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.