Pencil on Paper
7 x 11 inches
17.8 x 28 cm
Collection:
Time:
1945
Smarkusz quickly drew this scene of soldiers offloading not only arms, ammunition, and food, but also great quantities of construction material and barrels of fuel onto the shore of a nearby island.
The planning and execution of the invasion of Okinawa - codenamed "Operation Iceberg" - presented logistical problems of a magnitude greater than any previously encountered in the Pacific. For the assault echelon alone, about 183,000 troops and 747,000 tons of cargo were loaded into over 430 assault transports and landing ships at 11 different ports.