Images in this collection

USA Japan: A US marine carrying a flame-thrower sprints towards a Japanese pillbox at Motoyama Airfield, Iwo Jima, February 1945 The invasion of Iwo Jima began on February 19, 1945, and continued to March 27, 1945. The battle was a major initiative of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. The Marine invasion was charged with the mission of capturing the airfields on the island, which up until that time had harried U.S. bombing missions to Tokyo. Once the bases were secured, they could then be of use in the impending invasion of the Japanese mainland.<br ><br > The battle was marked by some of the fiercest fighting of the War. The Imperial Japanese Army positions on the island were heavily fortified, with vast bunkers, hidden artillery, a Copyright: xUSxMarinexCorpsxPicturesxFromxHistoryx