The First Battalion of the 28th Marines on Iwo Jima

On February 19, 1945, seven battalions of U.S. Marines landed on the eastern beaches of Iwo Jima. On the southernmost flank, in the shadows of Suribachi, the First Battalion, 28th Marines, stormed ashore into the bloodiest and most renowned of all battles fought by the U.S. Marine Corps. Thirty-six days later, the Marines overran the “Bloody Gorge” and dislodged the last enemy holdouts. The battle was over, but at great cost: 225 of the First Battalion’s men died on Iwo Jima.
Based on official reports and personal accounts, this is a day-by-day history of the First Battalion, 28th Marines, on Iwo Jima. Each chapter presents an overview of that day’s combat and other relevant events, and also contains the text of that day’s official regimental and battalion narratives. The text is complemented by a chronology and transcribed muster rolls for February and March 1945.

Snellville, Georgia, resident Robert E. Allen was drafted by the Marine Corps upon graduating from high school in June 1944. After accelerated training at Parris Island and Camp Lejeune, the 18-year-old joined the Marine forces on Iwo Jima.

Robert E. Allen
Foreword by Zell Miller
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 470
Bibliographic Info: 53 photos, maps, notes, chronology, appendices, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2004 [1999]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2158-9
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0750-4
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vii
Foreword      1
Preface      3
Introduction      5

1. D-Day Monday, 19, February 1945      15
2. D +1 Tuesday, 20 February 1945      46
3. D +2 Wednesday, 21 February 1945      61
4. D +3 Thursday, 22 February 1945      67
5. D +4 Friday, 23 February 1945      72
6. D +5 Saturday, 24 February 1945      78
7. D +6 Sunday, 25 February 1945      83
8. D +7 Monday, 26 February 1945      86
9. D +8 Tuesday, 27 February 1945      89
10. D +9 Wednesday, 28 February 1945      96
11. D +10 Thursday, 1 March 1945      100
12. D +11 Friday, 2 March 1945      115
13. D +12 Saturday, 3 March 1945      128
14. D +13 Sunday, 4 March 1945      136
15. D +14 Monday, 5 March 1945      139
16. D +15 Tuesday, 6 March 1945      143
17. D +16 Wednesday, 7 March 1945      146
18. D +17 Thursday, 8 March 1945      149
19. D +18 Friday, 9 March 1945      161
20. D +19 Saturday, 10 March 1945      167
21. D +20 Sunday, 11 March 1945      172
22. D +21 Monday, 12 March 1945      176
23. D +22 Tuesday, 13 March 1945      182
24. D +23 Wednesday, 14 March 1945      186
25. D +24 Thursday, 15 March 1945      190
26. D +25 Friday, 16 March 1945      194
27. D +26 Saturday, 17 March 1945      198
28. D +27 Sunday, 18 March 1945      201
29. D +28 Monday, 19 March 1945      204
30. D +29 Tuesday, 20 March 1945      207
31. D +30 Wednesday, 21 March 1945      210
32. D +31 Thursday, 22 March 1945      214
33. D +32 Friday, 23 March 1945      217
34. D +33 Saturday, 24 March 1945      220
35. D +34 Sunday, 25 March 1945      223
36. D +35 Monday, 26 March 1945      226

Epilogue      251
Appendix I: Chronology      261
Appendix II: Unit Rolls for February 19, 1945      265
Appendix III: Major Battle Encounters on Iwo Jima      272
Appendix IV: Awards and Decorations      281
Appendix V: Citations      284
Appendix VI: Transcribed Muster Rolls for February and March 1945      295
Appendix VII: Maps and Documents      436
Bibliography      445
Index      447

“extremely well-researched…admirably detailed historic and complete account”—Military; “excellent”—Spearhead News; “[a] day-by-day history of the First Battalion, 28th Marines on Iwo Jima”—Reference & Research Book News.