February 19, 2023 marks the 78th Anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima.
“Located roughly half way between Saipan and Tokyo, and directly under the flight path of B-29 Superfortress bombers headed to Japan, the island of Iwo Jima was a Japanese stronghold of crucial strategic importance and could not be bypassed. Not only would Iwo Jima make an excellent base for Allied fighters escorting B-29 raids, but it would also project the flank of the forthcoming invasion of Okinawa.”
https://www.usmcmuseum.com/battle-of-iwo-jima.html