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THE NAME The island of IWO JIMA was the scene of a historic battle fought in the South Pacific late in World War II. The japanese conquest, by February 1945, had turned into a desperate defense of the homeland. Their surrender seemed inevitable, but before victory could be assured, United States forces engaged them in several encounters. Fanatical, ag . battle-trained japanese forces , forti- fied in almost impregnable island posi- tions, were determined to die in a last ditch effort to save the homeland. Such names as Guadalcanal, Tarawa, and Okinawa thus became symbols of national pride to Americans. One of the most famous of these historic battle-grounds was the island of IWO JIMA, which held a strategic position for both sides. To the Americans , it was an airbase from which to launch strikes against japan itself. For the japanese, it was a vital defense bastion for the homeland. Both sides were determined to win the ensuing battle at all costs. A joint expeditionary force of 495 ships, including 17 aircraft carriers and 1,170 planes, attacked Iwo Jima on 19 February 1945. Included in the fighting were 111,308 U. S. troops , of which 75,144 were actively engaged in the assualt. Strategy required the U. S. Fourth and Fifth Marine Divisions to push across the nar- row southern part of the island before wheeling north and south to finally destroy the divided japanese forces. At the southwestern tip of Iwo Jima stood Mount Suribachi, a vital position in the enemy's defense. The 28th Marine Regiment was assigned to con- quer the 550-foot summit. By isolating the extinct volcano from the rest of the island, the 28th began a concen- trated probing of japanese resistance. The Japanese were firmly entrenched in their dug- outs and caves and held a dominant position from which they could repel their attackers. It took until 23 February for the Leathernecks to battle their way to the peak. At 10:15 on 23 February, a patrol from F Company, Second Battalion, under command of Lieutenant Harold G. Schrier, fought its way to the top of Mount Suribachi. In the midst of a hot firefight, Schrier and five of his men raised the Stars and Stripes to signal that their objective had been gained. This bit of drama served to inspire Americans for the rest of the war and was indelibly inscribed by photographer joe Rosenthal's classic photo- graph. Fighting continued until 16 March before Iwo Jima was secured. Four thousand five hundred and nine Americans gave their lives, and more that 20,000 japanese were killed in the bloody battle. The conquest of Iwo Jima led to the eventual surrender of japan. Americans will never forget the courageous deeds and heroism that took place on that small island in the Pacific early in the spring of 1945. The USS IWO JIMA is a living monument to that epic struggle. 2
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