"...and the
beaches ran red with blood..."
...describes the scene
of the beginning of the American invasion of this Japanese held
island, Iwo Jima, in the Bonin islands chain 600 miles to the south
of Tokyo. Up until this time most marines had never heard of this
tiny island shaped like a "porkchop" which measured about a mile at
its widest point and seven miles at its longest point.
They would soon find
out a lot about this tiny hell hole in the Pacific. Over 6000 would
never return home alive.
A few years ago, a
marine visitor went to the island after obtaining permission and was
appalled as to the conditions of the monuments to the fallen
Amerians...they were in deplorable condition and overgrown by island
vegetation. What a terrible way to remember the sacrifices of so many
Americans who shed their blood on this small island.
The following is a New
Section of World War II Stories -- In Their Own Words and begins
simply enough with the story of this web master who spent a year on
the island during his military service in the United States Air Force
as a weather observer/radiosonde operator. He was stationed there in
the latter half of 1965 and the first half of 1966.
Many hours were spent
"boondocking" -- traveling around the island on foot along with
friends to check out the historic landmarks and to see if we could
discover new and hidden treasures. We had to be very careful during
those trips for some areas still contained unexploded
ordinance.
Following the battle
for Iwo Jima, the highest praise possible was bestowed upon the men
who endured -- with the simple but eloquent words:
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"Among the men who fought on Iwo island,
uncommon valor was a common virtue."
Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, March 1945
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A sample
of black Iwo Jima sand from the invasion beach designated as
Green-1 which was the beach closest to Mt. Suribachi.
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Below is a the
beginning of what is hoped to be a number of stories from servicemen
who served on Iwo Jima -- also known as "Sulfur Island" -- or "the
Black Pearl" to name but a few.
This new section is a
tribute to the servicemen who were stationed on Iwo Jima from
February 1945 until 1968 when the island was officially returned to
the Japanese government.
This makes the
servicemen who were there on the island members of a unique group of
men who are fairly small in number, considering the length of time
that the island was in American hands and the small number of
servicemen who were stationed on the island.
If you were a member of
this unique group and would care to contribute your story, we will
happily add it to our web pages.
Joe Richard
Det. 12, 20th Weather Squardon,
U. S. Air Force 1962 - 1966
NEW Iwo Jima
Aerial Images
Aerial Image of
Iwo Jima dated mid year 1967.
Source of the photographs is
the 6100 Support Wing History, Volume 1, Jan-Mar l968 assigned to the
Fifth Air Force, Pacific AIr Forces, stationed at Tachikawa Air Base
Japan.
Image courtesy of the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Overhead Aerial
Image of Iwo Jima dated 1959.
Source of the photographs is
the 6100 Support Wing History, Volume 1, Jan-Mar l968 assigned to the
Fifth Air Force, Pacific AIr Forces, stationed at Tachikawa Air Base
Japan.
Image courtesy of the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Interesting to
note: While I was stationed on Iwo Jima (July 1965-1966), the island
had changed dramatically since this overhead was image taken in 1959.
The main air base was still there with it's single long runway and
curved apron. However the second airstrip (just to left of the large
base) and the third airstrip (barely seen as an outline between the
main base and Mt. Suribachi in bottom of photo) were all but
gone...obliterated by the ever encroaching vegetation.
We are searching for aerial (preferrably
overhead) images of Iwo Jima taken in the 1960's. If anyone has any
idea as to where we might be able to obtain some decent images taken
during this time frame, we would appreciate you letting us
know.
Iwo Jima
Stories
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Our
Newest Story in this Series!
Gareth W.
Rosson
Sgt.,
Ordinance 199th Depot & 3605th HAM Shop,
U. S.
Army
Stationed
on Iwo Jima
1946-1947
Story Added on 6 March
2007
"...The room was HOT around 105 with a terrible
smell. There were 5 or 6 Japanese soldiers, fully clothed,
on the floor on the other end of the room. Their bodies were
dried like leather. We didn't go down to the next level due
to the stench and heat..."
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Joseph
Pellam
USS
Midway, Antisubmarine,
Wyverns
(HS-12)
Civilian
Worker on Iwo Jima
Stationed
in 1993
Story Added on 21 February
2005
"...I went to the
top of Suribachi and stood on the spot where the worlds most
famous photograph was taken as well as hiking down into the
crater and down the other side..."
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Howard
E. Fornof, GySgt.
USMC
(Ret)
Foxtrot,
2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines
Fleet
Marine Forces Pacific
March
1952-September 1972
Story Added on 21 February
2005
"...I had the
opportunity to I first visited Iwo in 1955 when our company
F/2/3 was selected to be the aggressors force in a
divisional exercise where the 3rd Marines from Camp Fuji
Japan and the 9th Marines from Camp Sukiran Okinawa boarded
ships..."
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Fred
Puente
USAF
Air Traffic Control Squadron,
1964th
AACS
Stationed
on Iwo Jima
U.
S. Air Force, April 1958 - April
1959
Story Added on 19 October
2004
"...We
could also draw 30 caliber ammo from the Air Police and do
some "plinking" around the island at cans, sharks or
whatever moved..."
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William
N. Tackitt, S/Sgt.
Stationed
TDY on Iwo Jima
U.
S. Air Force, 1950
Story Added on 13 June
2004
"...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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Harold
Spear
A
. Co., 802nd Heavy Construction Engineers Iwo Jima, December
1956 - May 1957
U.
S. Army
Story Added on 2 January
2004
"...was in the mess tent eating
breakfast when the ground started to shake and we heard a
very loud explosion. We rushed outside to see large rocks
and and steam blowing several feet in the air. The ground
had opened up between the runway and Mt. Sarabachi
..."
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Joseph
L. Richard
Det.
12, 20th Weather Sq.,
My
Time on Iwo: July 1965 - July 1966
Story
Added on 4 November 2002
The following is an exerpt from the
story
About the year that I served on Iwo
Jima.
"...After my arrival one of the
first things to do was the 'island tour of new arrivals'
which was conducted by a couple of the old hands (names
escape me) and we all hopped into the back of the base pick
up truck..."
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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 1968?
Black
Pearl Veterans
Do YOU have
a story to tell?
Do YOU have a
picture that tells a story?
Contact me, Joe
Richard and I can help.
If You Would Like to
E-mail us, Click on the Image Below:
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Copyright 2001-2007
World War II
Stories -- In Their Own Words
All Rights
Reserved