This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Leo B. McDowell-Family
to remember
Marine Sgt Wilbert Calvin McDowell.
If you knew or served with this Marine and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Following WWII, W.C. "Red" McDowell worked for a time in the aircraft industry, and later with the San Bernadino County (CA) Sheriff's Department for many years.
Ryukyus Campaign (1945)/Battle for Okinawa
From Month/Year
March / 1945
To Month/Year
June / 1945
Description The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg. was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945. After a long campaign of island hopping, the Allies were approaching Japan, and planned to use Okinawa, a large island only 340 mi (550 km) away from mainland Japan, as a base for air operations on the planned invasion of Japanese mainland (coded Operation Downfall). Four divisions of the U.S. 10th Army (the 7th, 27th, 77th, and 96th) and two Marine Divisions (the 1st and 6th) fought on the island. Their invasion was supported by naval, amphibious, and tactical air forces.
The battle has been referred to as the "typhoon of steel" in English, and tetsu no ame ("rain of steel") or ("violent wind of steel") in Japanese. The nicknames refer to the ferocity of the fighting, the intensity of kamikaze attacks from the Japanese defenders, and to the sheer numbers of Allied ships and armored vehicles that assaulted the island. The battle resulted in the highest number of casualties in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Based on Okinawan government sources, mainland Japan lost 77,166 soldiers, who were either killed or committed suicide, and the Allies suffered 14,009 deaths (with an estimated total of more than 65,000 casualties of all kinds). Simultaneously, 42,000–150,000 local civilians were killed or committed suicide, a significant proportion of the local population. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki together with the Soviet invasion of Manchuria caused Japan to surrender less than two months after the end of the fighting on Okinawa.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
March / 1945
To Month/Year
June / 1945
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
People You Remember WC "Red" McDowell, Arthur Houser, Robert "Red" Lindsey, Giglio, Pas, JM Hiott, Mr. James. (4th Marines, 1st Raider Battalion, Baker Co., 2nd Platoon).
Memories JM Hiott remembered when the squad was hit around Mt. Yae Take: The squad was up a little valley on 1st Marine approach to Mt. Yae Take, Giglio and Pas were KIA, Robt "Red" Lindsey was wounded, one other was wounded, McDowell was hit in the hand, Arthur Houser was hit in the chest. On the way back from there, one other was wounded. The squad had 7 casualties in two days at Mt. Yae Take. Hiott was one who took McDowell back to CP. Hiott had been sent up and back by Mr. James.
Later, Cpl WC McDowell has more seriously wounded in lt. arm just after and south of Sugar Loaf and was subsequently evaculated. The unit received the Presidential Unit Citation for its actions on Okinawa.
