Picture of one of the tunnels
where the Japanese soldiers lived
before the takeover of IeShima by the Americans in WW2.

To withstand the tremendous bombardment from the American Naval Guns and Aircraft the Japanese soldiers had to be dug in really deep.  This is an example of one of the tunnels that the Japanese soldiers lived in.

After the intense Naval Cannon Fire and the Air Bombardment, the U.S. Marines had to make a landing and fight severely, still, to take the island from the Japanese. 

Click here to read the story of Irving Mayer an F6F Hellcat Pilot and how he had to provide air to ground support of the soldiers on Ie Shima from the USS Santee.

Now look at these tunnels and then look at the Viet Nam Tunnels that oursoldiers found during the Viet Nam War.  Throughout Asia, Tunnel buildingis very common as a defensive base.