Battle of Okinawa

[Ray Merrell]

A quote from Joe R. Reider, Army Undersecretary:

For nearly three months, U.S. forces scratched their way across Okinawa's 60 miles of steep ridges, sheer cliffs, deep draws and slimy sucking mud. For the sailors off-shore it was day after day, night after night, wave after wave of terrifying kamikaze attacks that sank 36 ships and damaged another 368.

Okinawa cost 13,241 American lives, including 8,343 sailors, Coast Guardsmen and Marines, the highest single campaign toll in all Naval history.

At the end more than 200,000 on both sides lay dead, more American blood than had been shed at Gettysbrg and many times as many Japanese as killed at Iwo Jima.

[Ray Merrell]

Easter Sunday April 1, 1945, from the USS McIntyre 3-12-45 to 4-1-45, we landed on Okinawa at Yontan airfield, without much opposition. We advanced up the northern part of the island. When the interior part of Okinawa was secure, we went south to Naha. We got on landing crafts and came across the water and hit the Japs from behind the Oroku Peninsula. From there we went down to the southern tip of Okinawa, south of Naha. We were there until the island was secured. We had lived on rations for three months.
Gung Ho, Ray

[Sterling Mace]

Mr. Merrell,
What was your outfit and your MOS? I was in K/3/5, 1st Marine Division, landing on April 1st, as well.
Yes, it got real rough for us as soon as we headed south. That would be May 1st, 1945. It nearly destroyed me.

Semper Fi,
Sterling G. Mace

[Ray Merrell]

I think I answered this on another forum but...

After the Raiders disbanded in Feb. 1944 I went into:

Weapons Company
4th Marines
6th Marine Division

Gung Ho,

Ray Merrell

[CdtCaptKlopez]

I just feel the need to thank you for everything you and every Marine did. I'm just a young poolee, but I was raised to respect and appreciate ever person who served and defended this nation. Thank you!

[Ray Merrell]

Thank you for your post CdtCaptKlopez, and I thank you for your service to our
great country. We all have just done what we were trained to do, and no one's job was more important than the other.

Gung Ho,

Ray Merrell