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Naval History and Heritage Command

National Museum of the U.S. Navy

Iwo Jima:  Landing the U.S. Marines:  February 19, 1945

The Fourth and Fifth Marines, commanded by Lieutenant General Holland M. Smith, USMC, landed on Iwo Jima on February 19.   Despite the 14,000 tons of shells fired on it by the U.S. Navy, the island was won by the blood of the thousands of Marines.   The men attacked the massive interconnected underground defenses with flame throwers, bazookas, demolition charges, and grenades.   Smith stated, "Iwo Jima was the most savage and costly battle in the history of the Marine Corps."  The island was secured on March 16.   With the island in possession, the threat of the danger to B-29's was removed for their flights to bomb the Japanese homeland and enabled them an emergency landing field.

Image:  USMC 110109:  Battle for Iwo Jima, February 19, 1945.  Fourth Division Marines begin an attack from the beach.  Official U.S. Marine Corps Photograph, now in the collection of the National Archives.