The Spearhead: The 5th Marine Division in World War II

The story of the 5th Marine Division centers around their participation and victory in the bloody battle for the island of Iwo Jima. Extremely detailed and richly illustrated this history is a fascinating and gripping account of one of the bloodiest battles of modern times.

The 5th Marine Division was a United States Marine Corps ground combat division which was activated on 11 November 1943 (officially activated on 21 January 1944) at Camp Pendleton, California during World War II. The 5th Division saw its first combat action during the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945 where it sustained the highest number of casualties of the three Marine divisions of the V Amphibious Corps (invasion force). The 5th Division was to be part of the planned invasion of the Japan homeland before Japan surrendered. Assault troops of the 5th Division were included in the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to the V Amphibious Corps for extraordinary heroism on Iwo Jima from 19 to 28 February 1945.