The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia
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The Bonin Islands are located some 500 miles (800 km) south of Tokyo and north of the Volcano Islands. They number about 25 islands with a total land area of about 40 square miles (100 km2). Rugged and thinly populated, they were fortified by the Japanese during the war, but never invaded by the Allies.
The most important facility was the small anchorage at Chichi-jima, which was raided from the air several times, particularly during the Marianas and Iwo Jima campaigns. Future U.S. president George H.W. Bush was shot down in his Avenger during such a raid, losing both his crew members and suffering serious injuries before being rescued by submarine Finback.
References
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia © 2007 by Kent G. Budge. Index
