Word: sanding
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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...defend the west beaches. Perhaps the Jap commander was so certain that we would land on the east or south that he put all his eggs in eastern or southern baskets. His pillboxes on the western beaches were jerry-built of scrub-pine logs, lightly covered with sand and coral. Only a few bursts were fired from his guns and mortars at the landing amphtracks, and none caused a casualty...
...sand was deep and the beach rose rather sharply; it would have been difficult to assault under heavy fire. Built into the hillsides were dozens of coral block burial vaults. They are relics of the ancient Chinese culture of the Okinawans rather than of their 70 years of Japanese domination. Neatly kept, the vaults are about 10 by 10 ft. and about 6 ft. high. The vaults have steps inside on which iron or earthen urns were placed. Some of the urns are three feet high, others only half as large. The urns contain the skulls and bones of departed...
...entirely obscured, or shows like a wan full moon. Dead trees, a tragic number, loom through the hot murk in a variety of fantastic shapes as though they died in agony. . . . Where the dust clears a little, a few dead sheep may be seen. But not many; the drifting sand has buried an uncounted number where they fell. . . ." Results...
...sickening to watch the Jap mortar shells crash into the men as they climbed. These huge explosive charges-"floating ash cans," we called them-would crash among the thin lines of marines, or among the boats bringing reinforcements to the beach, throwing sand, water and even pieces of human flesh 100 feet into the air. Supporting naval gunfire and planes with bombs managed to knock out some of the mortars, but the Japs continued throwing their deadly missiles all afternoon. By noon the assault battalions reported 20 to 25% fatalities...
...Pacific war have I seen such badly mangled bodies. Many were cut squarely in half. Legs and arms lay 50 ft. away from any body. Only the legs were easy to identify-Japanese if wrapped in khaki puttees, American if covered by canvas leggings. In one spot on the sand, far from the nearest clusters of dead men, I saw a string of guts 15 ft. long...