Battle of Iwo Jima
    02/25/1945
 

About 22,000 Japanese troops were entrenched on the island of Iwo Jima during the February - March 1945 battle.  100,000 U.S. Marines invaded the island resulting in the death of 18,000 Japanese and 6,821 Americans.  20,000 American Marines were wounded.  The capture of Iwo Jima, located about 670 miles south of Tokyo, provided the Americans a location at which B-29 bombers could refuel on their way to bombing missions over Japan. The success of each day's battle was measured in yards gained.

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