Iwo Jima maps

[robinb]

I was given these, and many more, by a widow years ago. Her husband was in the Navy. These are identical to the ones recently shown on the TV show "Pawn Stars".

 

 

[robinb]

Here's one that wasn't on the show. It's printed on a plastic like material. It came from the same widow, along with paper maps of Saipan, Tinian, and Guam. Plus aerial photos of the same islands, pictures of the swabby himself, and other paperwork.

[sgtmonroe]

AWESOME! Call Chumlee!

[tsellati]

Definitely COOL :thumbsup:!

 

Tim

[THAT GUY]

Hmmm.. so maybe not as rare as they made it out to be on the show with their "experts".

[dskjl]

Very nice, the search goes on for the rest of I fear.

[Corpsmancollector]

Robin, these are amazing. What a fantastic piece of history to have in your hands.

[BEAST]

Very nice! Would you mind posting the map from Saipan?

[robinb]

I have several maps of Saipan, Tinian, and Guam that all came together. Some are artillery maps.

[robinb]

[robinb]

[gwb123]

The one in post #2 is the one that is most interesting to me. Basically you are looking at the different assembly areas and movement echelons for the ships and landing craft. Keep in mind this part of the operation was on rolling sea, with thousands of boats and ships moving everywhere. One wonders how tightly they kept to this formation, and if it held together or fell apart during the operation.

I don't about the landings at Iwo Jima, but I know how landings at Normandy had numerous mishaps with units landing in the wrong sector of the beach.

 

When you realize how complex this was, it just makes you appreciate it all the more.

 

And I wouldn't automatically assume that because this set turned up that these are common. Prior to Pawn Stars, I'd never seen a set like this. This now makes two. Even if a dozen more show up, that is still a rare item in the collecting universe.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[rambob]

Here are two somewhat flimsy paper invasion maps of Iwo and Roi/Namur islands I got directly from a vet who was a part of both landings. According to him, they were issued to each marine and were supposed to be memorized, before the landing. I like them because they show the beach and islands code names. I don't think very many of these maps survived the war intact intact and I have not seen any other examples.

 

Bob

[rambob]

Iwo map.

[rambob]

Printing on back of each map.

[combat-helmets]

AWESOME! Call Chumlee!

 

laugh my a*s off!!!! Omg!!

Yes, sell me one because when i saw that show, that was one I knew I would shell out some cash to get!

[usmcaviator]

I have seen a lot of maps over the years, more so than what was used for the invasions. It has been my experience, that if the map is not "chummed" with actual positions, has a DTG (date/time/group), or has overlays, it was probably not used in the invasion. Many of these maps were copied en masse and used for TDG (Tactical Decision Games) at The Basic School and Top Level Schools. I have seen map packets and just acquired a large one with these same maps of Iwo and Saipan, it was in a senior leaders school binder. They are clean, unchummed, marked 1943/1944/1945 and were used for school.

 

S/F,

Mike

[CINCPOA]

The beach profiles of Iwo are from the Amphibious Operation Plan. These had numerous charts, diagrams, and maps for the various commands, not the least of which were the landing controls and approach diagrams. Such details were needed by everyone from TF Commander down to boat wave control craft.

 

The Landing Info Sheets were indeed utilized by the 4th MarDiv for all four operations, implemented during the classes and briefings aboard ship, and were supposed to be collected by the NCO. Some however were tucked away in seabags...which were on board to the Marianas. At Iwo, they apparently survived in tucked into packs (or were evacuated early with the owner).

 

Your large scale Saipan/Tinian chart and 2dMarDiv map look to be in solid shape. The 2dMarDiv map is not the issued and used gunnery map, which was controlled down to 200 yd lettered grids. This one has more emphasis on terrain and contour lines than the gunnery map, and may have been intended for that use, I don't know. Many Japanese maps were captured on the island, one of them promptly copied and printed aboard USS ELDORADO for its accuracy and distributed to the troops. Nothing on it but the characteristically tight contour lines used by the Japanese...because they could.

 

Very nice find.

[Eddy.502]

Better get chumlee on the phone!!