019, 10:59 AM
TMatsThe Japanese had every square foot of the island registered for fire; unimaginable hell. God Bless him, and all the others. From memory—I believe 27 MOHs were awarded after Iwo Jima
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despite them
February 19, 2019, 11:13 AM
David LeeI've watched many hours of footage on this. I cant imagine fighting under such conditions.
February 19, 2019, 11:13 AM
jhe888Cheers for all Marines.
The fish is mute, expressionless. The fish doesn't think because the fish knows everything. February 19, 2019, 11:14 AM
David LeeDidn't they bomb and shell for something like 2 months prior to landings ?
February 19, 2019, 12:03 PM
FN in MTquote:
Originally posted by TMats:
The Japanese had every square foot of the island registered for fire; unimaginable hell. God Bless him, and all the others. From memory—I believe 27 MOHs were awarded after Iwo Jima
From MY memory which is shaky at best.
I believe 40% of all MOH's from WW2 were awarded for heroism on Iwo Jima. Amazing , considering the action was slightly over a month long.
As Iwo was considered by the Japanese to be one of the home islands, when we raised the American flag on Mount Suribachi on Feb 24th, that was the first time an enemies flag had been raised on Japanese soil.
Iwo Jima was the first and I believe the only time during the War, where our losses exceeded that of the enemies.
February 19, 2019, 12:26 PM
SSgt USMC/VetSemper Fi and thank you for the reminder. God bless your Dad.
February 19, 2019, 12:37 PM
Sig2340Its a shame that the Little Boy bomb wasn't yet ready to be employed in combat until July. Had we not needed Iwo as an airbase to support the B-29 raids on the Japanese Home Islands, Iwo Jima would have been the perfect demonstration site.
One big BOOM! and the entire garrison of 22,000 would have been removed without many, if any American dead.
Nice is overrated
"It's every freedom-loving individual's duty to lie to the government."
Airsoftguy, June 29, 2018
February 19, 2019, 12:42 PM
darthfusterReal men. God bless them all.
You’re a lying dog-faced pony soldier February 19, 2019, 01:11 PM
KMitch200Thank you FN. My Uncle got his Purple Heart there.
Shot through the jaw, luckily it wasn't fatal and the docs used a piece of his pelvis to repair it.
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After the game, the King and the pawn go into the same box.
February 19, 2019, 02:16 PM
Sunset_VaMy stepfather was in Leyte. He would tell me what he heard later about Iwo Jima was really bad.
The Filipinos absolutely hated the Japanese. I remember a photo in a scrapbook he brought home from the war. A beheaded Japanese soldier head skewered by a rod, held by 2 Filipino guerrillas.
I hate that Mom and my stepfather's sister threw all his WW II souvenirs away, including that photo album.

RIP, Iwo Jima American casualties.
美しい犬
February 19, 2019, 03:58 PM
BigCityMy uncle got his purple heart there also.
John
The key to enforcement is to punish the violator, not an inanimate object. The punishment of inanimate objects for the commission of a crime or carelessness is an affront to stupidity.
February 19, 2019, 04:31 PM
newtoSig765My college room mate's father, who I had the honor to know quite well, commanded one of the B-29's that made use of Iwo after the Marines took it. Refueled and repaired there a couple times, I believe.
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Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
-- H L Mencken
I always prefer reality when I can figure out what it is.
-- JALLEN 10/18/18
February 19, 2019, 04:57 PM
David LeeI recall from the History Channel there were P51s on the island to fly bomber escort. Remaining enemy came down at night and used swords on the sleeping pilots in their tents. They tossed grenades into the Mustangs. The Vet who told of this stated they went back up and killed every damn last one of them.
February 19, 2019, 05:32 PM
Todd HuffmanMy granddad's best friend fought on Iwo Jima. He told me many stories over the years, but nothing gruesome. He's the one that told me the first flag raised was too small so they re-did it with a larger flag. RIP Woodrow Wilson Mace.
Here's to the sunny slopes of long ago. February 19, 2019, 10:07 PM
Glynn863A cousin on my dad's side of the family died in the invasion, killed a few days later, on 24 Feb 1945. RIP PFC James F. (Buddy) Perkins, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division.