greatest generation

Three of Doolittle’s Raiders, who helped boost American morale during the early days of World War II, recalled the dangers of their bold bombing attack on the Japanese mainland. (via Doolittle’s Raiders recall daring wartime mission | The Japan Times Online)

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“N.A.A. INC. B-25 Medium Bomber. Powerful, fast and hard hitting ships used by Brig. Gen. Jimmy Doolittle in the devastating raid on Tokyo - April 18th, 1942 - North American Aviation, Inc. Inglewood, California.”

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The aftermath of a banzai attack…in Alaska. Yes, it happened. Read about the Aleutian Island Campaign. While most of the Allied troops in the Pacific fought in a tropical environment, these unlucky few had to fight off cold, snow, sleet, trench foot, mud, and banzai attacks springing out of the mist.

US Military's Strategic Plan for Operation Downfall →

Check out a PDF version of the eventually scuttled Allied plan to invade Japan. The document starts with…

The following overall objective for the oeprations is assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

To force the unconditional surrender of JAPAN by:

1. Lowering Japanese ability and will to resist by establishing sea and air blockades, conducting intensive air bombardments and destroying Japanese air and naval strength.
2. Invading and seizing objectives in the industrial heart of JAPAN.

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My favorite of the Iwo Jima flag raising photos, taken by Jim Rosenthal who famously likened combat photography to “shooting a football game. You never knew what you got on film.” 

The Marines and corpsmen in the photo, their story made famous to today’s generation by the book and subsequent film Flags Of Our Fathers, had already suffered 40% casualties at the company level and more than half cheering in this image would be dead before Iwo Jima was over.

For a brief moment, all of that is aside. These men might as well have been on a Boy Scout excursion with their buddies.

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A Merry Christmas from Guadalcanal

(Source: )

5 Myths About Pearl Harbor →

Epic article by the Washington Post

Sneak Attack on Pearl Harbor Came As No Surprise for Local Marine Combat Veteran →

As the deadly thunder of Japanese bombs shattered a still Sunday morning in 1941, America’s Pacific fleet was resting in its quays at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Dozens of U.S. warships were caught off guard on that “day of infamy and thousands of young sailors still asleep below decks awoke only to find themselves trapped in a watery grave. The intended element of surprise had been complete.

However, for the seasoned Marines already in service on American Samoa, an enemy attack was expected—it was just that no one knew when it would come. In true Marine fashion, Edgemere resident Red Gremillion was stationed at American Samoa prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Protection of Samoa was critical, because it was a supply route to the U.S. troops in Australia. Gremillion and his men suspected attack was imminent, and had been warned by their commanding officer to that effect.