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| 13 - War Dog, Iwo Jima |
Colonel Charles H. Waterhouse, USMCR
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Acquisition Number: 2012.1026.484
Medium: acrylic on masonite
In mid-February 1945, the Marines launched an assault against heavily fortified Japanese troops on the Pacific island of lwo Jima during World War II. The goal, supported by the U.S. Navy, was to capture the island's two airfields so that they could be used by Allied aircraft as the fight took U.S. forces closer to Japan. The enemy had built a system of tunnels, caves, and hidden artillery, which they used with precision: nearly 7,000 Americans died, and another 19,000 were wounded. Marine dog handlers and their charges, like those portrayed in this painting, were valuable in finding Japanese soldiers dug into hidden positions. Messenger dogs delivered communications across rugged terrain when it was too dangerous for human runners to expose themselves to sniper fire. But the extensive artillery and small arms fire took its toll on the 6th and 7th War Dog Platoon handlers and their dogs during the five-week battle.
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