D-Day, Tinian

[Subdeacon Joe]

24 July 1944 - Battle of Tinian D-Day

#OTD the 4th Marine Division conducts an amphibious assault on the northwest coast of Tinian, while the 2d Marine Division makes an amphibious assault in the south.

The Japanese conducts a major banzai attack against the beachhead that evening and suffered severe losses. In eight days Marines reach the southern coast of Tinian and all organized Japanese resistance is finished.

Find out more about Marines in WWII in our WWII Gallery: http://www.usmcmuseum.com/wwii.html

Tinian,"J-day," 24 July 1944: Marines dismount from an LVT at an invasion beach. Rocky coral prevented this LVT from going up on the beach (USMC 88112).
Naval History & Heritage Command

[Trailrider #896]

We needed that island as it was within range of our B-29's! Later, that bunch of B-29's on the North end of the island were looked on with destain by the crews on the South end, because they seemed to do little but dropping big, fat, single bombs, against lightly defended targets.  The guys on the South end even made up a ditty that ended, "...and the 509th is  winning the war!"  Little did they know...  Oh, BTW, every once in a while, at military events, one of those black, flying bats from the 509th will fly over.  

[bgavin]

There is an excellent book called "Flyboys" written by James Bradley (son of one of the Iwo Jima flag raisers).
This is an in-depth study and pulls no punches.
The theme follows eight pilots and their encounter with being shot down and captured (and eaten) by the Japanese.
One of those flyboys managed to evade capture and survive... George H.W. Bush

 

[Trailrider #896]

2 hours ago, bgavin said:

There is an excellent book called "Flyboys" written by James Bradley (son of one of the Iwo Jima flag raisers).
This is an in-depth study and pulls no punches.
The theme follows eight pilots and their encounter with being shot down and captured (and eaten) by the Japanese.
One of those flyboys managed to evade capture and survive... George H.W. Bush

 

Wait a minute!  George H.W. Bush wasn't captured by the Japanese.  He was shot down and landed in the Pacific Ocean, and was picked up by one of our "plane guard" submarines!  

[bgavin]

Please read the post... "One of those flyboys managed to evade capture and survive... George H.W. Bush "

[Subdeacon Joe]

2 hours ago, bgavin said:

Please read the post... "One of those flyboys managed to evade capture and survive... George H.W. Bush "

 

It was a bit confusing:

"The theme follows eight pilots and their encounter with being shot down and captured (and eaten) by the Japanese.
One of those flyboys managed to evade capture and survive... George H.W. Bush"

 

The first time reading through that I was thinking,  "Wow! Captured,  eaten,  and still managed to evade and survive!"

[bgavin]

Isn't the English language grand?
The second sentence was the qualifier to the first.
Since it came second, it is the final clarification to the first.
It stated conclusively that Bush survived by evading capture.

This reminds me of the instruction tutorial from high school.
"Read the entire sheet first, then follow directions."

Everybody grabs the sheet, fails to read it all the way to the end, then starts making noise and hopping around.
The last sentence (the qualifier) says, "Now do not do anything, just sit quietly."
 

[Subdeacon Joe]

2 hours ago, bgavin said:

Isn't the English language grand?
The second sentence was the qualifier to the first.
Since it came second, it is the final clarification to the first.

 

It is indeed a grand language. 

 

But,  the second sentence starts,  "One of those flyboys... " 

Clearly referring to the 8 who had been captured and eaten.  

 

Maybe something like "The theme follows eight pilots who were shot down and seven of whom were captured..."

 

 

Would have been more clear. 

 

ADDED,

 

I just had my wife read it and I  saw her eyebrow raise slightly at that, and she is pretty sharp.  

 

[bgavin]

Give it a rest... counting the number of angels who can dance on a pin is a wasted effort, as as semantics.
The answer to the Universe is 42.

[watab kid]

my father was on saipan , both islands were crucial , but yes the Abombs left off tinian , there was a large contingency over tokyo from both islands tho 

[J.D. Daily]

My father was a motor machinist, diesel.  He got stuck on a beach overnight on Saipan.  It was the only WWII event he ever talked about.  I have an old friend, 49 years, who's father was a machinist before the war.  In the Army he was assigned to the Manhattan Project in NM.  When the bombs were sent to Tinian he went with them.

[Four-Eyed Buck,SASS #14795]

I believe George H. W. Bush was shot down over ChiChi Jima in the Iwo area. His crew didn't survive. He was flying an Avenger torpedo bomber.