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
Review: Kimber 2K11
The 2011-style pistol was designed to address the capacity limitations of the single-stack M1911 platform, and Kimber's approach to the concept is its 2K11, a competition-ready offering with several notable features.
Favorite Firearms: A High-Flying Hi-Standard “A-D”
Manufactured in New Haven, Conn., in late 1940, this Hi-Standard pistol was shipped as a Model “A,” but a heavier Model “D” barrel was installed later to replace the original, light barrel, leading one American Rifleman reader to call it a Model “A-D.”
Ruger Helps Families In Need Through The Kids & Clays Foundation
In the effort to help tens of thousands of critically ill children and their families across the nation through local Ronald McDonald Houses, Ruger is among some of the industry’s foremost Platinum-level sponsors of The Kids & Clays Foundation.
Unlocking The Future: Smith & Wesson's "No Lock" Revolvers
The future is shaping up to be a good one for fans of Smith & Wesson revolvers. The iconic American company had released 14 new models thus far in 2025 at the time this was written mid-year. And, with one exception, they have all shared a common feature—no internal lock.
The Armed Citizen® Oct. 6, 2025
Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.
FEMA Notes Decline In Disaster Preparedness
A recent report from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) noted a decline in local government preparedness for natural disasters, putting increased pressure on individuals to prepare themselves for emergencies.
Interests
SECTIONS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS
