Admiral Spruance’s fleet is the largest that has ever sailed in the Pacific; there are 64 ships in total, including four command ships, each carrying a team of code talkers. Despite Marine bravado about how easy it will be to take another Japanese-held island, Iwo Jima turns out to be nightmarish. The US forces don’t know how deeply the Japanese forces have dug in, with the Japanese military having created reinforced tunnels and caves as deep as 100 feet below the island’s surface. General “Howling Mad” Smith is the only officer to raise concerns over possible casualties on Iwo Jima.

Ned performs his corn pollen prayer and goes to breakfast on the morning of the invasion, but he doesn’t eat. Instead, he makes himself a steak sandwich and stows it away, both in case he’s hungry later and to avoid throwing up during battle.

Mount Suribachi looms as US forces bomb and strafe the area, but no enemy fire is returned. Ned is among the first wave of soldiers in one of 68 alligator boats, along with Smitty, whom Ned considers a good-luck charm. There are 9,000 Marines on the beach when the Japanese surprise the American forces.