Photo by Pvt Bob Bailey, USMC

The last major battle of World War II came to a bloody end on June 22nd, 1945  when the last few Japanese soldiers remaining on the southern peninsula of Okinawa.

82 days of the fiercest fighting in the Pacific Theatre had begun on April 1st, 1945. Okinawa was to be the last objective in a long campaign of island hopping. it would serve as a base for aircraft supporting the planned assault on the home Japanese islands.  Casualties were immense on both sides, with US forces suffering 12,520 killed in action, and 55,162 wounded, while estimates of Japanese killed in action totals range from 77,000 to 110,000. Over 7,000 Japanese soldiers would surrender, a significant departure from previous battles in the Pacific. However, some of these were local Okinawan civilians who had been pressed into service by Japanese forces.

The presence of civilians on Okinawa provided a dark contrast to to previous island campaigns. Okinawa had an estimated civilian population of around 300,000. By the end of the battle, nearly half of them would be dead. Many, including children were forcibly drafted by the Japanese, or used as human shields. Others were directed to commit suicide, as Japanese propaganda indicated that the Americans would brutalize them. And many were simply caught up in the fighting, killed by airstrikes or artillery, or indiscriminate gunfire.

The unprecedented carnage on all sides got amplified by the dismal conditions  Heavy rains turned Okinawa into a thick, muddy soup. Vehicles were nearly useless in those kinds of conditions. Bodies would be swallowed up by the muck, so it was difficult to retrieve them for burial. As a result, thousands of dead would litter the battlefield, permeating everything with the stench and taste of death. These horrifying conditions, coupled with constant artillery and mortar fire, lead to more cases of what we would today call PTSD than any other Pacific Theatre engagement

While the US did eventually capture the island, securing the needed airbase to support a direct invasion of Japan, the sheer brutality may have contributed to American military leaders seeking an alternative to an amphibious landing on the mainland. That would come in the controversial use of two atomic weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and so Okinawa was the last major battle of the war.  

For most people reading this, June 6th is a date that needs no introduction

It marks the anniversary of one of the most important military events in human history: the invasion of Normandy, known as Operation Overlord. 

Photo by CPL Neill A. Sevelius

May 8th is quite the eventful day in American military history.

It's most well known as Victory in Europe Day in Britain and the United States, marking the official unconditional surrender of German forces to the Allies in Reims, France on May 8th, 1945.  

Elsewhere in the World War II, May 8th, 1942 was the final day of the Battle of the Coral Sea, where American and Australian naval and air forces attempted to contest a Japanese invasion of New Guinea and the southeastern Solomon Islands. The battle was a pivotal moment in history: it was the first time opposing aircraft carriers faced off and was the first naval engagement where the fleets never made visual contact. The battle signified the end of the age of the battleship, and the rise of naval aviation began.

Speaking of naval aviation, today marks the genesis of naval aircraft in the US Navy, when Captain Washington Irving Chambers placed an order for two Curtiss A-1 Triad floatplanes in 1911. 

Finally, in more recent history, the Battle of Al-Qaim began in Al-Anbar Province, Iraq. Also known as Operation Matador, the 2005 engagement lasted until May 19th and was part of a larger Marine Corps effort against Al-Qaeda-In-Iraq (AQI) fighters in the Western Euphrates river valley called Operation Sayeed.  The Marine task force in Al-Qaim suffered 9 men killed in action, and 40 wounded, while over 125 AQI insurgents were killed The fierce running battle was another indication that even in the wake of the Second Battle of Fallujah, Anbar Province was still one of the most dangerous places in Iraq.
     

This marks the beginning of what will be a daily dive into America's military and law enforcement history. If you've got a cool moment in history to share, let us know on Facebook or Twitter! 

Hey Ninja, my new job requires that I get some gear with a CAL rating high enough to fulfill the needs of HRC Category 2. What are HRC Categories and CAL ratings, and what do I need to get to meet the requirements?

There's no denying that Fall is the season to deck yourself out in new digs. That means a whole new wardbrobe and some awesome new gear.