Mount Suribachi overlooks the landing beaches. During the battle for
Iwo Jima,
Mt Suribachi
gave the defending Japanese
forces a perfect vantage point from which to direct lethal
artillery fire on the Marines'
hastily dug positions on the beach.
Futatsune Beach, today known by
visiting Marines as Invasion Beach, is where on
19 February 1945, the Marines
landed on D-Day of the invasion of Iwo Jima. This picture
was taken from near the top of
Mt. Suribachi. Forward Observer's dream!
Marines race across the beach
to experience a fraction of the experiences the Marines who
fought for Iwo Jima might have
had on D-Day of the Battle. The major difference between
today and 1945 is that today no
one is shooting at them!
The guide for this trip asked
the Marines to rush this dune to get an idea of what the Marines
who took Iwo Jima faced. Every
step you take up, you slide down and into the dune. You
have to work hard to get to the
top. Imagine doing it with 100 lbs on your back while being
shot at and artillery raining
down on you.
A
heavy machine gun,
possibly a Japanese Type 92
Heavy Machine Gun, lies abandoned in
a bunker overlooking the
landing beaches. There are still dozens of these bunkers all over
the island. Most of them were
destroyed during the battle. This pillbox still bore the scars of
the fighting. It was pockmarked
with bullet holes and the inside was blackened. I imagine a
flame thrower was used to clear
that pillbox.
This monument was erected on
the spot where
Franklin Sousley,
Harlon Block, Michael
Strank,
John Bradley,
Rene Gagnon, and Ira Hayes raised the American flag 4 days into the
battle for Iwo Jima . Iwo Jima
is like Mecca for the Marines. Visiting Marines leave personal
mementos behind during their
'pilgrimages'.
The Eagle, Globe and Anchors on
the left and right side of the monument are completely
covered in dog tags left by
visiting Marines and service men to honor the 6,131 killed.
Remember what they did!
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