Iwo Jima Stories

 

"...We went into one that had opened up due to cave in below it that had a skeleton of a japanese officer there. He was still covered with some of his uniform..."

 

 

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 William N. Tackitt

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  • Branch of Service: U. S. Army Air Corps/Air Force
  • Unit: Air/Sea Rescue
  • Dates: 1942 - 1945
  • Location: Pacific Theater
  • Rank: S/Sgt.
  • Birth Year: 30 July 1923
  • Place of Birth: Lometa, Lampasas County, TX

 

 

S/Sgt. William Nathan Tackitt
U.S. Air Force Air/Sea Rescue Service
Stationed TDY (Temporary Duty) on Iwo Jima in 1950
United States Army Air Corps

 

Images of Iwo Jima

 

     Mr. William N. Tackitt was stationed at Misawa Air Force Base, Japan at the outbreak of the Korean War. Mr. Tackitt was on TDY (Temporary Duty) at Iwo Jima when war broke out.

     Below are a series of images taken by Mr. Tackitt during his short tour of the island.

     It should be noted that some of the images near the bottom of this series of images are of importance. They were taken five years following the bloody fighting for the island in February and March 1945.

     Some of the images show destruction that occurred during this heavy fighting. The equipment in these stunning images lay there for five years following the intense battle and remained there as mute testimony to the brutality of the fighting going on between determined American Marines and equally determined Japanese soldiers and Marines.

     Images are worth a thousand words.

     These images speak volumes!

 

     ----- the web master

 

TDY Quansont huts on Iwo Jima. Circa 1950.

     "The first picture of the quansan huts are the ones we stayed in on Iwo Jima. The water tower between the two huts had the insigna that Air Rescue used on Iwo Jima (a sea-sick cat wearing a Mae West life perserver."

     "The picture was taken on the Island of Iwo Jima at the outbreak of the Korean War. We were pulling "strip alert" at the time. A japanese worker came by and stole the hat a couple of hours after the picture was taken. I guess he needed a good hat. Ha. We were there when the war broke out but due to war time traffic on the radios, we could not find out where war had started."

 

Iwo Jima -- APO815 -- Post Exchange on Iwo Jima. Circa 1950.

 

     Japanese skull, helmet and machine gun belt on Iwo Jima. Circa 1950.

     "Japanese skull and bullets. There were still a few in caves and tunnels. We went into one that had opened up due to cave in below it that had a skeleton of a japanese officer there. He was still covered with some of his uniform.

     As we were looking, someone stepped on a board that was under the skeletons hand and it looked like he saluted us because the board threw his hand up.

     We vacated the area very quickly. Ha."

 

     "Slow Down" sign on Iwo Jima. Circa 1950.

 

     Cave on southern side of the island, just above the Invasion Beaches on Iwo Jima. Circa 1950.

 

     Invasion beaches damaged and destroyed equipment on Iwo Jima. Circa 1950.

 

     Invasion beaches damaged and destroyed equipment on Iwo Jima. Circa 1950.

 

     Invasion Beaches -- destroyed equipment -- on Iwo Jima. Circa 1950.

 

     Invasion Beaches -- destroyed equipment -- on Iwo Jima. Circa 1950.

 

     The "Rock" -- Mt. Suribachi. Looking to southwest. Notice an artillery piece to left side of the bend in the road. Iwo Jima. Circa 1950.

     "I was stationed at Misawa AB when the Korean war broke out, however I was TDY on Iwo Jima at the start of Korean War. Confusing isn't it. Ha. Our rescue unit pulled strip alert on Iwo Jima and I just happened to be there when the North Koreans invaded the south. We couldnt find out what was happening as communications were all tied up with war traffic and it was coded. A ham operator tried to find out and was told to shut up and get off the air unless was handling wartime traffic. That really got us to going."

 

     Road to Mt. Suribachi -- color image -- Iwo Jima. Note the access road circling the volcano as it leads to the top. This is apparently a color version of the image depicted above. Circa 1950.

 

     Remnants of Japanese defenses near base of Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima. Circa 1950.

 

     At the "Flag Raising Memorial" atop Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima. Circa 1950.

 


Biography of William N. Tackitt

Now you can read the most interesting life story of the young years of William N. Tackitt as written by himself. Bio includes some excellent period photos.

Biography of William N. Tackitt

 


We, at the World War II Stories - In Their Own Words web site wish to offer to Mr. William N. Tackitt our most profound THANK YOU for his poignant story of his personal experiences -- during his military tour of Iwo Jima and especially for allowing us to share those memories.

A very special THANK YOU is extended to Mr. William E. Tackitt, and his daughter, Ms. Barbara VanEllen, for their kind and generous permission to use the materials and images contained on this web page. Stories such as this story go a long way in preserving yet another piece of the overall picture that was World War II.

Mr. Tackitt and his daughter, Ms. Barbara VanEllen, have kindly forwarded a number of images of Mr. Tackitt's military career. This career originated with WWII and continued through the Korean War. Look for us at World War II Stories -- In Their Own Words to be adding additional images and recollections of this exciting military career.


Original story/images transcribed on 13 June 2004.

 


Note: To view images taken by this web master of World War II Stories -- In Their Own Words during his year on Iwo Jima, please click on the following link to my World War II Stories Photo Album:

WW II Stories: Iwo Jima Photo Album 1965-1966

Additionally: This web master was stationed on Iwo Jima in mid 1965 for a year. A story of my year on the island is located in this section as well. In this story are a number of additional images of Iwo Jima taken during the year on "sulfur island." Check it out at:

My Time on Iwo

 


Did YOU serve on Iwo Jima?

Did you know that there is a group of veterans who have gotten together to form an association of servicemen, no matter what branch of service, who served at one time or another starting at the invasion of the island on February 19, 1945 and continuing until the island was eventually returned to the Japanese in 1969.

Black Pearl Veterans


 

 


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