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In the spring of 1945, Tokyo becomes a battlefield as the Allies bomb the Japanese
city using long-range B-29 Superfortress bomber planes. They fly from Guam, Saipan,
the Marianas and Tinian to deliver their payloads to the Japanese empire. Their
mission: destroy factories, lines of communication and the infrastructure that
runs the Japanese war machine. P-51 Mustang fighter planes from Iwo Jima help
protect the bombers and strafe ground targets and other military bastions. The
bombers attack city after city on the Japanese mainland. Iwo Jima, once under
Japanese control is now a safe haven for the crippled or damaged bombers and
her crews. The small island helps save tens of thousands of Allied air force
personnel. As the Island Hopping Campaign continued over a 3-year period after
the bombing of Pearl Harbor, a huge task force of many ships and troops converge
on the tiny 8 square mile island called Iwo Jima in February of 1945. Before the
invasion can begin, a naval bombardment comprised of 7 battleships, 4 cruisers
and 15 destroyers unleash their full fury on the island for 72 hours. The marines
are forced to land and only a headlong assault will eliminate the 23,000
well-trained Japanese soldiers. The island is a solid mass of underground
fortifications and tunnels and is well defended. The marines use extreme
force and air superiority to help climb the first obstacle on the island,
the giant 566-ft extinct volcano called Mount Suribachi. In the end, 5,000
brave marines give their life to help win the battle and vanquish the enemy
completely. With the island in Allied control, the B-29 bombers now have an
emergency base to land on when called for. Iwo Jima ultimately saves the
lives of 25,000 American airmen.
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