The Twilight Warriors (35 page)

A Marine fires on a Japanese position with a Thompson submachine gun. (
NHHC
)

Air Group 10 airmen briefing before mission, April 1945. (
U.S. NAVY
)

Destroyer/minelayer (DM-34) USS
Aaron Ward
after kamikaze attacks of May 3, 1945. (
NARA
)

Ens. Alfred Lerch made history on April 16, 1945, when he shot down seven Japanese planes in one mission. (
NMNA
)

Hagushi beachhead four days after Love Day. (
NHHC
)

Aft flight deck of USS
Bunker Hill.
(
NMNA
)

Ens. Chuck Schlag’s mission briefing card from his last combat flight, April 16, 1945. (
COURTESY CHARLES SCHLAG
)

Intrepid
crewmen working on a Corsair. (
U.S. NAVY/WESLEY HAYS COLLECTION
)

Kamikaze pilots about to depart on final missions. (
NHHC
)

A Japanese Mitsubishi G4M “Betty” Bomber. (
NHHC
)

War correspondent Ernie Pyle with a driver on Okinawa. (
NARA
)

(left to right)
Lt. Gen. Simon Buckner, Vice Adm. Kelly Turner, Maj. Gen. Lemuel Shepherd. (
NHHC
)

An Ohka suicide bomber captured on Okinawa. (
NARA
)