Naval Base Iwo Jima

Last updated
Naval Base Iwo Jima
Ioto Island Aerial photograph.2016.jpg
Photo of Iwo Jima (Iō-tō), c. 2016. Mount Suribachi is in the lower left hand corner.
Japan location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Iwo Jima
Geography
Location Pacific Ocean
Coordinates 24°46′48″N141°19′12″E / 24.78000°N 141.32000°E / 24.78000; 141.32000
Archipelago Volcano Islands
Area21 km2 (8.1 sq mi)
Highest elevation169 m (554 ft)
Highest point Mount Suribachi [1]
Administration
In country of Japan
AdministrationFlag of the United States Navy (official).svg  United States Navy
1945-1968
Seventh Fleet Command Headquarters on Iwo Jima August 1945, built by Navy Seabee SeventhFleetCommandHeadquartersIwoJima8-1945.jpg
Seventh Fleet Command Headquarters on Iwo Jima August 1945, built by Navy Seabee
Navy Carrier Aircraft Service Unit (CASU 52) camp and Administration Area, constructed by the 90th Seabees in 1945 CASU52Camp AdministrationIwoJimabase1945.jpg
Navy Carrier Aircraft Service Unit (CASU 52) camp and Administration Area, constructed by the 90th Seabees in 1945

Naval Base Iwo Jima was a naval base built by United States Navy on the Japanese Volcano Island of Iwo Jima during and after the Battle of Iwo Jima, that started on February 19, 1945. The naval base was built to support the landings on Iwo Jima; the troops fighting on Iwo Jima; and the repair and expansion of the airfields on Iwo Jima. United States Navy Seabee built all the facilities on the island. [2] [ dubious – discuss ]

Contents

History

With the landings on Iwo Jima, Seabees' first task was to get cargo and vehicles on the island. Amphibious vehicles, Amphibious crafts, barges and amphibious ships were used to get cargo onto the beaches. Beach unloading was difficult due to the surf and sand. Marston Mats were laid to help jeeps and DUKWs onto the beach. Once the beach was secured Seabees built ship dock at the western beach. On the west beach, old ships were sunk to make a breakwater. Both old ships and concrete barges were sunk to make an artificial breakwater to form a harbor. Some of ships sunk were seized from Empire of Japan like the Toyotu Maru. Some were old Soviet Union ships like: Chetvertyi Krabalov, Caliche, and Gilyak. Other ships sunk were US Concrete Barge No. 30 and other concrete Barges. The last ship, the 12th was sunk on June 13, 1945. [3] [4] On the west beach a small harbor was built to support a small boats. The other high priorities for the Seabees were fresh water and the repair and expansion of the airfields on Iwo Jima. Japanese had made 14 wells on the island, the Seabees used eight wells to build a fresh water system including water tanks. Cisterns and new wells were added to the system. The United States Seventh Fleet Command Headquarters move to Iwo Jima in newly built buildings. After clearing land mines, the Seabees built a Radar station on Mount Suribachi and built a road to the top. [5] [2]

Naval Base Iwo Jima, artificial breakwater to form a harbor on west beach from April 1945 IwoJimaSeabeesHarbor1945.jpg
Naval Base Iwo Jima, artificial breakwater to form a harbor on west beach from April 1945

Facilities

Facilities built by the Seabees: [2]

South and Central Fields Iwo Jima 1945 Central and North Fields Iwo Jima 1945.jpg
South and Central Fields Iwo Jima 1945

Airfields

US Navy PB4Y-1 Liberator on patrol, PB4Y-1 operated out of South Field PB4Y-1 VPB-110 on patrol over Atlantic September 1944.jpg
US Navy PB4Y-1 Liberator on patrol, PB4Y-1 operated out of South Field

The Seabees first repaired the captured airfields. Next for Boeing B-29 Superfortress operation, the Seabees did massive earth works to get some to the needed 9,800 feet (3,000 m) runway. A number of Superfortresses made emergency landings as soon as the runway was fixed.

Seabees

Seabee on a captured Japanese steam roller 127-GW-304-530911 (24979758612).jpg
Seabee on a captured Japanese steam roller

Seabees had very high casualties on Iwo Jima. [11] Seabees were given the dangerous task of clearing land mines. Others were hit by enemy fire during unloading or construction. [2] [12]

Units on Iwo Jima:

Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAVs) on beach by Mount Suribachi in a static display for the 58th Anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima in 2003 Iwo jima 030312-N-0401E-001.jpg
Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAVs) on beach by Mount Suribachi in a static display for the 58th Anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima in 2003

Geography

Iwo Jima is a small volcanic island south of the Japanese homeland. The base took over almost all of the 21 km2 (8 sq mi; 5,189 acres) of land. Seabee built a road to the top of the highest peak, 161 m (528 ft), on Iwo Jima, Mount Suribachi on the south point of the island. Most of the remainder of the volcanic island is a flat plateau. Much of the island is covered in volcanic black-gray sand and ash. The soft volcanic ash made the movement of troops and vehicles very difficult. The black beaches have a steep rise to the plateau. Marston Mats were laid on the beaches and into the water to help. The beaches have a sharp dropped off into the ocean, producing a narrow and violent surf zone, difficult for the landing craft. The island had no natural harbors and surf can be heavy at times. The beaches had many disabled crafts and vehicles on the landing D-day. The west beach offered 3 miles of landing beaches and the east shore had 2 miles of landing beaches. Each beach was divided into zones and names of a color. The north beaches were not used as these face a high plateau. Iwo Jima is 1,200  km (750 mi; 650 nmi) south of the city of Tokyo, becoming a key base near Japan. Due to the island's small size and lack of a large harbor, it did not become a large base like Tinian Naval Base, where the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay took off from. [14] [1] [15] [16]

Reunion of Honor memorial on Iwo Jima Reunion of Honor memorial on Iwo Jima.jpg
Reunion of Honor memorial on Iwo Jima

Post-war

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Iwo Jima</span> Major World War II battle in the Pacific Theater

The Battle of Iwo Jima was a major battle in which the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and United States Navy (USN) landed on and eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) during World War II. The American invasion, designated Operation Detachment, had the purpose of capturing the island with its two airfields: South Field and Central Field.

<i>Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima</i> 1945 photograph by Joe Rosenthal

Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima is an iconic photograph of six United States Marines raising the U.S. flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in the final stages of the Pacific War. The photograph, taken by Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press on February 23, 1945, was published in Sunday newspapers two days later and reprinted in thousands of publications. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Photography and was the model for the Marine Corps War Memorial in 1954, dedicated to honor all Marines who died in service since 1775. The memorial, sculpted by Felix de Weldon, is located in Arlington Ridge Park, near the Ord-Weitzel Gate to Arlington National Cemetery and the Netherlands Carillon. The photograph has come to be regarded in the United States as one of the most recognizable images of World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5th Marine Division (United States)</span> WW2 US Marine Corps formation

The 5th Marine Division was a United States Marine Corps ground combat division which was activated on 11 November 1943 at Camp Pendleton, California during World War II. The 5th Division saw its first combat action during the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945 where it sustained the highest number of casualties of the three Marine divisions of the V Amphibious Corps. The 5th Division was to be part of the planned invasion of the Japan homeland before Japan surrendered. Assault troops of the 5th Division were included in the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to the V Amphibious Corps for extraordinary heroism on Iwo Jima from 19 to 28 February 1945. The 5th Division was deactivated on 5 February 1946.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Oliver Hansen</span> United States Marine Corps sergeant (1919-1945)

Henry Oliver Hansen was a United States Marine Corps sergeant who was killed in action during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. He was a member of the patrol that captured Mount Suribachi, where he helped raise the first U.S. flag on Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945. He was killed six days later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Battalion, 28th Marines</span> Military unit

The 2nd Battalion, 28th Marine Regiment is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. The battalion which is part of the 28th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division, fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. Six Marines of E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines were featured in the historical photo by Joe Rosenthal of the U.S. flag raising on top of Mount Suribachi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernest Ivy Thomas Jr.</span>

Ernest Ivy "Boots" Thomas Jr. was a United States Marine Corps platoon sergeant who was killed in action during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. He was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism while fighting for and at the base of Mount Suribachi. Two days later he was a member of the patrol that captured the top of Mount Suribachi where he helped raise the first U.S. flag on Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945. He was killed eight days after that.

Harold George Schrier was a United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel who served in World War II and the Korean War. In World War II, he was awarded the Navy Cross for leading the patrol that captured the top of Mount Suribachi, where he helped raise the first U.S. flag on Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945. In the Korean War, he was wounded in North Korea during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir while commanding a rifle company.

Charles W. Lindberg was a United States Marine Corps corporal who fought in three island campaigns during World War II. During the Battle of Iwo Jima, he was a member of the patrol which captured the top of Mount Suribachi where he helped raise the first U.S. flag on the island on February 23, 1945. Six days later, he was wounded in action.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Field (Iwo Jima)</span> WW2 airfield in Iwo Jima, Japan

Central Field or Iwo Jima Air Base is a former World War II airfield on Iwo Jima in the Bonin Islands, located in the Central Pacific. The Bonin Islands are part of Japan. Today, the base is the only airfield on the island, operated by the Japan Self-Defense Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Field (Iwo Jima)</span> WW2 air field in Iwo Jima, Japan

South Field was a World War II airfield on Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, located in the Central Pacific. The Volcano Islands are part of Japan. The airfield was located on the southern corner of Iwo Jima located on the Motoyama plateau, to the north of Mount Suribachi. South Field was significant to the overall Battle of Iwo Jima.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133</span> United States Navy unit

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 is a United States Navy Construction Battalion, otherwise known as a Seabee battalion, homeported at the Naval Construction Battalion Center. The unit was formed during WWII as the 133rd Naval Construction Battalion. It saw action and was decommissioned shortly after the war ended. The unit was reactivated as Mobile Construction Battalion 133 for the Vietnam War and remains an active unit today.

Chandler Wilce Johnson was a highly decorated United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel. He served as the commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines during the battle of Iwo Jima, leading his battalion in capturing Mount Suribachi which later led to the flag being raised over Iwo Jima. He was killed in action one week after the flag raising and was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">US Naval Advance Bases</span> Overseas US Naval Bases

US Naval Advance Bases were built globally by the United States Navy during World War II to support and project U.S. naval operations worldwide. A few were built on Allied soil, but most were captured enemy facilities or completely new. Advance bases provided the fleet with support to keep ships tactically available with repair and supply depots of facilities, rather than return them to the continental United States. Before Japan declared war on the United States the U.S. Navy had a single fleet-sized advanced base in the Territory of Hawaii at Naval Station Pearl Harbor. During the war the U.S. Navy Seabees built over 400 advance bases categorized by size. Naval bases were either Lions or Cubs while airfields were either Oaks or Acorns. Lions and Oaks were major facilities while Cubs and Acorns were minor. PT Boats typically would get a Cub and airfields with single runways were Acorns. The larger bases could provide refueling and overhaul; loading of troopship and cargo ships; and preparing amphibious assault ships. Some became major repair depots. The Seabees developed auxiliary floating drydocks were able to repair battle damage and do regular maintenance in the field saving ships trans-pacific trips for repair. A few bases also were developed to be R and R for all U.S. personnel. Most Advance Bases were built by the US Navy's Seabees in Naval Construction Battalions (CBs). At the start of the war civilian contractors were employed in construction. The Seabees in World War II built most of the airfields used by the United States Army Air Forces and United States Marine Corps, as they had the ships and cranes needed to transport the vast amount of equipment needed at the advance bases. The US Army and United States Coast Guard also operated out of many of these facilities. Seabees could build new or repair damaged runways, and with advancements in heavy bomber technology lengthen runways as needed. A few Naval Advance Bases were built for the Korean War and Vietnam War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Advance Base Saipan</span> World War II base

Naval Base Saipan or Naval Advance Base Saipan or Naval Air Base Saipan was a United States Navy Naval base built during World War II to support Pacific Ocean theater of war and the many warships and troops fighting the war. The base was on the island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. The base was part of the Pacific island hopping campaign. The base construction started after the Battle of Saipan ended on July 9, 1944. US Naval Advance Base Saipan was constructed by the Seabees Naval Mobile Construction Battalions. The base was under the Commander Naval Forces Marianas. Saipan is 12 miles (19 km) long and 5 miles (8.0 km) wide. About 70% of the island was sugarcane cultivation at the start of the base construction. At the start of the Battle of Saipan, the island's population had about 30,000 Japanese troops and about 20,000 Japanese civilians. The city of Garapan was the administrative center for the Saipan governmental district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Base Peleliu</span> Major World War 2 base

Peleliu Naval Base was a major United States Navy sea and airbase base on Peleliu island, one of sixteen states of Palau. The United States Marine Corps took the island in the Battle of Peleliu during World War II. Battle of Peleliu was a costly conflict that started September 15, 1944, and ended November 27, 1944. On September 30, 1944, Peleliu is declared occupied. The taking of Peleliu and Morotai gave the sea and air protection needed for the later invasion of the Philippines. US Navy Seabee built a number of facilities at Peleliu Naval Base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Base Okinawa</span> United States military facilities in Okinawa Island, Japan

Naval Base Okinawa, now Naval Facility Okinawa, is a number of bases built after the Battle of Okinawa by United States Navy on Okinawa Island, Japan. The naval bases were built to support the landings on Okinawa on April 1, 1945, and the troops fighting on Okinawa. The Navy repaired and did expansion of the airfields on Okinawa. United States Navy Seabees built or repaired the facilities on the island. The bases on Okinawa put the United States Armed Forces only 350 miles from Japan's home islands. Most facilities closed after the war, but some are still in use today by all branches of the United States Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Base Manus</span> Major US Navy Base on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea

Manus Naval Base was a number of bases built after the World War II Battle of Manus by United States Navy on the Manus Island and a smaller island just east, Los Negros Island in the Admiralty Islands chain. The major naval base construction started with the Los Negros landings on February 28, 1944. The Navy repaired and did the expansion of the airfields on the Admiralty Islands. United States Navy Seabee built or repaired the facilities on the islands. The large Manus Naval Base, also called the Admiralty Island base, supported United States Seventh Fleet, Southwest Pacific command, and part of the Pacific Fleet. The base was abandoned by the US Navy after the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Base Finschhafen</span> World War 2 base in New Guinea

Naval Base Finschhafen was a United States Navy base built during World War II at Finschhafen on the Huon Peninsula in Morobe Province of Papua New Guinea. The US Navy built a PT boat base, Dreger Harbor PT Boat Base, boat repair depot, and harbor facilities at Dreger Harbour and Langemak Bay to support the Pacific War in 1943. Harbor was also built to support the US Navy in building 6,000-foot Finschafen Airfield, also called Dreger Field, now Finschhafen Airport on the island. The base was part of the New Guinea campaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Base Banika Island</span> Major World War 2 base in Solomon Islands

Naval Base Banika Island was a United States Navy base built during World War II on Mbanika Island in the Russell Islands, part of the Solomon Islands. A larger supply depot was built to support the ships fighting in the Pacific War. Also built were a repair base for landing craft, PT boats, and other boats. Banika Island offered excellent fleet anchorage. Banika Island was taken during the Solomon Islands campaign. Also at the base was built the Renard Sound Seaplane Base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Base Tarawa</span> Former Naval base of the United States

Naval Base Tarawa was a naval base built by the United States Navy in 1943 to support the World War II effort. The base was located on Tarawa atoll in the Gilbert Islands in the Central Pacific Ocean. The base was built as one of many advance bases in the island-hopping campaign towards the Empire of Japan. At Naval Base Tarawa the Navy built a seaport, seaplane base and two airbases. Construction started after the Battle of Tarawa ended November 23, 1943, part of Operation Galvanic.

References

  1. 1 2 "Kikai". Global Volcanism Program . Smithsonian Institution . Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "HyperWar: Building the Navy's Bases in World War II [Chapter 28]". www.ibiblio.org.
  3. 1 2 Holderith, Peter (October 19, 2021). "Volcanic Activity Lifts Sunken WWII Ghost Ships From the Ocean Off Iwo Jima". The Drive.
  4. ↑ "My Time on Iwo Jima, by Arvin S. Gibson, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Transportation Corps, Hq. and Hq. Co., AGF, APO 86". www.justinmuseum.com.
  5. ↑ "Seabees, Marine Engineers & Their Mysteries on Iwo Jima". The American Surveyor. May 16, 2022.
  6. ↑ vpnavy.com Navy Carrier Aircraft Service Unit (CASU)
  7. 1 2 PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : Building the Navy's Bases in World War II History of the Bureau of Yards and Docks and the Civil Engineer Corps 1940-1946. US Government Printing Office. 1947.
  8. ↑ "AFHRA Document 00462016 6100th Support Wing 1 April-30 June 1968".
  9. ↑ "Navy pilots are returning to Iwo Jima for carrier landing practice as Japan preps alternate site". Stars and Stripes.
  10. ↑ "AFHRA Document 00411914 6415th Air Base Squadron 1 July-30 September 1955".
  11. ↑ Magazine, Jack Cornwell, World War II (February 23, 2019). "A Seabee on Iwo Jima: The men who drove cranes and cats also served". Navy Times.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ Black hell : the story of the 133rd Navy Seabees at Iwo Jima, February 19, 1945 - November 9, 1945, by Kenneth E Bingham
  13. ↑ https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/seabee/explore/seabee-unit-histories/ncb/62nd-Naval-Construction-Battalion.html [ bare URL ]
  14. ↑ "Ioto". Global Volcanism Program . Smithsonian Institution . Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  15. ↑ "Iwo Jima". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary . Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  16. ↑ "Closing In: Marines in the Seizure of Iwo Jima (D-Day)". www.nps.gov.
  17. ↑ "Japanese Surrender After Four Year Hiding". Pacific Stars and Stripes. 10 January 1949. p. 5. Archived from the original on 17 July 2013.
  18. ↑ Cook, Donald. "Capture of Two Holdouts January 6, 1949". No Surrender: Japanese Holdouts. Archived from the original on 9 October 2007. Retrieved 11 September 2007.
  19. ↑ 山蔭光福; 松戸利喜夫 (1968). 硫黄島最後の二人[The Last Two of Iwo Jima] (in Japanese). 読売新聞社.
  20. ↑ "Seabee Memorial Iwo Jima - Iwo Jima - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com.
  21. ↑ "American Iwo Jima Memorial - Iwo Jima - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com.
  22. ↑ "Location Former American War Cemetery Iwo Jima - Iwo Jima - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com.
  23. ↑ "Reunion of Honor Memorial - Iwo Jima - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com.
  24. ↑ "Islanders' Memorial Peace Cemetery Park - Iwo Jima - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com.
  25. ↑ "Iwo Jima Tranquility Hill Memorial - Iwo Jima - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com.
  26. ↑ "Japanese Iwo Jima Memorial - Iwo Jima - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com.
  27. ↑ "Memorial honoring Marines dedicated". Reading Eagle. Pennsylvania. Associated Press. November 10, 1954. p. 1.
  28. ↑ "Home". Iwo Jima Memorial.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.