Editing Battle of Iwo Jima (section)

===Amphibious landing===
During the night of 18 February 1945, Vice Admiral [[Marc Mitscher]]'s large carrier force, [[Fast Carrier Task Force|Task Force 58]], arrived off Iwo Jima. Also in this flotilla was Admiral [[Raymond A. Spruance]], the overall commander for the invasion, in his flagship {{USS|Indianapolis|CA-35|6}}. Smith was once again deeply frustrated that Mitscher's powerful carrier group had been bombing the Japanese home islands instead of softening the defenses of Iwo Jima. Mitscher's fliers did, however, assist the additional surface vessel bombardment that accompanied the launch of the amphibious landing craft toward the island.{{sfn|Wright|2004|p=23}}
[[File:80-G-304972 (29474492816).jpg|thumb|19 February 1945 air view of Marines landing on the beach]]
[[File:80-G-307196 (29219205340).jpg|thumb|19 February 1945 air view of Marines landing on the beach]]
Unlike many days during the three-day preliminary bombardment, D-Day dawned clear and bright.{{sfn|Wright|2004|p=23}} At 08:59, one minute ahead of schedule, the first wave of Marines landed on the beaches of the southeastern coast of Iwo Jima. Under Major Howard Connor, [[5th Marine Division (United States)|5th Marine Division]] signal officer, six [[Navajo code talkers]] worked around the clock during the first two days of the battle. These six men sent and received over 800 messages, all without error. Connor later stated, "Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima."{{sfn|Navy Department Library, "Navajo Code Talkers"}}
[[File:Tracked landing vehicles (LVTs) approach Iwo Jima;fig14.jpg|thumb|LVTs approach Iwo Jima.]]
[[File:USMC-17446.jpg|thumb|Marines landing on the beach]]