any outfits have ever been blooded as was the fledgling 5. And when they buried their dead, among them were three more Medal of Honor winners: Sergeant Joseph Julian, who lost his life charging pillboxes, and Private First Class James LaBelle and Private George Phillips, who threw themselves on grenades to save their comrades.
The sacrifices of these men demonstrated the indomitable spirit of the young American Marines on Iwo Jima. All through the last days of battle the living Marines had been coming down to the cemeteries to acknowledge their debt to the dead. There they knelt or stood with bowed heads in prayerful farewell. Some of them decorated the graves of their buddies. Sometimes they carved crosses out of Iwo’s limestone. At other graves they laid Marine emblems or some last salute they had scratched on the bottom of a mess pan with the point of a bayonet. Sometimes inscriptions or designs were made by pressing cartridges into the sand. Some of these epitaphs said:
And then, as though out of the very heart of the nation, there came this cry of grief:
In all, 4,189 Marines had been killed in action on Iwo Jima. With another 15,749 men who were wounded or put out of action in one way or another, the total cost had been 19,938 casualties. Yet, as heavy as the American losses were, only a handful of the 21,000 Japanese defenders survived. The death toll favored the attacking Americans by a ratio of more than five to one. This was an astonishing figure, because in war the attacker usually suffers far more than the defender. General Graves Erskine was mindful of this when he paid the last tribute to the fallen.
“Let the world count our crosses!” he said.
“Let them count them over and over. Then when they understand the significance of the fighting for Iwo Jima, let them wonder how
The Marines had not only fought the most ferocious battle in Marine Corps history, but they were the victors of the most savage single struggle in the annals of American arms. But the brave young Marines who sailed away from Iwo Jima shared no feelings of triumph. They felt only a deep sense of sadness and loss. They would never forget the men they had left behind. Nor would the nation ever forget the name of that terrible, bloody place where the flag was flung to the foreign wind and the gateway to Japan torn open.
It was immortal now. It held equal rank with Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Belleau Wood and Guadalcanal.
Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz gave Iwo Jima its epitaph:
“Among the Americans who served on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.”
Order of Events in the Invasion of Iwo Jima
B-29s from the Marianas conduct the first land-based aircraft raid on Tokyo
Units of the United States Navy shell Iwo Jima. They return to shell the island again on Dec. 27, Jan. 5, and Jan. 24.
Fifth Amphibious Corps leaves the Marianas after rehearsals for assault on Iwo Jima.
Supporting naval forces conduct preinvasion bombardment of Iwo Jima with aircraft and gunfire.
The 4 and 5 Marine divisions land on Iwo Jima and gain a foothold.
Seabees land to build roads to battle zone.
The 3 Division’s 21 Regiment is committed to battle in the 4 Division’s zone.
Japanese
The 28 Marines raise the American flag atop Mt. Suribachi.
The last units of the 3 division are committed to the battle.
The 4 Division enters the “Meatgrinder.”
The 3 Division overruns Airfield Number Two and Hill 199.
The 5 Division overruns Hill 362A.
The 3 Division clears Airfield Number Three
Marines of the 5 Division capture Hill 362B.
The Meatgrinder is finally shattered by 4 Division.
The first B-29 lands on Iwo Jima.
Air Force P-51 Mustangs and P-61 Black Widows arrive on Iwo.
The 3 Division makes a pre-down attack against Hill 362C, which is captured later that day.
Japanese launch
Marines of the 3 Division reach the other end of Iwo Jima.
Last strong enemy opposition is eliminated in 3 Division’s zone with fall of Cushman’s Pocket.
General Kuribayashi informs Toko of the impending loss of Iwo Jima.
The 4 Division takes ship for Hawaii.
Surviving Japanese launch a desperate early-morning attack against Marine and Army Air Force units near Airfield Number Two.
The Battle for Iwo Jima is officially declared over.
Note on Unit Strength
Squad = 10 men
Platoon = 40 men
Company = 200 men
Battalion = 1,000 men
Regiment = 3,000 men
