# Battle of Iwo Jima order of battle

On February 19, 1945, men of the United States Marine Corps invaded the island of Iwo Jima, part of the Volcano Islands chain, in the North Pacific. This invasion, known as Operation Detachment, was a phase of the Pacific Theatre of World War II. The American goal was to establish multiple airfields that would allow escort fighters to accompany long-range bombers in their attacks on the Japanese home islands, as well as providing a place for damaged bombers to land on the return flight.
The Japanese military was determined to inflict a casualty rate so high that the U.S. government would give up its demand that Japan surrender unconditionally. To this end, the island had been covered with an extremely extensive system of fortifications and fields of fire. The United States Navy subjected the island to an unprecedented bombardment and, according to historian Samuel Eliot Morison, "In no previous operation in the Pacific had naval gunfire support been so effective as at Iwo Jima." Nonetheless, Japanese artillery and machine-gun fire were extremely effective because the underground bunkers were so strong, only a direct hit by a bomb or naval shell could knock one out. Since direct hits were very difficult on well-camouflaged bunkers, many survived and inflicted a huge casualty rate on the Marines.
For the conquest of Iwo Jima, the Marine Corps assigned three divisions, a total of almost 70,000 troops, in stark contrast to the single division tasked with capturing Guadalcanal in August 1942. The conquest of Iwo Jima took five weeks, far beyond the American estimates.

## United States
### Naval forces

United States Pacific Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz HQ at Pearl Harbor
    United States Fifth Fleet
    Admiral Raymond A. Spruance in heavy cruiser Indianapolis
       Joint Expeditionary Force (Task Force 51)
          Vice Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner in amphibious command ship Eldorado
       Amphibious Support Force (Task Force 52)
          Rear Admiral William H.P. Blandy in amphibious command ship Estes
       Attack Force (Task Force 53)
          Rear Admiral Harry W. Hill in amphibious command ship Auburn

### Ground forces

Expeditionary Troops (Task Force 56) Lieutenant General Holland M. "Howlin' Mad" Smith
    Chief of Staff: Col. Dudley S. Brown
    Personnel officer (G-1): Col. Russell N. Jordahl
    Intelligence officer (G-2): Col. Edmond J. Buckley
    Operations officer (G-3): Col. Kenneth H. Weir
    Logistics officer (G-4): Col. George R. Rowan
V Amphibious Corps Major General Harry Schmidt
    Chief of Staff: Brig. Gen. William W. Rogers
    Personnel officer (G-1): Col. David A. Stafford
    Intelligence officer (G-2): Col. Thomas R. Yancey
    Operations officer (G-3): Col. Edward A. Craig
    Logistics officer (G-4): Col. William F. Brown
       8th Marine Field Depot (shore party command): Col. Leland S. Swindler
       Landing Force Air Support Control Unit 1: Col. Vernon E. Megee
       62nd Seabees
Left landing area (Green and Red Beaches):
    5th Marine Division (25,884 officers and enlisted)
    Major General Keller E. Rockey
       Asst. Div. Cmdr.: Brig. Gen. Leo D. Hermle
       Chief of Staff: Col. Ray A. Robinson
       CO HQ Battalion: Maj. John Ayrault, Jr.
       Personnel officer (G-1): Col. John W. Beckett
       Intelligence officer (G-2): Lt. Col. George A. Roll
       Operations officer (G-3): Col. James F. Shaw, Jr.
       Logistics officer (G-4): Col. Earl S. Piper
       Plans officer (G-5): Lt. Col. Frederick H. Dowsett
          Green Beach:
             28th Marine Regiment
             Colonel Harry B. "Harry the Horse" Liversedge
             Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Robert H. Williams
                1st Battalion (Lt. Col. Jackson B. Butterfield)
                   CMoH recipients: Cpl. Tony Stein (KIA 19 Feb), Sgt. William G. Harrell
                2nd Battalion (Lt. Col. Chandler W. Johnson (KIA 2 Mar), Maj. Thomas B. Pearce, Jr.)
                   CMoH recipients: PFC Donald J. Ruhl (KIA 21 Feb), Pvt. George Phillips (KIA 14 Mar)
                3rd Battalion (Lt. Col. Charles E. Shepard, Jr. (to 14 Mar), Maj. Tolson A. Smoak (to 25 Mar), Lt. Col. Shepard)
                   CMoH recipient: Navy Corpsman Jack Williams (KIA 3 Mar)
          Red Beaches 1 & 2:
             27th Marine Regiment
             Colonel Thomas A. Wornham
             Exec. Ofc.: Col. Louis C. Plain (WIA 19 Feb), Lt. Col. James P. Berkeley)
                1st Battalion (Lt. Col. John A. Butler (KIA 5 Mar), Lt. Col. Justin C. Duryea (WIA 9 Mar), Lt. Col. William H. Tumbleston (WIA 14 Mar)
                   CMoH recipient: Sgt. Joseph R. Julian (KIA 9 Mar)
                2nd Battalion (Maj. John W. Antonelli (WIA 9 Mar), Maj. Gerald F. Russell)
                   CMoH recipient: Lt. Jack Lummus (KIA 8 Mar)
                3rd Battalion (Lt. Col. Donn J. Robertson)
                   CMoH recipients: Sgt. William G. Walsh (KIA 27 Feb), Navy Corpsman John H. Willis (KIA 28 Feb)
          Reserve:
             26th Marine Regiment
             Colonel Chester B. Graham
             Exec. Ofc.: Col. Lester S. Hamel
                1st Battalion (Lt. Col. Daniel C. Pollock (WIA 19 Mar), Maj. Albert V.K. Gary)
                   CMoH recipients: Cpl. Charles J. Berry (KIA 3 Mar), Capt. Robert H. Dunlap, PFC Jacklyn Harrell Lucas
                2nd Battalion (Lt. Col. Joseph P. Sayers (WIA 23 Feb), Maj. Amadeo Rea)
                   CMoH recipients: Pvt. Franklin E. Sigler, Navy Corpsman George E. Wahlen
                3rd Battalion (Lt. Col. Tom M. Trotti (KIA 22 Feb), Maj. Richard Fagan)
                   CMoH recipient: PFC William R. Caddy (KIA 3 Mar)
          13th Marine Regiment (Artillery)
          Colonel James D. Waller
             1st Battalion (Lt. Col. John S. Oldfield)
             2nd Battalion (Maj. Carl W. Hjerpe)
             3rd Battalion (Lt. Col. Henry T. Waller)
             4th Battalion (Maj. James F. Coady)
          Service troops
          Colonel Benjamin W. Gaily
             3rd Amphibian Tractor Battalion (Lt. Col. Sylvester L. Stephan)
             11th Amphibian Tractor Battalion (Lt. Col. Albert J. Roose)
             5th Engineer Battalion (Lt. Col. Clifford H. Shuey)
             5th Medical Battalion (Lt. Cmdr. William W. Ayres, USN)
             5th Motor Transport Battalion (Maj. Arthur F. Torgler, Jr.)
             5th Pioneer Battalion (Maj. Robert S. Riddell)
                CMoH recipient: Lt. Harry L. Martin (KIA 26 Mar)
             5th Service Battalion (Maj. Francis P. Daly (KIA 22 Feb), Maj. Gardelle Lewis (from 26 Feb))
             5th Tank Battalion (Lt. Col. William R. Collins)
Right landing area (Yellow and Blue beaches):
    4th Marine Division (24,452 officers and enlisted)
    Major General Clifton B. Cates
       Asst. Div. Cmdr.: Brig. Gen. Franklin A. Hart
       Chief of Staff: Col. Merton J. Batchelder
       CO HQ Battalion: Col. Bertrand T. Fay
       Personnel officer (G-1): Col. Orin H. Wheeler
       Intelligence officer (G-2): Lt. Col. Gooderham L. McCormick
       Operations officer (G-3): Col. Edwin A. Pollock
       Logistics officer (G-4): Col. Matthew C. Horner
          Yellow Beaches 1 & 2:
             23rd Marine Regiment
             Colonel Walter W. Wensinger
             Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Edward J. Dillon
                1st Battalion (Lt. Col. Ralph Haas (KIA 20 Feb), Lt. Col. Louis B. Blissard)
                   CMoH recipient: Sgt. Darrell S. Cole (KIA 19 Feb)
                2nd Battalion (Maj. Robert H. Davidson)
                   CMoH recipient: PFC Douglas T. Jacobson
                3rd Battalion (Maj. James S. Scales)
                   CMoH recipient: Lt. Col. Justice M. Chambers
          Blue Beach 1:
             25th Marine Regiment
             Colonel John R. Lanigan
             Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Clarence J. O'Donnell
                1st Battalion (Lt. Col. Hollis U. Mustain (KIA 21 Feb), Maj. Fenton J. Mee)
                   CMoH recipient: Sgt. Ross F. Gray (KIA 21 Feb)
                2nd Battalion (Lt. Col. Lewis C. Hudson, Jr. (WIA 20 Feb), Lt. Col. James Taul)
                3rd Battalion (Lt. Col. Justice M. Chambers (WIA 22 Feb), Capt. James C. Headley)
          Reserve:
             24th Marine Regiment
             Colonel Walter I. Jordan
             Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Austin R. Brunelli
                1st Battalion (Maj. Paul S. Treitel (to 8 Mar), Lt. Col. Austin R. Brunelli)
                2nd Battalion (Lt. Col. Richard Rothwell)
                   CMoH recipients: Capt. Joseph J. McCarthy, Navy Corpsman Francis J. Pierce
          14th Marine Regiment (Artillery)
          Colonel Louis O. DeHaven
          Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Randall M. Victory
                1st Battalion (Maj. John B. Edgar, Jr.)
                2nd Battalion (Maj. Clifford B. Drake)
                3rd Battalion (Lt. Col. Robert E. MacFarlane, )
                4th Battalion (Lt. Col. Carl A. Youngdale)
          Service troops
          Lt. Colonel Melvin L. Krulewitch
             5th Amphibian Tractor Battalion (Maj. George L. Shead)
             10th Amphibian Tractor Battalion (Maj. Victor J. Croizat)
             4th Engineer Battalion (Lt. Col. Nelson K. Brown)
             4th Medical Battalion (Cmdr. Reuben L. Sharp, USN)
             4th Motor Transport Battalion (Lt. Col. Ralph L. Schiesswohl)
             4th Pioneer Battalion (Lt. Col. Richard G. Ruby)
             4th Service Battalion (Lt. Col. John F. Fondahl)
             4th Tank Battalion (Lt. Col. Richard K. Schmidt)
Floating reserve:
    3rd Marine Division (19,597 officers and enlisted)
    Major General Graves B. Erskine
       Asst. Div. Cmdr.: Brig. Gen. William A. Worton
       Chief of Staff: Col. Robert E. Hogaboom
       CO HQ Battalion: Lt. Col. Jack F. Warner (to 14 Mar), Lt. Col. Carey A. Randall
       Personnel officer (G-1): Maj. Irving R. Kriendler
       Intelligence officer (G-2): Lt. Col. Howard J. Turton
       Operations officer (G-3): Col. Arthur H. Butler
       Logistics officer (G-4): Col. James D. Hittle
          Committed to center sector D+2, attached to 4th Marine Division:
             21st Marine Regiment
             Colonel Hartnoll J. Withers
             Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Eustace R. Smoak
                1st Battalion (Lt. Col. Marlowe C. Williams (WIA 22 Feb), Maj. Clay M. Murray (WIA 22 Feb), Maj. Robert H. Houser)
                   CMoH recipient: Cpl. Hershel W. Williams
                2nd Battalion (Lt. Col. Lowell E. English (WIA 2 Mar), Maj. George A. Percy)
                3rd Battalion (Lt. Col. Wendell H. Duplantis)
          Committed D+6:
             9th Marine Regiment
             Colonel Howard N. Kenyon
             Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Paul W. Russell
                1st Battalion (Lt. Col. Carey A. Randall (to 6 Mar), Maj. William T. Glass (to 14 Mar), Lt. Col. Jack F. Warner)
                   CMoH recipient: Lt. John H. Leims
                2nd Battalion (Lt. Col. Robert E. Cushman, Jr.)
                   CMoH recipient: Pvt. Wilson D. Watson
                3rd Battalion (Lt. Col. Harold C. Boehm)
          12th Marine Regiment (Artillery)
          Lieutenant Colonel Raymond F. Crist Jr.
             Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Bernard H. Kirk
             1st Battalion (Maj. George B. Thomas)
             2nd Battalion (Lt. Col. William T. Fairbourn)
             3rd Battalion (Lt. Col. Alpha L. Bowser, Jr.)
             4th Battalion (Maj. Joe B. Wallen (to 20 Mar), Lt. Col. Thomas R. Belzer)
          Arrived on March 20 and attached to 3rd Marine Division
             147th Infantry Regiment (Ohio Army National Guard)
             Colonel Robert F. Johnson
             Exec. Ofc.: Lt. Col. Eustace R. Smoak
                1st Battalion
                2nd Battalion
                3rd Battalion
          Service troops
          Colonel James O. Brauer (to 6 Mar), Colonel Lewis A. Hohn
             3rd Engineer Battalion (Lt. Col. Nelson K. Brown)
             3rd Medical Battalion (Cmdr. Reuben L. Sharp, USN)
             3rd Motor Transport Battalion (Lt. Col. Ralph L. Schiesswohl)
             3rd Pioneer Battalion (Lt. Col. Richard G. Ruby)
             3rd Tank Battalion (Lt. Col. Richard K. Schmidt)
          Never landed:
             3rd Marine Regiment
             Colonel James A. Stuart

## Japan

Lieut. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, commanding Colonel Tadashi Takaishi, chief of staff 21,060 total men under arms Army
    109th Division
       145th Infantry Regiment
       17th Mixed Infantry Regiment
       26th Tank Regiment
       2nd Mixed Brigade
Navy
    125th Anti-Aircraft Defense Unit
    132nd Anti-Aircraft Defense Unit
    141st Anti-Aircraft Defense Unit
    149th Anti-Aircraft Defense Unit