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This reverberating episode of History Daily originally aired on August 9, 2022.

It's early April 1945, and World War II rages across the Pacific.

But here on the Japanese island of Okinawa, all is silent.

A company of US Marines trudges up a steep wooded hill.

Among them is Private Bill Pierce, the 20-year-old New Yorker blanks sweat from his eyes

and scans the jungle for any signs of movement.

Two days ago, more than 1,400 US battleships and landing traps converged on Okinawa,

unleashing a ground force of over 180,000 troops.

Bill and his company were sent to the north of the island,

dragging an arsenal of 37-millimeter anti-tank guns.

Their objective is to position the artillery pieces high on a mountain ridge

to provide cover for the oncoming 29th Marine regiment.

But as Bill and his company pushed the weapons up the hill,

an explosion of gunfire rips through the forest canopy.

Bill's company has been spotted by a sniper,

his commanding officer barks in order to spread out across the hillside.

Without hesitation, Bill sprints to a piece of artillery and wheels the weapon into position.

Other men in his company set up trip flares around the perimeter,

and with their defenses prepared, the Marines hold their position,

...