Re: Band of Brothers vs The Pacific
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kraigWY</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The South Pacific was no picknick but compaired to the European theather..........I don't know. More US troops were lost in the Battle of the Bulge the the whole SP theather.
The marine in the SP spent 100 days in combat in 4 years , compared to 270 days in Vietnam in one year, The WWII European theather was much worse.
</div></div>
The Marine units in the Pacific were so beat up after each battle that they had to replace the dead and wounded, get issued new weapons, and go out again. From Normandy to VE day was 11 months. most units in Northern Europe didn't even come ashore until after July 44, and got pulled off the line when the situation allowed. Until the Italy landings the Army in the Med had short time in actual fighting combat too. Italy was a sideshow with minimal troops.
It took 6 Divisions of Marines to get to Okinawa. If you think the marines had it easy, ask the ones about Tarawa, which was 3 days, or Iwo Jima, which was a month.
And the marines were fighting mostly right around the Equator, with 100+ degree heat year round, torrential downpours, and the nasiest bugs and diseases in the world. The SouWest Pacific is a festering, miserable pusbucket.It isn't like Hawaii. No Congac, Champagne, or Cheese for the Marines, not even Australia or New Zealand after 42. Just tents, training, and getting shot at.
Most German soldiers sureendered. They weren't killed in close action. Artillery was the big killer, not direct fire.
The Japs had to be dug out, or sealed up, or burned. they didn't surrender. Some Korean laborers did, but only a few hundred japs were captured the whole war in the Pacific. After the Goette patrol on Guadalcanal, and the Lunga Sandbar, the Marines knew who they were dealing with, and acted accordingly. Two in the head, you know he's dead.
The Pacific War was totally different than Europe. Huge distances, awful terrain, and a merciless enemy. Most marines who fought in the PTO hated everything Japanese until the day they died.
look at the 101st history. never saw combat until D Day. One month later (just enough to get a CIB) back in England for over 2 months until Market Garden(Sept 17). Mid November in barracks and on leave in France until the Battle of the Bulge (Middle of Dec, or they would have been in the rear longer). off the line at the end of January until the German collapse in April of 44.
So the 101st had about 5 months in Combat the whole war, part of it rounding up prisoners and drinking schnapps.
Between wounds and diseases few marines who fought at Guadalcanal, Tarawa, or Indonesia in 42/43 were around any Division by 1945.
It took 3 overstrength marine divisions a month to take Iwo Jima (Suribachi was taken in 3 days). casualties in all the Rifle Companies was approaching 200%. Over 22,000 casualties, in a month. More Marine casualties than there were japanese on the whole Island.