Gone but not forgotten: The 82-day battle for Okinawa was the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War.


Gone but not forgotten: The 82-day battle for Okinawa was the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War.

📸 Pfc. Urban R. "Frenchy" Vachon of the 1st Marine Division gives his Carbine Rifle a break and smokes a cigarette to steady his nerves after hours of fierce fighting during the Battle of Okinawa in April of 1945. The man sitting behind him is legendary war correspondent Ernie Pyle who was killed by Japanese machine gun fire ten days later.

The 82-day battle for Okinawa was the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War. Pfc. Vachon and the 1st Marine Division arrived on Okinawa on April 1, 1945. Their initial mission was fighting alongside the 6th Marine Division to clear the northern half of the island. After meeting their objective, they turned south where they encountered heavy resistance and an abundance of rainfall. When Okinawa was declared clear, Pfc. Vachon had survived the brutal fighting, however, the 1st Marine Division paid a heavy toll losing 1,655 Marines killed in action….Gone, but not forgotten. 🪖

The 746th FEAF Band recorded the only known album by a frontline band unit in the jungles of the Pacific. This page is dedicated to honoring World War II veterans through their music. As always, streaming is free…freedom is not 🇺🇸

Digital album👉🏼 https://746thfeaf.com/music

Spotify👉🏼 https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pv6OK7a0IpNlYIe8Y4mmm?si=B51UnJJ6QHmRvFziE0Oc7w

Apple Music👉🏼 https://music.apple.com/us/artist/746-feaf/1536981458

Pandora👉🏼 https://pandora.app.link/NALMDAJybqb

Deezer👉🏼 https://deezer.page.link/wzN81222qPgx2E6N8

YouTube Music👉🏼 https://music.youtube.com/channel/UC1N9B9ct2aXR9NnPFi1MsUw?feature=gws_kp_artist&feature=gws_kp_artist

Colorized by the talented Colourised PIECE of JAKE 🎨

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