The pre-invasion naval and air bombardment that preceded the February 19, 1945, landing was the largest in the Pacific war up to that point.

It did less damage to the Japanese defenses than expected.

Kuribayashi’s garrison sat in tunnels and concrete bunkers and waited.

When the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions hit the beaches on the morning of February 19, the Japanese allowed them to come ashore in large numbers before opening fire.

The black volcanic sand on the beaches was unlike any the Marines had trained on — soft and yielding, it trapped the landing vehicles and made movement exhausting.

Men sank ankle-deep with every step.