Operation Detachment: 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima (WW2 Pacific Military History Series Book 8) by Daniel Wrinn

Author:Daniel Wrinn [Wrinn, Daniel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storyteller Books, LLC
Published: 2021-06-21T22:00:00+00:00

While Holland Smith may have known the overall statistics of the battle losses sustained by the landing force at that point—he did not fully appreciate the tremendous attrition of experienced junior officers and senior noncoms taking their place every day. For example, the day after the 3rd Marines sailed for Guam, the 2/23 Marines’ E Company suffered the loss of their seventh company commander since the start of the battle.

Colonel Cushman’s experiences with the 2/9 Marines were typical: “casualties were brutal. By the time Iwo was over, we’d gone through two complete sets of lieutenants and platoon leaders. After that, we had forward artillery observers commanding companies and sergeants leading half strength platoons. It was that bad.”

Colonel English wrote: “After twelve days, we’d lost every company commander. I had one company exec left. I’d lost all three of my rifle company commanders killed by the same damn shell.”

Many infantry units and platoons ceased to exist. Depleted companies were merged to form half-strength outfits.

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