About this item
The Battle of Iwo Jima, a major event in the Pacific Theater of World War II - and one of the bloodiest in United States history - began on February 19, 1945. But what happened two days earlier has largely been a footnote, until now... On February 17, Landing Craft Infantry 449 was among a dozen gunboats helping to prepare the area for their invasion two days later. U.S. military leaders thought they had weakened Japanese forces in the area so they were not expecting any action ... From the towering slopes of Mount Suribachi, Japanese forces opened fire, forcing the U.S. commanders to recalculate battlefield plans. They shelled and bombed the newly discovered enemy positions. It was a move that saved countless lives two days later, when tens of thousands of Marines stormed the beach.
About the Author
Mitch Weiss is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist and a New York Times best-selling author. He has received numerous awards for his work, and his books have appeared on many lists. His richly textured military narratives delve into life and death issues on the battlefield and at home. His eight books have been published in more than a dozen counties, including China, England, France and Brazil. Weiss is a frequent speaker at book festivals and on television. He currently works on investigative projects for The Associated Press. In his career, he's been involved in investigative projects for major news organizations. Among the subjects: military misconduct, government corruption, white collar crimes, the housing meltdown and clerical sexual abuse. His agent is Frank Weimann at Folio Literary Management in New York.
