WWII E156 Into the Meat Grinder: The Fight for the Motoyama Plateau

Written By Robert Estrada

Episode Description

While the photographs from Suribachi raced around the world, the Marines prepared for a new and even more punishing fight. Their next objective was the Motoyama Plateau. Three airfields surrounded by a citadel of pillboxes, bunkers, and caves woven together to bleed the invasion dry.

At the heart of this defensive belt lay three features: the heights of Hill 382, the blockhouse of Turkey Knob, and the bowl of the Amphitheater. Together, they formed the Meat Grinder.

Entire companies were cut down to platoon strength. Riflemen crawled through volcanic ash under fire from every angle, engineers dragged flamethrowers and satchel charges against concrete walls that refused to break, and corpsmen pulled the wounded out of craters while shells burst overhead.

The Meat Grinder epitomized Iwo Jima: a place won not by a single breakthrough, but by relentless endurance, teamwork, and sacrifice.

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References

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  • Bartley, W. S. (1954). Iwo Jima: Amphibious epic. Historical Branch, G-3 Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.

  • Bradley, J., & Powers, R. (2000). Flags of our fathers. New York, NY: Bantam Books.

  • Burrell, Robert S. The Ghosts of Iwo Jima. Texas A&M University Press, 2006.

  • Gilbert, Oscar E. Marine Tank Battles in the Pacific. Da Capo Press, 2001.

  • Heinl, R. D., Jr. (1968). History of the United States Marine Corps in World War II, Volume V: Victory and Occupation. Washington, D.C.: Historical Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.

  • Nalty, B. C., & Crawford, D. J. (1995). The United States Marines on Iwo Jima: The battle and the flag raisings (PCN 19000316600). History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.

  • Newcomb, R. F. (1965). Iwo Jima. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

  • Smith, H. M., & Finch, P. (1949). Coral and Brass. New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

  • Smith, Larry. Iwo Jima: World War II Veterans Remember the Greatest Battle of the Pacific. W.W. Norton, 2008.

  • Shaw, H. I., Jr., Nalty, B. C., & Turnbladh, E. T. (1970). History of U.S. Marine Corps operations in World War II: Volume IV, Western Pacific operations. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.

  • Wheeler, R. (1980). Iwo. New York, NY: Thomas Y. Crowell.

Robert Estrada
Next

WWII E155 Suribachi: Cutting Off the Serpent’s Head