POST #22-30 

 Day Twenty...Iwo Jima Battle Narrative, 11 March, 1945.. 

Mikey's Dads 100th Birthday Was on 2-22-2022...

 Continuing the day-by-day story of the First Battalion, 24th Marines, Baker company in the bloody battle of IWO JIMA...

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Day Twenty...Bypassed

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On 2-22-2022) Mikey's Dad, Willard W. Wemple would have been 100 years old.  We are following Dad's time in the First Battalion, 24th Marines, Baker company, from February 19th to March 17th, 1945, in....Operation Detachment.

What we post here on the Blog Post about the B-1-24 will be minimal. But we will add links leading to a very good, detailed website...1st Battallion-24th Marines that will give way more information than we can deliver ourselves. We must warn you that some of the information will be graphic and upsetting, but will give you some idea about what Dad and the other Marines experienced.  If you see a mention of Baker Company, that is the unit Dad was assigned to.

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On this day, 11 March 1945...For the second time during the battle of Iwo Jima, the First Battalion 24th Marines found themselves in reserve positions. They were exhausted, disorganized, and demoralized. 

They had been on Iwo for twenty days, fighting for every inch. They were all battle weary and had seen too much death and disregard for human life. Along with being tired, dirty, and hungry, they had been sleep deprived and wanted this to end.    

After heavy casualties in the Meat Grinder and the reorganization of companies, today the First Battalion was placed in Corps reserve. For several days, their routine was to be largely the same: combat patrols, area sweeps, collecting and cleaning equipment, and regaining their strength. The danger, while still present, was much less. This time in reserve was as badly needed. The Marines realized that the battle was near the end – but also knew they might be called back to the fight at any time.

The battalion was stationed in an assembly area a few thousand yards behind the front, and they had a good view of the airfield. The big silver B-29s were a familiar sight by now, especially the damaged ones coming in for a rough landing.

Except for the ever-present tension felt by those on combat patrols, the Battalion passed the day resting, cleaning weapons, and salvaging equipment.

The end of the battle was finally in sight. On this date, elements of the Fourth Marine Division reached the eastern coast, encountering only sporadic resistance as they went. By the end of the day, Japanese resistance was limited to a single pocket of determined holdouts.  It was only a matter of time until this last bastion fell, but any number of Marines might fall in the final push.

Read the full narrative for today...it's very detailed, and interesting...       

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TODAYS FULL NARRATIVE

Todays narrative is DAY TWENTY on Iwo Jima, 11 March, 1945...It will be called Bypassed...

Click or tap HERE to go to the full narrative...It's very interesting 

https://1-24thmarines.com/the-battles/iwo-jima/reserve/#bypassed

Over the next posts and next days we will continue posting daily updates that will follow 1-24-B in the battle through logs and stories of the battle as told by a Military Historian and battle participants on the 1st Battallion-24th Marines Website...

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Until Next Time!!