Product Review

On February 19, 1945, Operation Detachment, the campaign to seize a small volcanic island 660 miles south of Tokyo, commenced. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th Marine Divisions stormed Iwo Jima's heavily defended shores in what was supposed to be a three- or four-day battle. Instead, the bloodiest battle in U.S. Marine Corps history went on for a tense 36 days. The cost in human life was enormous--6,821 U.S. marines, sailors, soldiers, and airmen lost their lives, while the Japanese lost over 20,000.