Show ranks most bombarded wand island in n pacific I 1 I 1 ask any veteran of the pacific warfare which bastion was the most shot at island during world war il II and hell probably answer saifan iwo jima okinawa tara wa or one of the other japanese strongholds strong holds but that dubious distinction belongs to the small desolate insignificant ant waterless uninhabited island of in the hawaiian chain former smugglers haven the island only eight miles by five and of rugged terrain has been reduced to a mass of rubble by countless shells and bombs the explanation is that naval and marine forces used uninhabited and commercially worthless as a testing ground tor for theories of naval gunfire support of landing forces more than ships ranging from small amphibious craft to battle wagons poured thousands upon thousands of rounds into bahoo lawes barren sides the tiny island took a greater shelling than either iwo jima or okinawa where naval gunfire reached its peak in the pacific |