Sixty seven years ago this day the landing took place on the Ocean front by Kadena/Yomitan strips. Our Sqd VMTB-232 was aboard ship & we landed couple days later as the Sqd advance unit. We set up the camp area, ground defence etc for the A/C to arrive. Artillery barrages greeted us almost hourly with night air bombing. When our TBM s arrived our first casualties was 1st Lt Fox & his crew as they made a low level attack down south. A mortar round blew off a wing !! (Their bodies never recovered) Gives you an idea of his altitude !! Fox was a survivor from Ulithi when 3 TBMs were lost at night patrol. He was found next morning as the lone survivor of the 3 crews. He was offered to return to the U.S. than but refused .This operation was the one that really has never cleared my mind . Thousands killed on that Island ,civilians, Japanese troop, Marines, Army & Navy. (Over 200,000 total) Presently I know of none of my friends that are still surviving from those days . They are not forgotten !! Semper Fidelis PM .>>>> Sqd score board, note the rocket on one kill> 1st Lt Fred Folino on a noght flight spotted a Japanese A/C below him & fired all 8 solid propelled rockets & blew him out of the air!! Thought to be the first A/C shot down with rockets. Low flight over the front lines during supply drops which we pioneered.