Aerial Pictures of Ie Shima Exhibit.

I am a Marine stationed on Ie Shima.  There is a training range on the north-west corner of the island that contains a 5000' coral runway, a simulated LHA deck, and a drop zone for parachute training.  Units from all four armed services in the Okinawa area conduct training on the island, but the Marine Corps runs it. 

The three runways that were in use when World War 2 ended are still here, however, the eastern one is now abandoned and is used as a thoroughfare for the locals to get from the north to the south side of the island, the middle one is now used by a small civilian air carrier, and the western one is still unimproved and is part of our training range.

The 12 Marines and one Sailor who run the range all live in a compound located about one mile north west from Gusuku Yama, which we run to the top of on Mondays for PT.  I can't say enough good things about my tour here and am very interested in the history of the island.  If anyone would like to share their accounts of their time on Ie Shima, please feel free to contact me.