I Am Interested In Ww1 and Ww2

Today is the 75th anniversary of the battle of Iwo Jima

[media=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofSF463vpCQ]

Threescore and fifteen years ago,

On Iwo Jima's scoriac stones

Many a young man bled and died

For country, God or emperor.

Now looking at this desolate isle

Today, but little more remains

Than mostly unkempt monuments

And dreadful artifacts of war,

Rusting where they fell, so long ago.

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Heartlander · 80-89, M

Thanks for posting.

I've never been to Iwo Jima but overflew it a few times. Its most impressive feature? How small ... a tiny island for such a fierce battle. About 8 square mile total area. About the size of Grand Isle, LA, or Grand Turk.

During the Vietnam era, I spent some time ferrying aircraft back and across the Pacific, shorter range airplanes requiring refueling island stops along the way ... Midway, Wake, Johnson, Guam, Okinawa. But never Iwo Jima. Spent a few nights at Midway and Wake ... even smaller than Iwo Jima ... and had the opportunity to visit the beaches and old pill boxes. A very somber experience.

Thinkerbell · 41-45, F

@Heartlander

You're very welcome.

Yes, only 8 sq miles, a little over 5000 acres. That means on average, more than one marine died and more than three were wounded for each acre.
Nearly all the Japanese defenders died, about 4 per acre.
Just awful, hard to imagine today.

samueltyler2 · 80-89, M

@Heartlander the walk along the paths at the US Military Cemetery in Normandy is an awesome, inspired my experience.