|
Foreword |
vii |
|
Preface |
xi |
Chapter |
|
|
Page |
I. |
Operation ICEBERG |
1 |
|
|
The Strategic Decision |
1 |
|
|
Nature of the Target |
7 |
|
|
The Plan of Attack |
17 |
|
|
Mounting the Attack |
36 |
II. |
Invasion of the Ryukyus |
44 |
|
|
Preliminary Neutralization of Enemy Strength |
44 |
|
|
Seizure of the Kerama Islands |
51 |
|
|
Softening Up the Target |
63 |
III. |
Winning the Okinawa Beachhead |
68 |
|
|
The Landing |
69 |
|
|
Moving Inland |
74 |
|
|
Organizing the Beachhead |
79 |
IV. |
Where Is the Enemy? |
84 |
|
|
The Japanese Forces |
84 |
|
|
The Japanese Plan of Defense |
92 |
|
|
Enemy Counterattack by Air and Sea |
96 |
V. |
Comming to Grips With the Enemy |
103 |
|
|
Through the Outposts, 4-8 April |
104 |
|
|
Assaulting the Shuri Defenses, 9-12 April |
113 |
|
|
The Enemy Takes the Offensive |
130 |
VI. |
The Conquest of Northern Okinawa |
138 |
|
|
Drive up the Ishikawa Isthmus, 4-7 April |
138 |
|
|
Probing the Motobu Defenses, 7-13 April |
141 |
|
|
Closing In on Yae-Take, 14-15 April |
144 |
|
|
Conquest of Motobu Peninsula, 16-18 April |
146 |
VII. |
The Capture of Ie Shima |
149 |
|
|
Plans and Preparations of the Enemy |
150 |
|
|
American Plans and Preparations |
153 |
|
|
Invasion of Ie Shima, 16-17 April |
156 |
|
|
Stalemate at Bloody Ridge, 18-19 April |
163 |
|
|
Capture of Iegusugu, 20-21 April |
173 |
|
|
Last Phase |
181 |
VIII. |
The Attack of 19 April on the Shuri Defenses |
184 |
|
|
Plans and Preparations |
184 |
|
|
Preliminary Attack of the 27th Division, 18 April |
190 |
|
|
The General Attack |
194 |
IX. |
Fall of the First Shuri Defense Ring |
208 |
|
|
ITEM Pocket |
208 |
|
|
Assaulting the Outer Shuri Defense Ring |
219 |
X. |
Tactics and Tactical Decisions |
249 |
|
|
Tactics and Weapons on Okinawa |
249 |
|
|
Tactical Decisions |
258 |
XI. |
Assaulting the Second Shuri Defense Ring |
265 |
|
|
Stalemate on the West Coast |
267 |
|
|
The 7th Division at Kochi Ridge |
269 |
|
|
The Maeda Escarpment Barrier |
274 |
XII. |
The Japanese Counteroffensive and Its Aftermath |
283 |
|
|
Planning the Offensive |
283 |
|
|
The Offensive Under Way |
286 |
|
|
Japanese Penetration to Tanabaru, 5 May |
294 |
|
|
The Americans Resume Offensive |
302 |
XIII. |
The May Attack On the Shuri Defenses |
311 |
|
|
The Attack in the West |
313 |
|
|
The Attack in the Center |
332 |
|
|
Opening the East Coast Corridor |
351 |
XIV. |
Battle In the Rain |
360 |
|
|
Enemy Air Attacks |
360 |
|
|
Stalemate in the Center |
364 |
|
|
The 6th Marine Division Occupies Naha |
372 |
|
|
The 7th Division Bids for Envelopment |
377 |
XV. |
The Fall of Shuri |
383 |
|
|
Exodus From Shuri |
387 |
|
|
American Occupation of Shuri |
394 |
XVI. |
Behind the Front |
403 |
|
|
Supply Operations |
415 |
|
|
Hospitalization and Evacuation |
412 |
|
|
Military Government |
415 |
|
|
Base Development |
419 |
XVII. |
The Enemy's Last Stand |
422 |
|
|
The Push South to the Yaeju-Dake-Yuza-Dake Barrier |
422 |
|
|
The Capture of Oroku Peninsula |
427 |
|
|
Assaulting the Last Defense Line |
434 |
XVIII. |
The Battle Ends |
455 |
|
|
End of Organized Resistance |
455 |
|
|
Surrender and Suicide |
462 |
|
|
Final Mop-up |
471 |
|
|
Victory: Cost and Value |
473 |
|
APPENDICES |
A. |
Major Tactical Units of Tenth Army
In the Ryukyus Campaign |
475 |
B. |
Japanese 32d Army Units In the Ryukyus Campaign |
483 |
C. |
Statistics of the Ryukyus Campaign |
487 |
|
Bibliographical Note |
503 |
Glossary |
|
Basic Military Map Symbols |
|
Index |
513 |
|
Tables |
|
1. |
Strength of Army, Marine,
and Naval Forces of Tenth Army in the Ryukyus Campaign, 30 April-30 June 1945 |
488 |
2. |
Comparative American and Enemy
Major Losses in the Ryukyus Campaign, 1 April-30 June 1945 |
489 |
3. |
Casualties Sustained by Tenth
Army, 1 April-30 June 1945 |
490 |
4. |
Troops and Supplies Loaded
for the Initial Assault on the Ryukyus |
492 |
5. |
Personnel and Supplies Loaded
for Assault and for First Echelon Garrison in the Ryukyus Campaign, by Point of Embarkation |
493 |
6. |
Comparison of Estimated
Capacities for Unloading at Okinawa Beaches and Quantities Actually Unloaded,
1 April-30 June 1945 |
494 |
7. |
Cargo Unloaded at Okinawa Beaches,
1 April-30 June 1945 |
496 |
8. |
Ammunition Expended by Tenth Army
Field Artillery, 1 April-30 June 1945 |
498 |
9. |
Ammunition Expended by the U.S.
Navy in the Ryukyus Campaign, March-June 1945 |
500 |
10. |
Ammunition Expended by XXIV Corps,
by Type of Weapon, 4 April-21 June 1945 |
501 |
|
CHARTS |
|
I. |
Organization of Allied
Forces for the Ryukyus Campaign, January 1945 |
20 |
II. |
Organization of
Central Pacific Task Forces for the Ryukyus Campaign, January 1945 |
22 |
III. |
Organization of
Expeditionary Troops for the Ryukyus Campaign, January 1945 |
24 |
IV. |
XXIV Corps Assignment
of Shipping for the Assault on Okinawa |
43 |
V. |
Organization of the
Japanese 62d Division in Okinawa |
88 |
|
1. |
Tenth Army Weekly
Battle Casualties, 1 April-30 June 1945 |
491 |
2. |
Comparison of Estimated
Capacities for Unloading at Okinawa Beaches and Quantities Actually Unloaded,
1 April-20 June 1945 |
495 |
3. |
Average Daily Volume of
Supplies Unloaded in the Ryukyus, 1 April-16 May 1945 |
497 |
4. |
Ammunition Expended by
Tenth Army Field Artillery, 1 April-30 June 1945 |
499 |
|
MAPS |
|
1. |
Strategic Situation in the Pacific |
3 |
2. |
Ryukyu Islands |
5 |
3. |
Okinawa Island Group |
6 |
4. |
Island of Okinawa |
9 |
5. |
Southern Okinawa |
9 |
6. |
The Plan of Attack |
30 |
7. |
Kerama Islands: 77th Division, 26-29 March 1945 |
51 |
8. |
Tenth Army Advance, 1-3 April 1945 |
71 |
9. |
Japanese Defensive Positions, 1 April 1945 |
93 |
10. |
Through the Outposts: XXIV Corps, 4-8 April 1945 |
105 |
11. |
The Pinnacle: 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry, 6 April 1945 |
107 |
12. |
Kakazu Ridge: Attack of 9 April 1945 |
113 |
13. |
Kakazu Ridge: Attack of 10 April 1945 |
119 |
14. |
XXIV Corps Advance, 9-12 April 1945 |
125 |
15. |
Japanese Plan of Attack, 12 April 1945 |
131 |
16. |
Japanese Attack, 12-14 April 1945 |
131 |
17. |
Advance in the North: 6th Marine Division, 4-8 April 1945 |
140 |
18. |
Yae-Take: 6th Marine Division, 8-20 April 1945 |
141 |
19. |
Landings on Ie Shima: 77th Division, 16 April 1945 |
153 |
20. |
Ie Shima, 18 April 1945 |
163 |
21. |
Is Shima, 19 April 1945 |
171 |
22. |
Ie Shima, 20-21 April 1945 |
173 |
23. |
XXIV Corps Attack, 19 April 1945 |
187 |
24. |
Fire Plan of 272d Independent Infantry Battalion: Kakazu Area, 19 April 1945 |
203 |
25. |
Item Pocket: 165th Infantry, 20 April 1945 |
209 |
26. |
Item Pocket, 21 April 1945 |
211 |
27. |
Item Pocket, 22-25 April 1945 |
213 |
28. |
Skyline Ridge: 7th Division, 19 April 1945 |
219 |
29. |
Shyline Ridge: 32d infantry, 21 April 1945 |
225 |
30. |
96th Division, 20-24 April 1945 |
229 |
31. |
Fight for the Pinnacles, 20 April 1945 |
235 |
32. |
Kakazu Pocket, 21 April 1945 |
240 |
33. |
Through the Outer Shuri Defenses, 19-24 April 1945 |
247 |
34. |
Stalemate at Kochi: 7th Division, 25 April-3 May 1945 |
269 |
35. |
Maeda Escarpment, 25-29 April 1945 |
273 |
36. |
Attack on Shuri Defenses, 25 April-3 May 1945 |
281 |
37. |
Japanese Plan of Attack, 4 May 1945 |
285 |
38. |
Jjapanese Attack, 4-5 May 1945 |
287 |
39. |
American Advance, 3-10 May 1945 |
303 |
40. |
Tenth Army Advance, 11-21 May 1945 |
313 |
41. |
Sugar Loaf Hill: 6th Marine Division, 14-15 May 1945 |
319 |
42. |
Sugar Loaf Hill: 6th Marine Division; 16-17 May 1945 |
319 |
43. |
Sugar Loaf Hill: 6th Marine Division, 18 May 1945 |
321 |
44. |
Flattop and Dick Hills, 11-12 May 1945 |
343 |
45. |
Flattop and Dick Hills, 13-14 May 1945 |
345 |
46. |
Flattop and Dick Hills, 15 May 1945 |
347 |
47. |
Conical Hill, 11-16 May 1945 |
351 |
48. |
Conical Hill, 17-21 May 1945 |
357 |
49. |
Closing In on Shuri, 30-31 May 1945 |
365 |
50. |
Fall of Shuri, 30-31 May 1945 |
397 |
51. |
The Push South, 1-3 June 1945 |
423 |
52. |
Oroku and Yaeju-Dake, 4-11 June 1945 |
425 |
53. |
Breaching Yaeju-Dake, 12-17 June 1945 |
447 |
54. |
End of Organized
Resistance, 18-21 June 1945 |
459 |
|
|
ILLUSTRATIONS |
|
Relief Map of
the Philippine Islands |
20 |
Okinawans and Okinawan Customs |
8 |
Okinawans and Okinawan Customs |
8 |
Okinawa's Landscape |
11 |
Village on Okinawa |
12 |
American Commanders |
18 |
Loading Supplies for Okinawa |
42 |
Loading Supplies for Okinawa |
42 |
Preliminary Bombardment |
47 |
Preliminary Bombardment |
47 |
Japanese Kamikaze Attacks |
48 |
Japanese Kamikaze Attacks |
48 |
Terrain in the Kerama Retto |
53 |
Terrain in the Kerama Retto |
53 |
Landings in the Keramas |
59 |
Landings in the Keramas |
59 |
"Suicide Boats" |
61 |
"Suicide Boats" |
61 |
Softening Up the Target |
62 |
Softening Up the Target |
62 |
Bombarding the Beaches |
71 |
Bombarding the Beaches |
71 |
The Landings |
73 |
The Landings |
73 |
Moving Inland |
78 |
Moving Inland |
78 |
Supplying and Developing the Beachhead |
82 |
Supplying and Developing the Beachhead |
82 |
Japanese Commanders |
86 |
Japanese Weapons |
90 |
Japanese Weapons |
90 |
Japanese Weapons |
90 |
Japanese Weapons |
90 |
Kamikaze Attacks |
98 |
Kamikaze Attacks |
98 |
Sinking of the Yamato |
100 |
XXIV Corps Turns South |
106 |
XXIV Corps Turns South |
106 |
East Coast Battles |
109 |
East Coast Battles |
109 |
Kakazu West |
114 |
Kakazu West |
114 |
Kakazu Gorge |
122 |
Tombstone Ridge Area |
128 |
Saddle Between Kakazu West and Kakazu Ridge |
136 |
Saddle Between Kakazu West and Kakazu Ridge |
136 |
Fire Bombing |
142 |
Pushing to Yae-Take |
145 |
Pushing to Yae-Take |
145 |
Ie Shima |
151 |
Ie Shima |
151 |
Rockets Over Ie Shima |
155 |
Invasion of Ie Shima |
158 |
Invasion of Ie Shima |
158 |
Fighting Toward Ie |
161 |
Fighting Toward Ie |
161 |
Death of Ernie Pyle |
165 |
Death of Ernie Pyle |
165 |
Ie and the Southern Beaches |
166 |
Typical Defense System |
168 |
Attack on Bloody Ridge |
174 |
Attack on Bloody Ridge |
174 |
Government House Hill |
179 |
Government House Hill |
179 |
Strategic Area of Southern Okinawa |
186 |
Ouki Hill-Skyline Area and Machinato Inlet |
188 |
Ouki Hill-Skyline Area and Machinato Inlet |
188 |
Opening Action, 19 April |
195 |
Opening Action, 19 April |
195 |
Battle for Tombstone Ridge |
199 |
Battle for Tombstone Ridge |
199 |
Death of a Tank |
201 |
Death of a Tank |
201 |
Death of a Tank |
201 |
Death of a Tank |
201 |
West End of Urasoe-Mura Escarpment |
206 |
Item Pocket Area |
212 |
Heart of Item Pocket |
216 |
Skyline Ridge |
221 |
Skyline Ridge |
221 |
Rocky Crags |
229 |
Rocky Crags |
229 |
Nishibaru Escarpment Area |
233 |
Nishibaru Escarpment Area |
233 |
The Pinnacles |
239 |
Urasoe-Mura Escarpment |
244 |
Kakazu Village and Kakazu Pocket |
246 |
Kakazu Village and Kakazu Pocket |
246 |
Japanese Fortifications |
251 |
Japanese Fortifications |
251 |
Japanese Fortifications |
251 |
Japanese Fortifications |
251 |
Japanese Fortifications |
251 |
Naval Fire and Air Support |
252 |
Naval Fire and Air Support |
252 |
Blowtorch and Corkscrew |
254 |
Blowtorch and Corkscrew |
254 |
Southern Coast Line |
261 |
Asa River Area |
266 |
Kochi Area |
270 |
Kochi Area |
270 |
Maeda Escarpment and Tank-Infantry Attacks |
277 |
Maeda Escarpment and Tank-Infantry Attacks |
277 |
Maeda Escarpment Strong Points |
278 |
Maeda Escarpment Strong Points |
278 |
Japanese Sea and Air Attack |
288 |
Japanese Sea and Air Attack |
288 |
Japanese Position at Tanabaru Escarpment, 4-7 May |
292 |
Japanese Land Offensive |
294 |
Japanese Land Offensive |
294 |
Tanabaru Escarpment |
298 |
Tanabaru Escarpment |
298 |
Attacks on Hill 60 |
305 |
Attacks on Hill 60 |
305 |
American Advance Down the Center |
308 |
West Flank Zone |
315 |
Sugar Loaf and Horseshoe Hills |
316 |
Fighting at Sugar Loaf and Crescent Hills |
324 |
Fighting at Sugar Loaf and Crescent Hills |
324 |
Dakeshi Ridge |
327 |
Dakeshi Ridge |
327 |
Reverse Slope of Wana Ridge |
331 |
Reverse Slope of Wana Ridge |
331 |
Ishimmi Ridge |
335 |
Chocolate Drop Hill |
340 |
Chocolate Drop Hill |
340 |
Dick Hills and Flattop |
345 |
Advance Around Dick Hills and Flattop |
350 |
Advance Around Dick Hills and Flattop |
350 |
Conical Hill and East Coast Flatlands |
354 |
Conical Hill and East Coast Flatlands |
354 |
Japanese Air Raids on Okinawa |
363 |
Japanese Air Raids on Okinawa |
363 |
Wana Draw |
367 |
Wana Draw |
367 |
Mud and Flood |
368 |
Mud and Flood |
368 |
"Three Sisters" and Oboe |
371 |
"Three Sisters" and Oboe |
371 |
Crossing the Asato River and Entering Naha |
374 |
Crossing the Asato River and Entering Naha |
374 |
East Coast Corridor and Yonabaru-Naha Valley |
380 |
East Coast Corridor and Yonabaru-Naha Valley |
380 |
Casualties |
385 |
Casualties |
385 |
Secret Retreat |
390 |
Secret Retreat |
390 |
Shuri Heights |
395 |
Shuri Heights |
395 |
Shuri |
3 |
Shuri |
3 |
Shuri Castle Bell |
401 |
Supply and Communications Installations |
404 |
Supply and Communications Installations |
404 |
Supply and Communications Installations |
404 |
Moving Supplies |
408 |
Moving Supplies |
408 |
Moving Supplies |
408 |
Movement of Wounded |
413 |
Movement of Wounded |
413 |
Movement of Wounded |
413 |
Movement of Wounded |
413 |
Military Government |
416 |
Military Government |
416 |
Military Government |
416 |
Military Government |
416 |
Development of Airfield and Rehabilitation of Port |
418 |
Development of Airfield and Rehabilitation of Port |
418 |
Mud and Supply |
426 |
Mud and Supply |
426 |
Advancing to Yaeju-Dake |
429 |
Advancing to Yaeju-Dake |
429 |
Last Point of Resistance |
430 |
Last Point of Resistance |
430 |
Base of Oroku Peninsula |
435 |
Yaeju-Dake and Hill 95 |
437 |
Yaeju-Dake and Hill 95 |
437 |
Flame Through a Hose |
444 |
Flame Through a Hose |
444 |
Flame Through a Hose |
444 |
Flame Through a Hose |
444 |
Flame Through a Hose |
444 |
Night Attack on Yaeju-Dake |
448 |
Night Attack on Yaeju-Dake |
448 |
Yuza Peak and Kunishi Ridge |
453 |
Yuza Peak and Kunishi Ridge |
453 |
Fighting Toward Hill 89 |
457 |
Fighting Toward Hill 89 |
457 |
Lt Gen Simon B Buckner |
460 |
Overcoming the Last Resistance |
464 |
Overcoming the Last Resistance |
464 |
Surrender |
466 |
Surrender |
466 |
Last Japanese Command Post |
469 |
Last Japanese Command Post |
469 |
Raising the American Flag |
472 |