It has been sometime since posting.
Today on 17 February 2025 it is 80 years ago today that Naval Bombardment was hammering the shores installations of Iwo Jima.
20,000 Japanes soldiers and naval infantry were on the Island.
Civilians had long been removed.
Iwo Shima was considered the Japanese Homeland.
The Pacific Campaign was to take Island that were strategically important to the war effort.
The goal was to get air bases close to Japan to launch aerial bomber attacks to strike at Japan.
Saipan and Tinian had been taken in June of 1944.
The Fourth Marine Division had been training and refitting in Maui to take Iwo. Seizing Iwo Jima would allow B-17 and B-29 bombers to launch and recover. Iwo Jima would also allow fighter Escorts to defend the Bombers.
A concentrated effort had begun to destroy casemates and block houses at the shoreline.
The USMC Generals called for ten days of shelling. The Navy went with three days.
Below is a link to a Classified film produced by the War Department and The Navy on the Naval Gun Fire on Iwo Jima.
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