Iwo Jima : World War II veterans remember the greatest battle of the Pacific

pt. I: The invasion. Corporal Richard Nummer ; Seaman James Bush ; Corporal James "Salty" Hathaway ; Captain Fred Haynes ; Corporal Hershel Woodrow "Woody" Williams -- pt. II: Iron Mike's posse. Corporal Glenn Buzzard ; Private First Class Pete Santoro ; Private First Class Domenick Tutalo -- pt. III: Russell, Tso, Abbatiello, and Waterhouse. Captain Gerald Russell ; Private First Class Samuel Tso ; Corporal Al Abbatiello ; Private First Class Charles Waterhouse -- pt. IV: The flag raisings. Warrant Officer Norman Hatch ; Corporal Charles "Chuck" Lindberg -- pt. V: The LST, workhorse of the invasion. Machinist's mate Third Class Perle "Dusty" Ward ; Pharmacist's Mate Third Class George Wahlen ; Sergeant Cyril O'Brien ; Sergeant Thomas Haywood McPhatter -- pt. VI: The planes that came. Lieutenant Robert Merklein ; Staff Sergeant Valentine Chepeleff ; Lieutenant Phil True -- pt. VII: Aftermath. The Japanese Commanders -- Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi and Captain Tsunezo Wachi -- and the years afterward ; Patrick Mooney and the graves ; Colonel John W. Ripley, USMC (Ret.) -- Appendix: Military terminology.;The invasion -- Iron Mike's posse -- Russell, Tso, Abbatiello, and Waterhouse -- The flag raisings -- The LST, workhorse of the invasion -- The planes that came -- Aftermath. “A vivid and compelling account by a true master of oral history.” —General James L. Jones, USMC (Ret.), Supreme Allied Commander, Europe On February 19, 1945, nearly 70,000 American soldiers invaded a tiny volcanic island in the Pacific. Over the next thirty-five days, approximately 28,000 soldiers died, including nearly 22,000 Japanese and 6,821 Americans, making Iwo Jima one of the costliest battles of World War II. In his most important work to date, best-selling author Larry Smith lets twenty-two veterans of the conflict tell the story of this epic clash in their own words. Many of these soldiers were no more than teenagers when they answered their country’s call, and yet the men relate the momentous events of this terrible conflict as if they occurred just last year, instead of more than half a century ago. Describing the initial charge across the treacherous black ash of the landing beach under heavy fire is Chuck Lindberg, the last survivor of the two teams that planted the flags on Mount Suribachi—a moment captured forever in Joe Rosenthal’s iconic photograph for the Associated Press. General Fred Haynes recounts his heroic attempts to keep order amid tremendous casualties on the battlefield. Woody Williams and George Wahlen, two of the battle’s twenty-six Medal of Honor recipients, tell their unbelievable stories, and Samuel Tso relates his role as one of the famous Navajo code talkers. Though the flags went up just days after the invasion, the fighting wasn’t over: through nearly eight miles of tunnels, thousands of Japanese troops defended the island despite hundred-degree heat, famine rations, and the overpowering stench of sulfur. To get both sides of the story, Smith interviewed the daughter of Captain Tsunezo Wachi, one of the most prominent Japanese survivors, and presents new evidence about the disappearance of the famed Japanese commander Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, who waged a brilliant defense of the island only to allegedly commit suicide rather than submit to the Americans. Smith also investigates the controversy surrounding Rosenthal’s famous photograph of the flag raising, and he interviews bomber and fighter crewmen to hear firsthand whether they believed the terrible cost of capturing the island was truly justified by its strategic use as an emergency stop for B-29 Superfortress bombers. Through the story of Navy Cross recipient John Ripley, Smith brings the history of the island up-to-date—from its return to Japan in 1968 to the dramatic discoveries made in the caves of Iwo in the 1980s and the Japanese-American Reunion of Honor now held annually on the island. With dozens of photographs and maps, Iwo Jima is a stunning history of this emblematic battle, but it is also a personal history of the generation of soldiers, many now in their final years, who waged one of the most important wars in American history. An Account Of The 1945 Battle Documents The Significant Losses On Both Sides, The Controversy Surrounding The Famous Photograph By Joe Rosenthal, And The Alleged Suicide Of Japanese General Tadamichi Juribayashi. The Invasion -- Iron Mike's Posse -- Russell, Tso, Abbatiello, And Waterhouse -- The Flag Raisings -- The Lst, Workhorse Of The Invasion -- The Planes That Came -- Aftermath. Pt. I: The Invasion. Corporal Richard Nummer ; Seaman James Bush ; Corporal James Salty Hathaway ; Captain Fred Haynes ; Corporal Hershel Woodrow Woody Williams -- Pt. Ii: Iron Mike's Posse. Corporal Glenn Buzzard ; Private First Class Pete Santoro ; Private First Class Domenick Tutalo -- Pt. Iii: Russell, Tso, Abbatiello, And Waterhouse. Captain Gerald Russell ; Private First Class Samuel Tso ; Corporal Al Abbatiello ; Private First Class Charles Waterhouse -- Pt. Iv: The Flag Raisings. Warrant Officer Norman Hatch ; Corporal Charles Chuck Lindberg -- Pt. V: The Lst, Workhorse Of The Invasion. Machinist's Mate Third Class Perle Dusty Ward ; Pharmacist's Mate Third Class George Wahlen ; Sergeant Cyril O'brien ; Sergeant Thomas Haywood Mcphatter -- Pt. Vi: The Planes That Came. Lieutenant Robert Merklein ; Staff Sergeant Valentine Chepeleff ; Lieutenant Phil True -- Pt. Vii: Aftermath. The Japanese Commanders--lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi And Captain Tsunezo Wachi--and The Years Afterward ; Patrick Mooney And The Graves ; Colonel John W. Ripley, Usmc (ret.) -- Appendix: Military Terminology. [edited By] Larry Smith.

the Men Who Fought And Survived The Deadliest Battle Of The Pacific Come To Life In This Powerful Oral History.

david Lee Poremba - Library Journal

the Story Of The Battle Of Iwo Jima Is Well Known, Especially With The Attention It Received On Its 60th Anniversary In 2005 And The Publication Then Of Several Fine Studies (e.g., James Bradley And Ron Powers's flags Of Our Fathers), Not To Mention Clint Eastwood's Two Recent Films. Now Best-selling Author Smith (beyond Glory) Has Amassed A Superb Collection Of 22 Oral Histories From Iwo Jima Veterans, Including Two Medal Of Honor Winners, A Navajo Code-talker, The Last Surviving Flag Raiser From The First Flag Raising On Mount Suribachi, A War Correspondent, And An African American Marine Who Served In An Ammo Company. These Veterans Make For A Good Mix Of Officers And Enlisted Men. In His Introductions And Follow-ups To Their Memories, Smith Discusses The Controversy Surrounding The Flag Raisings (whether Posed Or Genuine, Etc.), The Fate Of Japanese Commander Kuribayashi, And The Ultimate Fate Of The Island Itself, Among Other Topics. In Spite Of The Extensive Literature On Iwo Jima, This Is A Unique And Compelling Book; Strongly Recommended For All Collections. (photos Not Seen.)

The invasion -- Iron Mike's posse -- Russell, Tso, Abbatiello, and Waterhouse -- The flag raisings -- The LST, workhorse of the invasion -- The planes that came -- Aftermath. pt. I: The invasion. Corporal Richard Nummer Seaman James Bush Corporal James "Salty" Hathaway Captain Fred Haynes Corporal Hershel Woodrow "Woody" Williams -- pt. II: Iron Mike's posse. Corporal Glenn Buzzard Private First Class Pete Santoro Private First Class Domenick Tutalo -- pt. III: Russell, Tso, Abbatiello, and Waterhouse. Captain Gerald Russell Private First Class Samuel Tso Corporal Al Abbatiello Private First Class Charles Waterhouse -- pt. IV: The flag raisings. Warrant Officer Norman Hatch Corporal Charles "Chuck" Lindberg -- pt. V: The LST, workhorse of the invasion. Machinist's mate Third Class Perle "Dusty" Ward Pharmacist's Mate Third Class George Wahlen Sergeant Cyril O'Brien Sergeant Thomas Haywood McPhatter -- pt. VI: The planes that came. Lieutenant Robert Merklein Staff Sergeant Valentine Chepeleff Lieutenant Phil True -- pt. VII: Aftermath. The Japanese Commanders -- Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi and Captain Tsunezo Wachi -- and the years afterward Patrick Mooney and the graves Colonel John W. Ripley, USMC (Ret.) -- Appendix: Military terminology. The men who fought and survived the deadliest battle of the Pacific come to life in this powerful oral history. On February 19, 1945, nearly 70,000 American soldiers invaded a tiny volcanic island in the Pacific. Over the next thirty-five days, approximately 28,000 soldiers died, including nearly 22,000 Japanese and 6,821 Americans, making Iwo Jima one of the costliest battles of World War II. Best-selling oral historian Larry Smith dug deep for exclusive stories from Iwo Jima veterans, including the last surviving flag raiser on Mount Suribachi, a Navajo "Code Talker," a retired general, two Medal of Honor recipients, B-29 flyers, and other die-hard Marines who secured the island. Along the way, Smith investigates the controversy surrounding the famous photograph by Joe Rosenthal and presents the groundbreaking story of Japanese General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, rumored to have committed suicide rather than submit to capture. With dozens of photographs and maps, Iwo Jima is an unprecedented look at this pivotal battle and an inspiring study in courage, perseverance, and humanity. “A vivid and compelling account by a true master of oral history.” —General James L. Jones, USMC (Ret.), Supreme Allied Commander, Europe On February 19, 1945, nearly 70,000 American marines invaded a tiny volcanic island in the Pacific. Over the next thirty-five days, approximately 28,000 combatants died, including nearly 22,000 Japanese and 6,821 Americans, making Iwo Jima one of the costliest battles of World War II. Bestselling author Larry Smith lets twenty-two veterans tell the story of this epic clash in their own words; the result is a “superb and fascinating work by one of our nation’s leading oral historians” (Jay Winik, author of April 1865). Iwo Jima includes accounts from the last surviving flag raiser on Mount Suribachi, a Navajo code talker, a retired general, two Medal of Honor recipients, and B-29 flyers. With numerous photographs and maps, Iwo Jima is a stunning history of an emblematic battle and a powerful, personal history of this greatest generation of marines. On February 19, 1945, approximately 70,000 American marines invaded a tiny island in the Pacific. After thirty-five days and unspeakable struggle, Iwo Jima became one of the costliest battles of World War II. This oral history tells the story of this battle through the accounts of twenty-two veterans, including the last surviving flag-raiser on Mount Suribachi, a Navajo code talker, a retired general, and two Medal of Honor recipients. With photographs and maps, Iwo Jima is the history of an emblematic battle and a personal history of a generation of Marines