Easter Sunday 24 April, 2011

My wake-up call came on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945. As a member of the 1st Marine Division, we invaded the island of Okinawa infested with over 100,000 Japanese soldiers defending this island. We prayed that we would not be killed or wounded, while at the same time, we were firing Easter eggs at them. Our memory was also front and center; "Remember Pearl Harbor." This was the last battle of World War II.

As Christians, we celebrate Easter for entirely different reasons than most people do. You see, about two thousand years ago, God sent His only Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life, and to die for our sins! But Jesus did not stay dead; He rose from the dead! We are actually celebrating Jesus' death for our sins and His resurrection. That is why many people call Easter, Resurrection Sunday, because that is exactly what it is.

Easter is observed by Christians all over the world. Observed on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs after the spring equinox. However, this definition is quite vague, the full moon mentioned is not precisely the same as astronomical full moon, and Orthodox Easter is different from Catholic Easter. The actual date of Easter Sunday is determined by a rather complicated set of rules driven by ancient tables and complex mathematical algorithms, but with this online calculator you can instantly calculate the Easter date for any given year.

Western Christian Easter

Easter traditions

Easter is surrounded by many traditions, old and modern. Easter egg, Easter bunny and Easter basket are all common attributes of modern Easter. Easter egg hunts and gift-giving are common activities among Christians and non-Christians celebrating the Easter holidays.

The Easter Bunny brings Easter baskets full with colored eggs, toys and candies to children on the night before Easter. The Easter Bunny will hide the basket somewhere in the house so that the children can find the Easter eggs by engaging in the Easter egg hunt when they wake up in the morning of Easter Sunday. Easter egg hunt is relatively modern compared to the ancient tradition of holy Easter.

In todays world, Easter egg can mean something different. Traditionally, Easter eggs were colored or specially decorated eggs given to celebrate the holy Easter. However, today Easter eggs are also referred to as hidden jokes or messages buries in a book, movie, video game or computer program. Easter eggs can be accessed by typing an obscure combination or navigating to a hidden menu in a DVD. The name was adopted after the Easter egg hunt tradition observed in many households.

The Battle of Okinawa

The last battle of World War II. The battle of Okinawa started on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945. The capture of Okinawa was part of a three-point plan the Americans had for winning the war in the Far East. Okinawa was to prove a bloody battle even by the standards of the war in the Far East but it was to be one of the major battles of World War II.

The US Marines: First, Second and Sixth Marine Divisions, with the 10th Army, made the landing. I was a member of the First Marine Division.

Alongside, the territorial re-conquest of land in the Far East, the Americans wished to destroy what was left of Japan's merchant fleet and use airstrips in the region to launch bombing raids on Japan's industrial heartland.

Okinawa is the largest of the Ryukyus islands at the southern tip of Japan. Okinawa is about 60 miles long and between 2 and 18 miles wide. Its strategic importance could not be underestimated - there were four airfields on the island that America needed to control. America also faced the problem that they had not been able to get much intelligence information about Okinawa.

The Americans estimated that there were about 65,000 Japanese troops on the island - with the bulk in the southern sector of the island. In fact, there were over 130,000 Japanese troops on the island with more than 450,000 civilians. The Japanese troops on the island were commanded by Lieutenant- General Ushijima who had been ordered to hold onto the island at all costs.

Ushijima decided on his tactics - he would concentrate his forces in the southern sector of the island and station his men in a series of secure fortifications. If the Americans wanted to take these fortifications, they would have to attack the Japanese in a series of frontal assaults. Alongside the land side Japanese defences, the Japanese high command put their faith in the kamikazes which it was believed would inflict such serious casualties on the Americans in Okinawa that they would retreat.

The Americans land commander was Lieutenant-General Simon Bolivar Buckner. He had 180,000 men under his command. The bay selected for the American landing was Hagushi Bay on the western side of the island. As with Iwo Jima, the landings were preceded by a period of intense bombardment but America?s forces were also open to attack from Japanese fighters flying out of Taiwan or Japan itself.

The attack on Okinawa was scheduled for April 1st 1945. In the days leading up to it, the Americans had landed some units twenty miles southwest of Hagushi Bay to secure an anchorage. By March 31st, this landing force, comprising of the 77th Division, had secured its position.

Kamikaze attacks were being experienced by the American navy anchored off of Okinawa. Out of the 193 kamikaze plane attacks launched against the American fleet, 169 were destroyed. Those planes that got through did caused a great deal of damage especially to America's carrier fleet that did not have armoured flight decks - unlike the British carriers. However, the destruction of so many kamikaze flights did a great deal to undermine the potential for damage that the kamikazes could have inflicted.

For the actual invasion, America had gathered together 300 warships and 1,139 other ships. The first landing of Marines did take place on April 1st. They met little opposition and by the end of the day 60,000 American military personnel had landed at Hagushi Bay. By April 20th, all Japanese resistance in the north of the island had been eradicated except for some guerrilla activity.

The real battle for Okinawa was in the south of the island. On April 4th the XIV Corps (US 7th, 27th, 77th and 96th infantry divisions) ran into the Machinato line. This brought to a halt the advance of the Americans in the south of Okinawa. The Machinato line was finally breached on April 24th. However, it then had to confront the Shuri Line which further slowed the American advance. Together with the success of the kamikazes who had sunk 21 American warships and badly damaged 66 other warships, American forces experienced heavy losses.

On May 3rd, Ushijima ordered a counter-attack but this failed. By May 21st, Ushijima ordered his men to pull back from the Shuri Line. However, the resistance by the Japanese stood firm. It was only into June that it became obvious that the Japanese had lost the fight for Okinawa. On July 2nd, Okinawa was declared secure by the Americans - Ushijima had committed suicide some days before this.

The attack on Okinawa had taken a heavy toll on both sides. The Americans lost 7,373 men killed and 32,056 wounded on land. At sea, the Americans lost 5,000 killed and 4,600 wounded. The Japanese lost 107,000 killed and 7,400 men taken prisoner. It is possible that the Japanese lost another 20,000 dead as a result of American tactics whereby Japanese troops were incinerated where they fought.

The Americans also lost 36 ships. 368 ships were also damaged. 763 aircraft were destroyed. The Japanese lost 16 ships sunk and over 4,000 aircraft were lost.

Uniforms of the

United States Marine Corps

The Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps serve to distinguish Marines from members of other services. Among current uniforms in the U.S. military, the Marines' uniforms have been in service the longest. The Marine Dress Blue uniform has, with few changes, been worn in essentially its current form since the 19th century.

On March 25, 1804, Secretary of the Navy approved the first formal uniform of the Marine Corps. That opened the door for Marine uniforms of all seasons. However, the Marine Corps Dress Blue is the most attractive. Marines would never be guilty of not telling it like it is; I must admit that the blue Marine uniform worned by handsome men, is pure and simple, "girl bait".

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However, enemy combat on the battlefield is the job discription for Marines, they dress for the occasion. In 1941 during World War II and the Korean War, the proper dress was a two piece sage green utility uniforms and were issued to Marines for fatigue duty.

These cotton herringbone twill (HBT) uniforms were designed for field work, but quickly became the battle dress uniform. By the time of the Guadalcanal invasion (August 1942) the HBT field uniform was in general use and continued, with modifications, through the war. The Service Uniform was reserved for garrison duty or leave and was not seen on the battlefield. In the photo, Marines in HBT fatigues wade ashore on Tinian, 24 July 1944.

Dress uniform
The Marine Corps dress uniform is an elaborate uniform worn for formal or ceremonial occasions. Its basic form of a blue jacket with red trim dates back to the 19th century. It is the only U.S. military uniform that incorporates all three colors of the U.S. Flag. There are three different variations of the Dress uniform: Evening Dress, Blue Dress, and Blue-White Dress; only officers and SNCOs are authorized to wear the Evening Dress. Until 2000, there was a White Dress uniform, similar in appearance to the U.S. Navy's Dress White uniforms, but worn by officers only (in a manner similar to that of the Dress White uniforms worn in the U.S. Coast Guard). This uniform has since been replaced with the Blue/White Dress uniform for officers and SNCOs.

Blue Dress
The most recognizable uniform of the Marine Corps is the Blue Dress uniform, often seen in recruiting advertisements. It is often called "Dress Blues" or simply "Blues". It is equivalent in composition and use to civilian black tie. The various designations are listed in descending order of formality:

* Blue Dress "A" has a long-sleeved midnight blue coat (enlisted members have red trim) with a standing collar and belt (white web belt and gold waistplate for enlisted; midnight blue for officers with a gold M-buckle), white barracks cover (a peaked cap), plain white shirt, sky blue trousers (midnight blue for general officers), white gloves, and black dress shoes and socks. Full-size medals are worn on the left chest, with ribbon-only awards worn on the right. Marksmanship badges are not worn. Women wear pumps in place of shoes, and may wear a skirt in place of slacks. For men, the dress coat is cut to be formfitting.
* Blue Dress "B" is the same as "A", but medals are replaced with their corresponding ribbons and all are consolidated on the left chest. Marksmanship badges may be worn.
* Blue Dress "C" is the same as "B", but a khaki long sleeve button-up shirt and tie replace the outer blue coat and white gloves. Ribbons and badges are normally worn on the shirt.
* Blue Dress "D" is the same as "C", but with a khaki short sleeve button-up shirt and no tie.

Because the Blue Dress uniform is considered formal wear, Blue Dress "C" and "D" are rarely worn. The main exception are Marine Recruiters and Marine Corps Security Guards, who wear the "C" and "D" in warm weather. Only the "B", "C", and "D" Blue Dress uniforms are authorized for leave and liberty wear; the "A" is not.

Officers, NCOs, and SNCOs wear a scarlet "blood stripe" down the outer seam of each leg of the blue trousers. General officers wear a 2 in (5.1 cm) wide stripe, field- and company-grade officers have a 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide stripe, SNCOs and NCOs have a 1.125 in (2.86 cm) wide stripe. General officers wear trousers that are the same color as the coat, while all other ranks wear medium (sky) blue trousers. A blue boatcloak with a scarlet lining is optional.

A blue crewneck sweater, in the same color shade as that of the trousers, may be worn with the "C" and "D" uniforms, in which case rank insignia will continue to be worn on the collar by officers, and all wearers will display rank insignia on shoulder epaulettes (polished brass for enlisted). The collar is worn on the outside of the sweater in order to display the rated rank insignia of officers. When wearing the crewneck sweater with the long sleeve khaki shirt, a tie is not required.

Blue-White Dress
Prior to 1998, the "Blue-White" dress uniform was authorized to be worn for the ceremonial units at Marine Barracks, 8th & I in Washington, D.C. (most famously the Silent Drill Platoon and Color guard). Since then, it has become the authorized summer dress uniform for all officers (it replaced, in 2000, an all-white uniform, similar in appearance to that of the Naval Officer/CPO white dress uniform), SNCOs (unless they are in formation with NCOs and junior enlisted personnel who are not authorized to wear the uniform), and by NCOs and junior enlisted personnel for ceremonies and social events only, if authorized and provided by the command structure.

Like the Blue Dress uniform, the Blue-White Dress consists of an "A" and "B" uniform, and is worn in the same manner as that of the Blue Dress uniform, except for the trousers, skirt, or slacks being white instead of blue. Unlike the Dress Blues, the Blue-White Dress uniforms do not feature the "blood stripe". As with the Dress Blues, the "A" is not authorized for leave and liberty wear. The white trousers are not authorized for wear with either the long-sleeved or the short-sleeved khaki shirt, precluding the "C" and "D" uniforms.

Red Dress
To differentiate themselves from the infantry, musicians?at that time, merely buglers and signal callers?would reverse the traditional colors. Today's Marine Corps musicians still carry on this tradition by wearing a scarlet blouse with blue trim instead of the Dress Blues blouse. Currently, the Red-Dress uniform is worn only by members of the United States Marine Band and the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, both based in Washington, D.C.; members of the twelve fleet bands wear standard Marine uniforms.

Like the Blue-White Dress uniform, musicians are not authorized to wear the khaki shirts with the Red-Dress uniform. Should the condition warrant (e.g., summer heat), the band will wear the appropriate Dress or Service uniforms.

Evening Dress
The Evening Dress is the most formal (and by U.S. Military standards, the most elaborate) of the Dress uniforms, and is the equivalent of white tie in usage. It is only authorized for wear by officers and SNCOs, and only a required uniform item for senior officers (Majors and above). It comes in three varieties:

* Evening dress "A" (for officers) is similar to Dress Blue "A", except an evening coat with strip collar, white waistcoat, and white shirt with pique placket is worn. The stripe on the trousers is a thin red stripe inside a gold embroidered stripe. Women wear a long skirt. Miniature medals and badges are worn.
* Evening dress "B" is identical to Evening Dress "A" except men wear a scarlet waistcoat (General officers) or cummerbund (other officers), and women may wear a short skirt.
* SNCO Evening Dress for Staff Non-Commissioned Officers, and much resembles a tuxedo with historic 1890s-era rank insignia sewn on the sleeves.

A blue boatcloak with a scarlet silk liner is optional. Junior officers not required to possess Evening Dress may substitute Blue or Blue-White dress "A". It is appropriate for such occasions as State functions, inaugural receptions and dinners, and formal dinners.

Leatherneck Magazine

Leatherneck Magazine of the Marines (or simply Leatherneck) is a magazine for United States Marines. It was first published as a newspaper by off-duty Marines at Marine Corps Base Quantico in 1917, and was originally named The Quantico Leatherneck. In 1918, "Quantico" was dropped from the magazine's name.

In 1920, with the formation of the Marine Corps Institute (MCI) by Commandant of the Marine Corps John A. Lejeune, Leatherneck became an official Marine Corps publication under the auspices of MCI, and was moved to Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C. In 1925, the format was changed from a newspaper to a magazine.

During World War II, many of the Marine Corps' combat correspondents were assigned to Leatherneck. In 1943, the Leatherneck Association was formed to govern the magazine, making it more autonomous and answerable only to the Commandant.

The magazine is sometimes referred to as the "Reader's Digest for Marines". Its name derives from the slang "leatherneck" for a U.S. Marine, referring to the leather-lined collar or stock of the original Marine uniform.

Leatherneck was an official Marine Corps publication until 1972, staffed primarily by active-duty Marines. That year all active-duty positions were eliminated and the magazine returned to Quantico. In 1976, the Leatherneck Association merged with the Marine Corps Association (MCA). As of 2010, MCA continues to publish Leatherneck alongside another Marine Corps periodical the Marine Corps Gazette.

Leatherneck celebrated its 90th anniversary in November 2007.

Noah's comments: This is not a paid ad. It's posted because it is a quality monthly magazine. If you want to read updated articles with history in the background, the Leatherneck Magazine of the Marines, is for you. The Army, Navy or the Air Force, are not able to compete with The Few, The Proud, The Marines. It's difficult to be humble when you know you are the world's best.

If you would like to subscribe and have the monthly Leatherneck magazine mailed to your home for a year, call toll free phone number 1(866)-622-1775.

Semper Fidelis <> Latin. Always Faithful. The motto of the United States Marine Corps.