Part 2 of our American Rifleman TV feature series on the Pacific War focuses on Iwo Jima—one of the bloodiest and most notorious battles of the entire Pacific theater—as well some of the men and guns that made this American victory possible. The tiny black-sand island of Iwo Jima, though seemingly insignificant, was the closest the U.S. military had yet come to the Japanese mainland. As such, it was thought that its capture would enable bombers to strike Japan with greater ease; B29s would now have a closer staging area, as would the P-51s who covered them. The Japanese however, had other plans. Despite a fierce American naval bombardment, the Japanese utilized an intricate cave system to maintain their presence on the island, and met the Marines of the 3rd, 4th and 5th divisions with vicious resistance. To learn more about the men who pushed through to victory, their stories, and the tools they used, check out the above segment from American Rifleman TV.
Additional Reading:
Video—ARTV: Pacific War, Pearl Harbor, Part 1
Video—ARTV: Pacific War, Pearl Harbor, Part 2
Video—ARTV: Pacific War, Saipan, Part 3
Video—ARTV: Pacific War, Guam, Part 4
Video—ARTV: Pacific War, Iwo Jima, Part 5
Remember Pearl Harbor: The Men and the Guns
Video—ARTV: Pacific War, Iwo Jima, Part 2
More like this from around the NRA
Latest
Ukraine Operators Use Drone Round to Defeat UAS
Ukrainian operators recently tested and defeated drones with the Drone Round—a purpose-built cartridge that requires no firearm modifications, no new equipment and no additional training.
From The Counter: The Gun Store Prime Directive
When visiting a firearm retailer, know when it’s appropriate to interject, and when you should keep quiet.
Red-Dot Occlusion Training: A Performance-Booster for You & Your Optic-Equipped Handgun
Red-dot occlusion is a passive technique that shooters can use to remain target-focused, thereby speeding up their performance with optic-equipped handguns.
New for 2026: Dead Air Nomad Ti Over-The-Barrel (OTB) Suppressor
The Dead Air Silencers Nomad Ti OTB is designed to be a compact and lightweight suppressor for the backcountry hunter.
I Carry: Diamondback SDR in a Galco Hornet Holster
For our latest "I Carry" episode above, we paired the six-round Diamondback SDR DA/SA snubnose revolver with a simple leather holster from Galco, along with one of the latest EDC flashlights from Streamlight.
The Armed Citizen® May 8, 2026
Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.
Interests
SECTIONS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS
