| DATE |
EVENT |
| AUG 1944 |
Preliminary bombardment and air strikes begin. |
| 16-19 FEB 1945 |
Naval bombardment begins by sxi old battleships, four cruisers and one light
cruiser |
| 19 FEB |
D-Day - At 0830, the first wave of 68 LVT(A)'s head for the beach (Assault
Battalions of the 4th and 5th MARDIV) |
| 19 FEB |
D-Day - By 0920, troops along the line come under fire, particularly heavy on both
Yellow and Blue beach |
| 19 FEB |
D-Day - By 1030, all eight Assault Battalions are on the beach and at 1035,
elements of Company "C" cross the island and gain a foothold. |
| 20-25 FEB |
Southern end of island is secured after six days of bitter fighting by the 28th
Marines. Flag is raised on Mt. Suribachi |
| 20 FEB |
Northern end of island attack begins, as seven front line Battalions of V
Amphibious Corps start their drive into the main Japanese defenses |
| 21 FEB |
4th and 5th Marine Divisions renew attacks after gunfire from artillery, rockets and
naval air and ships, lifts at 0815 |
| 23 FEB |
D-Day +3 - The battle is almost entirely in the hands of the 21st Marines, in the
center of the line. |
| 24 FEB |
First phase of the battle ends with 50,000 Americans ashore |
| 25-26 FEB |
Battle for securing the airfields begins with the assault of the 3D Marine Division;
hills Peter and OBOC fall; most of Airfields One and Two fall |
| 25 FEB |
D-Day +6 - Attack on the Meat Grinder by 23rd and 24th Marine Regiments |
| 27-28 FEB |
4th MARDIV presses forward their advance to both sides of the Meat
Grinder |
| 2 MAR |
28th Marine Regiment re-enters the fight for the firt time since they took
Suribachi |
| 3 MAR |
Airfield One - 1,000 yard section opened |
| 4 MAR |
First disabled B-29, "Dinah Might," lands on Iwo Jima |
| 5 MAR |
Mopping up; V Amphibious Corps orders that no attacks should take place this
day. Also, 3D Regiment of 3D MARDIV sails away. |
| 6 MAR |
General Groves Erskine, CG 3D MARDIV receives approval to conduct night
attack against hill 362-C |
| 8-15 MAR |
Final Phase - 4th MARDIV operations continue against the Meat Grinder; 3d
MARDIV breaks through to the sea; Japanese force now split in two; the end is in sight |
| 9-16 MAR |
3D MARDIV completes reduction of Cushman's Pocket (it takes six days); 4th
MARDIV during same period subdues last major resistance in their sector and elements begin
leaving the island |
| 10-25 MAR |
5th Division reaches area of LTGEN Kuribayashi's 109th Div Headquarters; battle of
Bloody Gorge becomes the last Japanese resistance on the island |
| 25 MAR |
BATTLE FOR IWO JIMA ENDS |
