The First Battalion of the 28th Marines on Iwo Jima

At 0902 on February 19, 1945, B and C Companies of the First Battalion of the 28th Marines landed at the base of Suribachi and began their whirlwind thrust across the narrow isthmus of Iwo Jima. In less than two hours men from both companies arrived at the cliffs overlooking the west beach of Iwo Jima, successfully cutting Suribachi off from the rest of the island. Meanwhile, six other battalions of the Fourth and Fifth Marine Divisions struggled to establish footholds to the north of the First Battalion. This first day cost the Battalion 191 men, including 44 dead.

Following a day of regrouping, the First Battalion joined the Second and Third Battalions of the 28th Marines in their assault of Suribachi.

During the next 35 days, along with 23 other assault battalions and numerous support units of the Third, Fourth and Fifth Marines Divisions, the First Battalion successfully fought its way to the northern most tip of the island despite crippling casualties.

Following its participation in the capture of Suribachi, the Battalion spent several days mopping up and rebuilding. On February 27 and 28, the Battalion received 73 replacements. During its first ten days on Iwo, the First Battalion lost 294 men, including 88 dead.

On the morning of March 1, the First Battalion relieved the Third Battalion of the 27th Marines and took over the assault of Hill362A and Nishi Ridge. In a four days of vicious fighting, the First Battalion of the 28th Marines routed the enemy from deep in the bowels of the island and took Hill 362A and Nishi Ridge. Losing 200 men, the Battalion returned to the base of Suribachi to regroup and receive additional replacements.

After reorganizing and receiving 146 neophyte replacements, the First Battalion returned north to participate in the battles of "The Badlands" and "Bloody Gorge."

On March 25, the First Battalion and other units elminiated the last pocket of enemies in Bloody Gorge. The Iwo Campaign cost the Battalion 223 killed in action, 3 missing in action, 685 wounded in action and 68 men evacuated for battle fatigue and othe causes.

On March 26, after paying tribute to their dead, the remnants of the First Battalion boarded the USS Zeilin for their long trip back to Hawaii.

Two events stand out in the minds of the Marines who fought on Iwo Jima. The first event occured on February 23 when a patrol of men from the Second Battalion, 28th Marines raised the first American flag atop Suribachi. The other event occured on March 4 when First Lieutenant Fred Malo landed his crippled B29, "Dinah Might." Before the assault Marines left Iwo Jima on March 26, seventeen more silver birds would use Iwo Jima as a safe haven.

When President Truman made his initial address before Congress on April 16, 1945, he emphasized, "Tokyo rocks under the weight of our bombs...I want the entire world to know that this direction must and will remain - unchanged and unhampered. Our demand has been and it remains - unconditional surrender."

In their remorseless attack against the Japanese homeland, 2,400 B29s low on gas, damaged, or otherwise in trouble landed in Iwo Jima. Many of the 27,000 crewmen of these planes touched town on Iwo Jima more than once.

During the months following the capture of Iwo Jima, nearly every city in Japan was bombed one or more times by the B-29s. From the time the first B-29s made their attacks from bases in Burma and China until the war ended, B-29s and other planes dropped 16,800 tons of bombs on Japan.

The men of the 20th Air Force owe the marines a debt of graditude for taking Iwo Jima to provide them a safe haven for their crippled planes. The marines are equally as indebted to the 20th Air Force for helping bring Japan to its knees before it was necessary to execute Operation Olympic. Operation Olympic would have cost many more American lives than the battle for Iwo Jima.

Be sure to click below and visit the web sites maintained by two of the Bomb Groups of the 20th Air Force who made extensive use of Iwo Jima.

Web-Birds: Warbirds on the 'Web - The WWII Ga...
B-29 History From Guam Missions


PHOTOGRAPH GALLERY

Please click on the following images to see a few of the battle pictures found on other Iwo Jima internet sites..
Marine Corps Image - Iwo Jima Beach 3
Marine Corps Image - Iwo Jima Memorial
Marine Corps Image - Flame Tank on Iwo
Marine Corps Image - Iwo Jima Landing
Marine Corps Image - Iwo Jima Vet Receives Pu...
Images
http://www.usmc.mil/images.nsf/b7a610ddc1be59...

"THE FIRST BATTALION OF THE 28TH MARINES ON IWO JIMA"
By Robert E. Allen

For information on my book "The First Battalion of the 28th Marines on Iwo Jima" click on :

Amazon.com: A Glance: The First Battalion of ...

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers - Recor...

OTHER RECOMMENDED WEB SITES

Check these sites for more information on the Battle of Iwo Jima:
Iwo Jima

Battle of Iwo Jima

MARION FRANCIS FLETCHER (KIA)

WORLD WAR II MARINES 1941-1945

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