Comments (14) (Japan) Okinawa, Japan was the site for the second largest beach landing in history only second to Normandy, France. The difference is that Okinawa, was almost entirely US Forces verses Normandy, France had combined allied forces. More US Navy ships were sunk in the battle of Okinawa, than any other Navel skirmish. This is due to the nearly 7000 Japanese Kamikaze suicide pilots that dive bombed the US fleet. As divers we are still finding the remains of this battle just off shore. We find everything from coke bottles from 1945 to 1000lb Japanese sea mines. Last week I found 2 X bombs/torpedoes/extra gas tanks, that were 8' long x 24" wide with fins that were found off of the west coast of IE Island/Okinawa Prefecture/Japan. The battle of Okinawa (Operation Iceberg) started 1 Apr 1945. The Marines landed north of the Hija River (green bridge on HWY 58 and/or the red bridge) and the US Army landed south of the Hija River. I have taken the original invasion map and I have overlaid it over modern google earth. The link to see this product is on scuba board.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/zen-divers/269353-okinawa-wwii-landing-sites.html (Devils Cove) I found a 1000lb Japanese Sea Mine from WWII 1945. Divers beware the Japanese will detonate the Mine.
For widest dissemination. The Yomitan Village Government is asking for
cooperation for disposal of unexploded ordnance by the Japanese Maritime
Self Defense Force, at a point in the water area off Torii Beach and Kadena
Marina around 10:30 on February 5, Thursday. The area of a
3,000-meter radius from the detonation point
(26゜21.6' N and 127゜44.0' E, 20 meters deep) will be off limits from 09:00
till completion of the operation (around noon). With inclement weather, the
operation will be done at the same time on February 6, Friday 2009.