19 February This day in History: Iwo Jima

Brothers from another era shed nervous energy, jittered and tapped coming ashore in landing craft. They swallowed hard on their steak and eggs breakfast as Naval Gunfire crashed and Close Air Support buzzed overhead. Incoming zipped and cracked over their heads as they hit the lava sand beach. They faced an enemy dedicated, prepared and dug in.

In the end, 7,000 Marines would give the last full measure of devotion. 20,000 would fall wounded. And 24,000 airmen would be saved by the emergency landing strip offered during the bombing campaigns against Japan. The first emergency landing was executed before the strip was even fully secured.

Semper Fidelis Marines.

http://www.nationalww2museum.org/focus-on/iwo-jima-fact-sheet.pdf
http://www.iwojima.com/