The Battle of Okinawa holds some similarities to Japan's Longest Day in its docu-drama approach to the famous event. Around the same number of Okinawan civilians were killed or committed suicide. The Japanese military suffered even more, with around 100,000 killed, including many who committed suicide. The Battle of Okinawa has been called the largest sea-land-air battle in history. Battle of Okinawa Conclusions. The Battle of Okinawa (April 1 - June 22, 1945) was one of the hardest-fought in the history of the US military. Okinawa military correspondence for Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet, Transport Division 47. Lyle E. Eberspecher, 2013.495.238. Called Okinawa Shima, the island was strategic to the U.S. war effort since it sported two airfields and was only 325 miles south of the Japanese home island of Kyushu. While a commercial vessel blocks passage through the Suez Canal, U.S. war ships have alternatives to carry out operations and mission. The battle for Okinawa drug out over nearly three months and included some of the worst kamikaze attacks of the war. This was General Buckner's greatest achievement, and General Geiger continued the sense of teamwork after Buckner's death. Overall Allied command authority for battle was Fifth Fleet (under Admiral Raymond A. Spruance). US Marines and amphibious vehicles gathering on a narrow beach on Eastern morning, Okinawa, 1945. The Battle of Okinawa is officially over. The Battle of Okinawa (Japanese: 沖縄戦, Hepburn: Okinawa-sen), codenamed Operation Iceberg, [19] was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Marine and Army forces against the Imperial Japanese Army. The Department of Defense provides the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our nation's security. For the April 1945 invasion of Okinawa, the Allies assembled the most powerful naval force in history. 4.5 out of 5 stars 69 It is also the last battle of the Pacific War. The Allies planned to use Okinawa as a base to attack mainland Japan, dubbed Operation Downfall. An Army medic during that battle rescued 75 of his wounded comrades. It was the culmination of World War II’s long, bloody, island-by-island struggle across the Pacific. The 307th Infantry Regiment moved into the line on Okinawa on April 29, on the top of the Maeda Escarpment known as Hacksaw Ridge. Marine Lt. Col. Richard P. Ross Jr., commander of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, braves sniper fire to place the flag over the parapets of Shuri Castle on Okinawa, Japan, May 30, 1945. The Defense Department is privileged to assist our nation in thanking and honoring these patriots and their families for their service and sacrifice, and continues to lead the search to locate the missing. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Dylan Utley, 2012.019.796. As Marines behind the lines ran supplies up to the grunts in the front, one survivor of the night action and a veteran of Peleliu was heard to tell his foxhole buddy about the upcoming fight, “This right here…well…this is gonna be a bitch.” He had no idea how accurate his prophecy would be. One week later, Marines begin an assault on Sugar Loaf Hill. The cost is high but the victory is permanent and the beginning of the end for the Japanese war machine is now. Allied generals told their soldiers to be ready for an onslaught, expecting the same kind of carnage their forces saw on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima and a casualty rate of 80 percent. On October 12, 1945, US Army medic Desmond Doss became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor. English: The Battle of Okinawa, fought on the island of Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands (south of the four big islands of Japan) was the largest amphibious assault during the Pacific campaign of World War II. What makes his service so unique is that he was a conscientious objector who refused to carry a weapon or kill the enemy. It also resulted in the largest casualties with over 100,000 Japanese casualties and 50,000 casualties for the Allies. Half a million Allied personnel would partake in the epic battle for Okinawa. Okinawa became the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War. It was the largest amphibious landing in the Pacific theater of World War II. On the morning of April 1st, US navy ships rained a pre-landing bombardment of 44,825 shells, 33,000 rockets and 22,500 mortar shells plus napalm attacks by carrier planes on the invasion beaches (Tsukiyama 1999). This decision was not made lightly and many factors led up to that ultimate outcome, one of those key factors was the Battle of Okinawa. Author Homer Hickam served in Vietnam from October, 1967, to October, 1968. Allied planners antic - As American ground forces fought for control of Okinawa in the spring of 1945, Japanese Kamikaze pilots wreaked a grim toll on American naval forces. Eight days later they would find out how wrong their assumptions had been. By the evening of April 1, 60,000 U.S. troops had co… Spruance). The U.S. land campaign was controlled by the Tenth Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Dylan Utley, 2012.019.208. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift in Memory of Sgt. In American hands, the island provided a vital airfield in the final drive on Japan, as the Allies finally brought about Japanese surrender less than three months later. Battle of Okinawa . From March 24-31, 1945, the US Navy begins pre-invasion bombardment of the island in preparation for the landing on Okinawa—part of Operation Iceberg—while troops land on smaller islands nearby to stage for the invasion. ...The Battle of Okinawa Few events have shaped the world in such violent and multitudinous ways as the events of World War II. It’s strategic importance for both sides was very important. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Ms. Paulette Stewart, 2001.078.004. The Battle of Okinawa was the brutal final chapter in the fighting of the Pacific War. The Battle of Okinawa makes for fertile fields harvested by the Grim Reaper. Summary: The battle of Okinawa, also known as Operation Iceberg, took place in April-June 1945. The Battle of Okinawa began on 1 April, 1945 with the largest amphibious assault of the Pacific War. Some of these works focus on operations, and some provide personal perspectives, so that most major features of the American experience on Okinawa are thoroughly known. The next day, the Army’s 96th Infantry Division assaults Kakazu Ridge. One of the best fighters of World War II, the F4U Corsair tormented the Japanese from Guadalcanal until the end of the war. The Allied Invasion Of Okinawa The Battle of Okinawa was the largest amphibious attack launched in the Pacific Theater. 504-528-1944, Institute for the Study of War and Democracy. This article gives an account of the 80 day plus battle for the Island of Okinawa which some have described as the typhoon of steel. Battle of Okinawa . Japanese planes rammed into allied ships, sinking 26 and severely damaging 168. The island was to be a preview for the invasion of Japan, only 350 miles away. More than 100,000 Japanese died, a frightening number matched only by the tally of unfortunate Okinawan citizens who perished in the fighting. Three months of desperate combat leave Okinawa a "vast field of mud, lead, decay, and maggots." The official start of the Battle of Okinawa. Reitzell also served in Vietnam, Korea, Germany and the Iraqi desert. There were more than 100,000 Japanese defenders on the island, but most were deeply entrenched in the islands densely forested interior. Probably the most profound event was the use of atomic weapons on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Battle of Okinawa stands as the costliest engagement of World War II in the Pacific. Some of the most well-known stories from the long fight include the heroics of conscientious objector Private Desmond Doss and the death of Ernie Pyle of Ie Shima. The Battle of Okinawa is officially over. In the waters around Okinawa, the Japanese launched the largest kamikaze, or suicide, attack of the war. Today, Japan is a valued ally of the United States. With it came the victory that the Allies would need in the final conquest of Japan proper - a staging area within striking distance of the Japanese mainland. Of the Japanese defending the island, an estimated 110,000 died. On the sea the U.S. had over 5,000 dead and over 4,500 wounded. Learn about this culminating and crucial battle and some of its key facts in this lesson. The Battle of Okinawa was one of the largest and costliest military actions during World War II (1939–1945) and lasted between April 1 and June 22, 1945. More than 100,000 Japanese died, a frightening number matched only by the tally of unfortunate Okinawan citizens who perished in the fighting. Deutsch: Die Schlacht um Okinawa vom 1. Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, https://www.defense.gov/Explore/Spotlight/WWII/. Fifth Fleet was divided into several task forces and groups: 1. [11]TF 50 was divided in several groups or sub-task forces: 1. The Battle of Okinawa, also well-known as Operation Iceberg, was one of the deadliest battles of the Pacific War. The island was to be a preview for the invasion of Japan, only 350 miles away. From a Marine Corps logistics officer to a critical care nurse serving on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic for the Army Reserve — Capt. Okinawa was the largest amphibious invasion of the Pacific campaign and the last major campaign of the Pacific War. More than 100,000 Okinawan civilians perish, with over 72,000 American and 100,000 Japanese casualties. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, 2013.495.476. Most of her crew is lost with the ship. This was a strategic point that Lieutenant General Buckner hoped would allow the U.S. to envelop Shuri and trap the main defending Japanese forces on Okinawa. Bobby Dan Davis Blocker is best known for his role as the TV character Hoss Cartwright in the Western series "Bonanza," but he also served in the Army and was wounded in action during the Korean War. The Battle of Okinawa was the largest and deadliest battle of the Pacific campaign. On Easter morning April 1, 1945, elements of the US Tenth Army including the 7th, 27th, and 96th Infantry Divisions of the Army and 1st and 6th Marine Divisions land on the southwest coast of Okinawa. Battle of Okinawa: 1 April 1945 – 22 June 1945. Historian Mark DePue detailed both the U.S. strategy in … I do not own, nor do I or intend to profit from this content whatsoever. The Japanese strategy worked, he said. The Battle of Okinawa occurred in 1945 during the World War II. Army casualties of more than 4,600 dead and 18,000 wounded were almost equaled by 3,200 Marines dead and 13,700 wounded. info@nationalww2museum.org The Battle of Okinawa was the largest and deadliest campaign in the Pacific Theater of World War II. 945 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130 From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Dylan Utley, 2012.019.800. They stayed put, and saved lives. On an individual basis, 24 service members received the Medal of Honor for actions performed during the Battle of Okinawa. The battle of Okinawa left 200,000 Japanese and Americans dead, including more than a quarter of Okinawa’s civilian population. Smoke billowing from the USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) with USS The Sullivans (DD-537) underway in the foreground. Map of Alternate Plan - Southwest Beaches. Some 9 million Americans wore the nation's uniform during the Vietnam War period, including more than 58,000 who gave the ultimate sacrifice and more than 1,500 who remain missing in action and unaccounted for. By the time Okinawa was secured by American forces on June 22, 1945, the United States had sustained over 49,000 casualties including more than 12,500 men killed or missing. Desmond T. Doss was awarded the Medal of Honor. Among the Americans killed was Army Lt. Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr., who was killed by Japanese artillery fire. The Battle of Okinawa This “typhoon of steel” was the final island battle before an anticipated invasion of mainland Japan. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift in memory of Sgt. Overall Allied command authority for battle was Task Force 50 (TF 50) (under Admiral Raymond A. The Defense Department's recent stand downs focused on extremism and were all about reintroducing service members and civilians to the oaths they took at the beginning of their careers. British Carrier Force (TF 57) under Vice Admiral Sir Bernard Rawlings with 4 carriers, 2 battleships, 5 cruisers, 14 destroyers and fleet train; 3. At that point the U.S. had two main objectives as far as the Far East was concerned: eliminate the rest of Japan’s merchant fleet and a direct attack on the Japanese industrial complex. On April 7, Task Force 38 launches approximately 380 aircraft against the Japanese battleship IJN Yamato. Two U.S. M-4 Sherman tanks are disabled by Japanese artillery during the battle of Bloody Ridge, April 20, 1945. The "preferred plan" for Okinawa landings with maps of the Eastern Island beaches. The unassuming little hill did not appear to be anything more than a bump in the road to the Marines who lay in their positions on the morning of May 12, 1945, just a quick objective to take in a day or less. By the time Okinawa was secured by American forces on June 22, 1945, the United States had sustained over 49,000 casualties including more than 12,500 men killed or missing. Instead, they withdrew into caves in the rocky hills to force a battle of attrition, according to John Ray Skates, a historian with the Center of Military History. Three months of desperate combat leave Okinawa a "vast field of mud, lead, decay, and maggots." On May 4, Japanese forces begin a major offensive in the southern part of Okinawa. The squabble between the 1st Marine Division and the 77th Division after the Marines seized Shuri Castle notwithstanding, the battle of Okinawa represented joint service cooperation at its finest. American forces have overwhelmed Okinawa by June 22, marking another victory in the Pacific. "U.S. casualties were staggering, the largest of the Pacific war.". Lyle E. Eberspecher, 2013.495.408. April 1945 bis zum 30. He later gained fame with his bestselling memoir "Rocket Boys," which became the 1999 movie "October Sky.". The Battle of Okinawa was a series of battles, including the battle for Hacksaw Ridge. American servicemen on a beach with military vehicles in the background, Okinawa, 1945. During this fight, Ernie Pyle is killed by a Japanese machinegun burst on Ie Shima. The battle of Okinawa would commence eight months later, but this would be the first show of force by the Americans – to innocent, unarmed civilians nonetheless. Walter Jacobs talks about encountering a wounded Japanese soldier during the fighting on Ie Shima and how he believes that his sparing of an enemy soldier’s life resulted in him surviving the fighting there and later on Okinawa. At dawn on Easter, April 1, 1945, a fleet of 1,300 U.S. ships and 50 British ships closed in for the invasion of the island, which is part of Japan's southernmost prefecture. Because of the lies over 150,000 Okinawa people died in that campaign, over 100,000 Japanese soldiers died, and 50,000 Marines and sailors died or were wounded (God forgive me for not knowing the correct number). The Battle of Okinawa, also known as Operation Iceberg, formed a part of the Pacific War during World War II. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift in Memory of Sgt. Okinawa was the last major battle of World War II and took place from April through June 1945. The rapid advance and relatively light American casualties sustained so far on Okinawa ended. It is also the last battle of the Pacific War. Okinawa wasn’t just the last major battle of the Second World War; it was also one of the bloodiest. George Peto describes an uphill assault he took part in on Okinawa that ended up being his proudest day in the Marine Corps, despite the tremendous casualties his company suffered. Check out first hand accounts of the Battle of Okinawa in the Oral Histories from the Digital Collections of The National WWII Museum. Okinawa was the site of the last battle of the last great war of the 20th century, with a casualty rate in the tens of thousands. The Battle of Okinawa was a relentless struggle for Eugene B. Sledge and everyone involved. Men of the 77th Infantry Division listen to radio reports of Germany's surrender, Okinawa, June 1945. Army casualties of more than 4,600 dead and 18,000 wounded were almost equaled by 3,200 Marines dead and 13,700 wounded. The U.S. aircraft carrier Bunker Hill burns after being struck by two Japanese kamikaze aircraft, May 11, 1945, in the waters between Okinawa and Kyushu, Japan. Map of the Eastern Islands of Okinawa. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Ms. Paulette Stewart, 2001.078.004_10. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Ms. Paulette Stewart, 2001.078.005_4. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Ms. Paulette Stewart, 2001.078.004_3. Americans are joining together to commemorate the service and sacrifices made by the nearly 3 million service members who served in Vietnam. On April 1, 1945, more than 60,000 soldiers and US Marines of the US Tenth Army stormed ashore at Okinawa, in the final island battle before an anticipated invasion of mainland Japan. The army had two corps under its command, III Amphibious Corps, consisting of 1st and 6th Marine Divisions, with 2nd Marine Division as an afloat reserve, and XXIV Corps, consisting of … Japanese soldiers wading out to surrender to a United States boat, Okinawa, 1945. The United States, having “hopped” their way across the Pacific Ocean, planned to use the island as a base for an assault on the Japanese mainland. The Women Peace and Security program fits into the Defense Department's breadbasket because "it is a tool for smart power," the Joint Staff's deputy director for counter threats and international cooperation said. Halfway around the world, however, the fighting is still going strong on a small island in the Pacific. The Battle of Okinawa was the Marine Corps’ final battle of World War II. The Battle of Okinawa and the dropping of the atomic bombs - Title: The Battle of Okinawa Author: jeffrey L. Reddersen Last modified by: pete Created Date: 2/12/2009 1:03:17 AM Document presentation format: On-screen Show (4:3) | PowerPoint PPT presentation | free to view This is the last photograph taken of Army Lt. Gen. Simon B. Buckner Jr., (right), just before he was killed later that day, June 18, 1945. In the deep blue waters around the island were more than 1,457 ships and landing craft, crammed with more than half a million men, and including a joint US Army and Marine Corps landing force of around 182,000 troops. Lyle E. Eberspecher, 2013.495.407. Battle of Okinawa in Color: By mid-1945, Hitler is dead and the war has ended in Europe. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945. Although American forces faced little to no resistance upon landing, by April 6 Japanese forces concentrated inland began a fierce defense of the island. The battle for Okinawa drug out over nearly three months and included some of the worst kamikaze attacks of the war. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Dylan Utley, 2012.019.487. This overview explains the importance of occupation with airline distances and physical geography in detail. Japan lost as many as 100,000 soldiers, while the Allies … US LVTs (Landing Vehicle, Tracked) cruising toward Okinawa, April 1, 1945. With it came the victory that the Allies would need in the final conquest of Japan proper - a staging area within striking distance of the Japanese mainland. The Battle of Okinawa, which began 75 years ago, was the last major battle of World War II — and the bloodiest of the Pacific campaign. The Battle of Okinawa saw heavy casualties on both sides and was a victory for the U.S. forces. For three months, the U.S. Tenth Army, including the Ma-rines of III Amphibious Corps, fought a grueling and bloody struggle to seize the largest island of the Ryukyus chain. Taking Okinawa would provide Allied forces an airbase from which bombers could strike Japan and an advanced anchorage for Allied fleets. Private First Class Desmond Thomas Doss, US Army: The Divine Wind: Japan's Kamikaze Pilots of World War II by Author Saul David, PhD, The Invasion of Okinawa: A Little Hill Called Sugar Loaf, Ernie Pyle: The Voice of the American Soldier in World War II, The Invasion of Okinawa: One Damned Ridge After Another, Come On TEXAS! For the April 1945 invasion of Okinawa, the Allies assembled the most powerful naval force in history. John Reitzell went to Vietnam in the spring of 1970 as a 23-year-old second lieutenant in the Army. Newspaper correspondent Ernie Pyle became a national folk hero by reporting on the average soldier in World War II. The Battle of Okinawa was the largest and deadliest battle of the Pacific campaign. Fast Carrier Force (TF 58) under Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher with 88 ships (including 11 fleet carriers, 6 light carriers, 7 battleships and 18 cruisers); 2. Okinawa was the largest amphibious invasion of the Pacific campaign and the last major campaign of the Pacific War. US Marine planting the American flag at Shuri Castle, Okinawa, June 1945. The aircraft find their mark and blast the Yamato. Of the 20,195 American personnel who perished fighting in the Battle of Okinawa, 2,662 were lost taking Sugar Loaf Hill. The war took place on the island of Okinawa. Almost 40% of the U.S. dead were sailors lost to these attacks, Skates said. He was right. The United States, having “hopped” their way across the Pacific Ocean, planned to use the island as a base for an assault on the Japanese mainland. The other two staff officers in the photo were not seriously hurt. Two American soldiers sharing a foxhole with a war orphan on Okinawa, 1945. Twenty-four American military personnel we awarded the Medal of Honor for going above and beyond the call of duty. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Ms. Paulette Stewart, 2001.078.004_4. Rather than surrender, many of the remaining Japanese forces choose to sacrifice themselves in the name of the Emperor. More than 12,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors and Marines died during the fighting. From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift of Dylan Utley, 2012.019.467. For his valor, Cpl. Getty Images offers exclusive rights-ready and premium royalty-free analog, HD, and 4K video of the highest quality. April 1, 1945 – April Fool’s Day, Easter Sunday, and ‘L-Day’ for the invasion of Okinawa, Japan. Tineisha Nagle has led a life dedicated to serving her country. The Battle of Okinawa in World War II lasted until June 22, 1945. The Battle for Okinawa: A Japanese Officer's Eyewitness Account of the Last Great Campaign of World War II by Colonel Hiromichi Yahara , Frank B. Gibney , et al. Code named Operation Iceberg, the invasion of Okinawa and other islands in the Ryukyus began on April 1, 1945. The Americans wanted to seize the main airfield on Okinawa to … From the Collection of The National WWII Museum, Gift in Memory of Sgt. The Battle of Okinawa was the brutal final chapter in the fighting of the Pacific War. During the battle for Okinawa, the crew of the USS Texas spent over 50 days confined to battle stations in gun turrets and compartments deep within the ship. To this day, Okinawa has still not returned to what it was and probably never will. It included the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War during World War II, the April 1, 1945 invasion of Okinawa itself. The Battle of Okinawa, code named Operation Iceberg, was a series of battles fought in the Japanese Ryukyu Islands, centered on the island of Okinawa. Detailed map of Okinawa and immediate surrounding areas with agricultural, terrain, and population details. It was a battle that saw such horrific casualties - both military and civilian - that it forced the United States to look for alternatives to an invasion of Japan to bring the war to an end. Of the U.S. land forces over 7,000 were killed and over 32,000 were wounded. Excerpt from Thesis : Battle of Okinawa on Cultural Treasures The research paper is about the impact of battle for control of Okinawa fought between Allies and Japan during world war two, on the cultural heritage and valuables of the Ryukyu Kingdom. The Battle of Okinawa has been called the largest sea-land-air battle in history. Okinawa became the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War. The Americans wanted to seize the main airfield on Okinawa to …