Undermining an underground tunnel on Hill 382 in the Battle of Japanese island of Iwo Jima. Second World War in the Pacific Theater of Combat Operations.
Defending the island, the Japanese garrison used a ramified network of underground tunnels for attacks against US Army troops, causing them a significant loss in manpower and military equipment. To destroy the Japanese and avoid their own losses, the Americans exploded the discovered underground tunnels on the Hill 382.
Location: Hill 382, Iwo Jima Island, Japan
Time when the photo was taken: March 1945
Author: Eugene W. Smith