Hill 382 (site) | mountain, bunker

Northern Mariana Islands / Northern Islands / Settlement /
 mountain, hill, bunker
Known to the Japanese defenders as Nida Iwa (i.e. Double Ridge) and by the US Navy as "Radar Hill" because of the radar station on top, this was the highest point on the Motoyama plateau, and the network of tunnels and caves within served as an observation point for Col. Chosaku Kaido's control of the island's artillary. The massive blockhouse Kaido used as his headquarters was on another high point just southeast of Hill 382, possibly about where you see that large airplane hanger.
As soon as they had control of the island, the US Army Air Force wasted no time in completely leveling this area, so as to expand Airfield Number Two. For the last few months of the war, this location was a staging area for B-29s waiting to be refueled.
Undated photos (approx. 10 March 1945) show the southwest slope of Hill 382 shortly after it's capture by the US Marines Fourth Division. Note Lieut.Col. Takeichi Nishi's (26th Tank Reg.) static emplacement (defilade) of light and medium tanks defending the south and west approaches. His medium tanks had a 47mm high velocity gun which could knock out any American armor with one shot.
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Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Iwo_Jima
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Coordinates:   24°46'59"N   141°19'44"E

Comments

  • Site of Hill 382 was directly to the left of the red blob on the map in the brown area where the two small structures are located. Charlie-Dog ridge was below and slightly to the left of the area indicated on the map.
This article was last modified 9 years ago