Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

Comments

14 comments

Date Votes
  • Smitty500mag
    If there is a hereafter I hope I never meet any of those guys and have to try and explain to them how we let the country they died fighting for go to hell. 
    3
  • select-fire
    My Dad was there shelling the island prior to the invasion .
    0
  • truthful
    I've never understood why it was necessary to attack and invade so many Pacific islands. With scarce resources on the island, why not just blockade it and keep going.
    0
  • Mr. Perfect
    truthful said:
    I've never understood why it was necessary to attack and invade so many Pacific islands. With scarce resources on the island, why not just blockade it and keep going.

    It was a strategic stronghold to allow for refueling and resupply. The Pacific is quite large, and places like Iwo Jima and Midway were very key to this purpose.
    0
  • select-fire
    Had to wipe out the threat
    0
  • select-fire
    On one of those islands my Dad said the Japanese would come out to the shore at night to gather fish  or anything to eat. They waited till thousands of them hit the shore and then used the artillery to shell them.. actually behind them and work it to the water line. Mop up was with the pom poms 40mm's .. very few made it back to their hideouts.  Dad told me he shot one Japanese , They would swim out miles and throw grenades on deck  .
    0
  • pulsarnc

    Iwo was important as an emergency landing field for bombers that were in trouble on their return flight from Japan

    0
  • mmppres
    For all who fought an died an those who survived thanks an god bless
    0
  • dfletcher
    truthful said:
    I've never understood why it was necessary to attack and invade so many Pacific islands. With scarce resources on the island, why not just blockade it and keep going.


    One of the reasons the US and British did so well in WWII is that each country approached war in a practical manner.  Building more tanks and planes, even if inferior to the enemy, was considered more productive than well made machinery.  If it could have been shown that bypassing those islands produced better results the "Whiz Kids" would have recommended it.

    As a practical matter, US bombers needed those islands to creep closer to the Japanese mainland.  Using them meant taking them. Without that there would have been no way to "keep going".

    I would suggest there is also an intangible reason, rather eloquently voiced by Admiral Halsey when he said "Kill J@ps! Kill J@ps!!  Kill J@ps!! Kill J@ps!!!".   Leaving your enemy alone to wear out doesn't make quite so strong of an impression as killing them. 

    0
  • kimi
    Smitty500mag: 31535854756763/comments/31535900311451
    If there is a hereafter I hope I never meet any of those guys and have to try and explain to them how we let the country they died fighting for go to hell. 

    Being the grandsons of those who fought the Great American War, they might not be surprised in the least. That said, it has been a real learning experience for the generation that followed them.

    0
  • Brookwood
    Received this from the VA in one of their mailings and found it very educational and interesting!
    https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=185510686096640

    0
  • mogley98
    I have  a mess kit, the canteen is inscribed obviously by hand with several things, the name of the fellow, and the places he apparently was sent to fight, along with "Like hell it's yours" I guess people "mistook" others canteens for their own. I have tried several times looking this guy up perhaps finding the family to see if they would like the mess kit but never had any success. The men who came home never asked for much and started families and careers mostly keeping silent about their service. Thanks to them!
    0
  • kimi
    mogley98 said:
    I have  a mess kit, the canteen is inscribed obviously by hand with several things, the name of the fellow, and the places he apparently was sent to fight, along with "Like hell it's yours" I guess people "mistook" others canteens for their own. I have tried several times looking this guy up perhaps finding the family to see if they would like the mess kit but never had any success. The men who came home never asked for much and started families and careers mostly keeping silent about their service. Thanks to them!
    If you want to try again, let me know,  Be glad to help, if I can.
    0
  • Don McManus
    truthful said:
    I've never understood why it was necessary to attack and invade so many Pacific islands. With scarce resources on the island, why not just blockade it and keep going.
    We bypassed more than we invaded, including some fairly significant ones, such as Truk.  Once isolated and cut off from air and naval re-supply, they became useless.

    Iwo Jima was a different story, however.  Not only was it used as a refuge for damaged bombers en-route to or returning from Japan, but it was also a base for escort fighters to accompany the B-29s during their missions. 

    On the other hand, some islands, such as Peleliu, were invaded at great cost when in retrospect, it probably was not necessary. 
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity