Interesting iwo jima facts

[imarangemaster]

Since my dad carried an M1 Carbine on Iwo Jima and I have talked about him here, I thought this the best place to put out some interesting facts about Iwo Jima that I found out going through my dad's papers and stuff from Iwo.

Everyone knows the Marine involvement in Iwo Jima: Landed on February 19th, 1945. Bloodiest realestate per square foot in the PTO some say: 18,982 casualties: 3,844 Marines, Navy, and Army* (*Army personnel operated amphibious DUKW trucks for the Marines and suffered terrible losses) Killed, 14,135 wounded, 427 missing. 23,500 Japanese Killed and 156 taken prisoner. Marines turned over the island to the Army Garrison Force and the 147th Infantry Regiment on March 26th.

Generally unknown: On 26 February, the assault echelon of the 147th Infantry Regiment and HHC of AGF (my Dad, SSG Edmund Molloy with Inland M1 Carbine in hand included) landed to establish Army command and prepare for transition. The exact number of Army casualties between this landing and assumption of the island on March 26th is not recorded, though my dad lost at least one friend to Japanese artillery during this period. While not as heavy as the Marines, the Army suffered terrible casualties. Between March 26th, 1945 and the end of July, 1945 the Army's 147th and AGF Hq suffered 2,509 casualties: 819 killed and 1,690 more were wounded in five months of clearing the island. They killed an additional 3,500 Japanese, and finally captured 1,138 more, many wounded.

Not to take away from the thunder of the Corp (my cousins and uncles were Marines), but the role of the Army in the PTO, and the price they paid was very high. Philippines, Corregador, Bataan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Burma, Wake, and Midway.

Information

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[LeagleEagle]

I think it's closer to 6,000 killed from all services.
http://www.ww2gyrene.org/Spotlight4_thecost.htm
Don't forget Merril's Marauders! Or would that be considered CBI theater?

[jimb16]

That is CBI.

[imarangemaster]

You could be very right. The Marine Navy figure is ground action with Navy being Corpsmen. There were some Navy losses just prior to the Invasion, as well as aircrew attacking being killed. I also believe that Coastguard lost some folks too in the landing craft. The figures I used in this post were direct from a book "My Company on Iwo" published by HHC Army Garrison Force, Iwo Jima in Late August or September of 1945. It is in my dad's stuff. It is great to see my dad's name in there, along with the friends of his I met years ago "Fritz" Smartchen, Duffy (who served in North Africa also), Dredarian, and some others. There were household names and occasional visitors when I was a kid in the 50s and 60s. I spent a weekend at Duffy's summer cabin in Indiana when I was a kid.

Anyway, I just drew from that book and did not compare them against any of the Iwo books I have.

[DaveHH]

The island was declared "Secure" far too soon as they were still killing Japanese 30 days later. The Japanese also had a surprise attack by several Betty bombers full of commandos. These aircraft crash landed onto the runways and out poured these soldiers, many armed with submachinegins. They killed a lot of support troops before being killed themselves. Okinawa was worse.

[imarangemaster]

My dad used to kid about how "Safe" he felt after it was declared secure and the Marines left. After all, he was there with them for three weeks or so during the invasion, and that was awful enough. Problem was, the Japs kept trying to kill him just as much after the Island was secure. He laughed about the idea of a "rear area" on Iwo, as they were regularly attacked, sniped, shelled, and bombed for months. He said he guess someone forgot to tell the Japs that the island was secure, and headquarters was supposed to be safe! The last Japanese soldiers will killed in action in late August, if I recall from the record in the book.

[soulkiss.kellimae]

The book you refered to..."My Company On Iwo Jima" My grandfather had one. We still have it.

[jackthesmib]

The last 2 Japanese "holdouts" on Iwo lived in the caves and
tunnels for an additional 6 years after the island was declared
secure. They did not surrender until 1951. Amazing.