The US Marines on Iwo Jima, first published in 1945, and written by five on-the-scene combat correspondents, is a highly readable account of the invasion by U.S. Marines of this tiny yet strategically important volcanic island. The book is based on the author's own observations while on the island, plus recounts the experiences of dozens of men involved in various aspects of the fighting. Presented in chronological order, the battle unfolds from the D-Day air force bombings and naval barrage to the amphibious assault, to the slow gains made each day as the Marines inched forward under heavy fire. However small it may have been, Iwo Jima was considered the most heavily fortified island in the world, supporting thousands of nearly bomb-proof shelters and caves, hundreds of reinforced machine-gun, mortar, tank, and artillery positions, and more than 20,000 fanatical Japanese defenders. The ensuing battle was one without equal in warfare, and is a permanent testament to the bravery and courage of the United States Marines, as well as to the determination of the Japanese defenders to not surrender this strategic part of their homeland. Included is a roster of Marines killed or missing in the battle, plus 12 maps, 35 pages of photographs, and numerous pen and ink drawings.