Iwo Jima Recon: The US Navy at War, February 17, 1945

The Japanese held Iwo Jima in a grip of iron, and the island became a focal point for Allied forces in the Pacific. Could an invasion be mounted safely? Were there any underwater traps or obstacles? Would the beach selected take the weight of armored vehicles and jeeps? To answer these questions, a scouting force of four Navy Underwater Demolition teams were sent in, supported by battleships, Tennessee and Nevada, a cruiser, plus 12 landing craft and several destroyers. The story of the first battle for Iwo Jima is now fully told for the first time, in heart-stopping detail, a heroic account of ill-equipped forces under fire from a superior, unexpected, overwhelming enemy. Drawing on first-hand accounts, deck logs, after action reports, the battle is bought vividly to life: the Landing Craft infantry valiantly fighting the Japanese to protect swimmers; Nevada ignoring orders to withdraw and knocking out enemy guns; as well as the devastating casualties that very possibly saved the actual landing. This book is bound to appeal to students of warfare, as well as history buffs.