From: "Rich Gauszka" 


"Phil Payne"  wrote in
message news:44340122$2{at}w3....
>> Our experience of the desperation of Japanese defense on outlying islands
>> was more than instructive.
>
> Shades of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  What would they have done -
> bitten your legs off?
>
>


You mean like Okinawa?

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1671.html
Although the first three phases encountered only mild opposition, the final
phase proved extremely difficult because the Japanese were deep underground
and naval gunfire support was ineffective.

The battle of Okinawa proved to be the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War.
Thirty-four allied ships and other craft of all types were sunk, mostly by
Kamikazes, and 368 ships and craft were damaged. The fleet lost 763
aircraft. The total American casualties in the operation numbered more than
12,000 killed (including nearly 5,000 navy and almost 8,000 marine and
army) and 36,000 wounded.

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