Tag: Iwo Jima

Photo(s) of the Week: The 7th Air Force Bombing Campaign II

On By acarothersvlrmIn History, Photo(s) of the WeekLeave a comment

Below are two photos of 819th Bomb Squadron, 30th Bomb Group Consolidated B-24J Liberators heading back for the long trip to the Marianas after bombing Iwo Jima. The 7th Air Force’s Liberators bombed Iwo Jima, Chichi Jima, and Haha Jima on a frequent basis between August 10, 1944, and February 19, 1945.

USAAF/National Archives via Fold3

The official United States Army Air Force caption for the above photo reads: “SOUTH PACIFIC – Bomb scarred Iwo Jima Island only 650 miles from the Japanese homeland is a regular target for the 7th AAF heavies – show clearly the necessity for the famous pin point precision bombing of the 7th AAF Liberators.” No matter how accurate the precision bombing of 7th AAF Liberators was, it would only take a short amount of time for the Japanese troops to repair the damage and return the airfields to operational status, much to the ire of bomber crews.

USAAF/National Archives via Fold3

Notwithstanding, during the period between August 10, 1944 and February 19, 1945, the Japanese air forces on Iwo Jima were greatly disrupted by constant bombardment of 7th AAF Liberators, and never became much of an offensive threat to American air bases in the Marianas.

I am assuming both pictures were taken during the same bombing mission, but there is nothing in the captions for the photos to confirm is assumption.

Memorial Day 2024; Honor Those Who Have Served to Protect Our Liberty and Freedoms

On By acarothersvlrmIn History, Intro/Miscellaneous1 Comment

“Freedom is never more than one generation from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” Ronald W. Reagan, 40th President of the United States of America

Joe Rosenthal/Associated Press via Fold3

This Memorial Day we have a chance to pause and honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We owe them such a tremendous debt, for the freedoms we enjoy today were paid for with an extremely high price! Their sacrifices ensured our liberty largely continues today – from the ability to gather with loved ones, to worship together, to speak as we see fit (and the companion right not to be forced to speak that which we know to be false), and to assemble and peacefully protest to effectuate change.

The statue below is outside of the National Archives building in Washington D.C. It is of an ever watchful soldier holding his helmet, sword, and shield. The inscription below the statue reads “ETERNAL VIGILANCE IS THE PRICE OF LIBERTY”.

Guardianship Statute by James Fraser (Photo by Jeff Reed, National Archives)

Let us not be asleep at the wheel. We have forces from within that are intolerant, and this intolerance is being cultivated in our schools, colleges and universities. Speech which a few years ago was considered normal speech, is now being touted as hate speech. And we are now being told that we need to address certain individuals in ways that has no basis in reality.

Six thousand eight hundred twenty-one United States servicemen lost their lives on Iwo Jima. If we do not protect our liberty and freedoms, the sacrifices made by them, and so many more, will have been in vain.

Photo(s) of the Week; The 7th Air Force Bombing Campaign I

On By acarothersvlrmIn History, Photo(s) of the WeekLeave a comment

Starting on August 10, 1944, the 7th Air Force B-24 Liberators bombed the airfields and troops on Iwo Jima continuously up to the invasion. The goal was not necessarily to bomb the Japanese forces on Iwo Jima into submission, but to disrupt and neutralize the Japanese ability to strike American airfields in the Marianas from Iwo Jima.

USAAF/National Archives via Fold3

Above is a nice photo of a 392nd Bomb Squadron, 30th Bomb Group Consolidated B-24J Liberator after its bomb run with Mount Suribachi in the background. Note the Japanese use of smoke pots in an attempt to obscure the location of the airfields from the bombers. The photo below shows a 42nd Bomb Squadron, 11th Bomb Group B-24J Liberator on its way back to the Marianas after bombing Iwo Jima.

USAAF/National Archives via Fold3

While the 7th Air Force B-24 crews were very accurate in placing their bombs within the target areas, it did not take very long for the Japanese forces to repair the bomb cratered runaways to get the airfields back in service.

Reference:

Strike and Return: American Air Power and the Fight for Iwo Jima, Cory Graff, Specialty Press (2006)

Photo(s) of the Week; Pre-Invasion Iwo Jima

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USAAF/National Archives via Fold3

Above is a nice photo of Iwo Jima taken from the waist window of a 7th Air Force Consolidated B-24J Liberator at the beginning of a bombing raid. I like this photo because it shows the location of Motoyama Airfield #1 (South Field) and Motoyama Airfield #2 (Central Field) on Iwo Jima.

7th Air Force B-24s started bombing Iwo Jima as soon as Saipan was secure and Isley Field was completed. On August 8, 1944, the 30th BG moved from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands to Saipan, and two days later flew its first mission to bomb Motoyama Airfield #1. During the month of August, a total of 143 Liberators dropped 290 tons of bombs on Iwo Jima.

The Liberators had to go it alone as 7th Air Force only had Republic P-47D Thunderbolts, which did not have the range to accompany the B-24s on these long range bombing missions from Saipan to Iwo Jima and back. Notwithstanding, the 30th Bomb Group only lost two B-24 during the initial month of August.

References:

Strike and Return: American Air Power and the Fight for Iwo Jima, Cory Graff, Specialty Press (2006)

Photo(s) of the Week; Captain Urban L. Drew, 413th Fighter Squadron, 414th Fighter Group

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Below is a photo of Captain Urban L. “Ben” Drew flying his Republic P-47N Thunderbolt (Serial No. 44-88492) sometime in either late July or August of 1945. The 414th Fighter Group arrived on Iwo Jima in late July and flew several missions before the end of the war.

Captain Urban L. Drew (Urban L. Drew via American Air Museum)

Captain Drew was a six victory ace with the 375th Fighter Squadron of the 361st Fighter Group in the European Theater of Operations. Captain Drew’s claim to fame is that he was the only Eighth Air Force fighter pilot to have shot down two Messerschmitt Me-262s in a single mission. That occurred on October 7, 1944, when the 361st Fighter Group attacked Achmer Aerodrome in Germany where Me-262s were stationed.

Lt. Urban L. Drew (Urban L. Drew via American Air Museum)

Above is a nice photo of then Lieutenant Drew standing along side his North American P-51D Mustang, E2-D “Detroit Miss” (Serial No. 44-14164) while he was with the 375th FS/361st FG. It is believed that Captain Drew’s P-47N Thunderbolt, 682, was also named “Detroit Miss”, but there is no definitive photo evidence. In the first photo, there appears to be a reclining pin-up girl with a name above it just below the front of the canopy, but it is hard to make out a name.

The 414th Fighter Group was activated on October 15, 1944, and equipped with P-47’s. Assigned to Twentieth AF, the 414th FG was temporarily stationed on Guam, and attacked objectives in the Truk Islands on July 13th and the 22nd. The group began operations from North Field on Iwo Jima later in July with an attack against the radar station on Chichi Jima. Operations during August were directed primarily against enemy airfields in Japan, but the group also strafed hangars, barracks, ordnance dumps, trains, marshalling yards, and shipping.

Captain Drew ended the war with six aerial victories and one ground victory, all in the ETO.

References:

1. The Mighty Eighth: A History of the U.S. 8th Army Air Force, Roger A. Freeman, Doubleday and Company, Inc. (1970)

2. Fighters of the Mighty Eighth: 1942-1945, William N. Hess and Thomas G. Ivie,

3. 7th Fighter Command Association website: https://www.7thfighter.com/

4. American Air Museum in Britain website: https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/person/urban-l-drew