Contents

Chapter			Page
Foreword			iii
Preface			iv
Background			1
	Strategic Situation		1
	History		2
	Geography		4
	Japanese Preparations		5
Plans and Preparations			19
	High-Level Planning		19
	Operational Planning		23
	Scheme of Maneuver		26
	Intelligence		27
	Logistics and Administration		31
	Training and Rehearsal		35
	Mounting Out		37
	Movement to the Objective		39
	Preliminary Bombardment		39
		Air Activities	39
		Naval Activities	40
		Pre-H-Hour Bombardment	49
D-Day--19 February 1945			51
	Mount Suribachi Isolated		54
	26th and 13th Marines Land		58
	Narrow Beachhead		60
	14th Marines Land		64
	Darkness D-Day		65
HOTROCKS (D+1--D+4)			69
	To the Base of the Volcano		69
	Scaling the Heights		76
Into the Main Defenses (D+1--D+5)			79
	D+1--20 February		79
	D+2--21 February		84
	D+3--22 February		87
	D+4--23 February		92
	D+5--24 February		94
Through the Center (D+6--D+19)			99
	Hills PETER and 199 OBOE (D+6--D+8)		100
	Motoyama Village and Beyond (D+9--D+14)		104
	Progress Behind the Lines		111
	Resuming the Offensive (D+15)		116
	Predawn Attack (7 March)		118
	To the Sea (D+17-19)		120
5th Division on the Left (D+6--D+19)			123
	The Sweep to Hill 362A		124
		D+8	125
		D+9	128
		D+10	131
		D+11	134
	Nishi Ridge and Hill 362B		138
		D+12	138
		D+13	141
		The 15th Day	142
	Of Guns and Men		143
		D+15	143
		D+16	144
		D+17	145
	Launching the Final Drive		146
		D+18-19	146
4th Division on the Right (D+6--D+19)			149
	The Meat Grinder		150
		D+6	150
		D+7	153
		D+8-9	155
		D+10	160
		D+11	163
		D+12	165
		D+13	166
	Stalemate		168
		D+14	168
		D+15	169
		D+16	170
		D+17	172
	Counterattack		172
	Turning Point		174
		D+18	174
		D+19	175
The Final Phase			178
	Cushman's Pocket (D+20--D+25)		178
	The 4th's Last Pocket (D+20--D+25)		182
	To Kitano Point (D+20--D+25)		185
	Battle for the Rorge (D+26--D+34)		189
	Last Days		190
Recapitulation			194
	Medical Aspects		194
	Supply		195
	Engineers		200
	Naval Gunfire		201
	Air Support		204
	Artillery		206
	Supporting Arms Coordination		207
	Communications		209
	Conclusion		210
Appendices			211
I.	Bibliography		211
II.	Chronology		215
III.	Casualties		218
IV.	Command and Staff List		222
V.	Task Organizations		228
VI.	Japanese Order of Battle		230
VII.	Task Force Organization and Command Relationship		232
VIII.	Medal of Honor Winners		235
IX.	Navy Unit Commendation		242
Maps			211
1.	Japanese Defense Sectors		10
2.	Naval Gunfire Areas of Responsibility, D-3 and D-2		43
3.	Naval Gunfire Areas of Responsibility, D-1		46
4.	VAC Front Lines D-Day, 19 February 1945		66
	(Maps I-XXI are located inside the back cover)
I.	Strategic Situation, February 1945
II.	Iwo Jima (Sulphur Island)
III.	Landing Plan
IV.	Progress of the Attack, VAC Front Lines D-Day--D+5
V.	3d Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 25-27 Feb
VI.	3d Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 28 Feb-1 Mar
VII.	3d Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 1-3 Mar
VIII.	3d Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 7-10 Mar
IX.	5th Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 24-28 Feb
X.	5th Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 28 Feb-2 Mar
XI.	5th Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 2-8 Mar
XII.	5th Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 8-10 Mar
XIII.	4th Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 24-28 Feb
XIV.	4th Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 1-4 Mar
XV.	4th Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 5-7 Mar
XVI.	4th Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 8-10 Mar
XVII.	3d Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 11-16 Mar
XVIII.	4th Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 11-15 Mar
XIX.	5th Mar Div Zone of Action Progress Lines, 12-24 Mar
XX.	Progress of the Attack, VAC Iwo Jima
XXI.	Table of Distances from Iwo Jima
Index			244