9 , ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁( D - Day ), ▁his ▁batt alion ▁( Land ing ▁Team ▁ 1 - 2 7 ) ▁dis emb ark ed ▁and ▁land ed ▁on ▁" Red ▁Beach ▁ 2 ", ▁on ▁the ▁sout heast ▁side ▁of ▁I wo ▁J ima , ▁off ▁of ▁landing ▁boats ▁from ▁the ▁attack ▁transport , ▁USS ▁Hans ford ▁( AP A - 1 0 6 ▁), ▁with ▁orders ▁to , ▁" land , ▁se ize , ▁and ▁occup y ▁I wo ▁J ima " ▁(" Is land ▁X "). ▁ ▁T atum ▁land ed ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁wave ▁of ▁white ▁faced ▁( anti - flash ▁cre am ) ▁Marine ▁inf antry ▁and ▁their ▁attached ▁Navy ▁medical ▁corps men ▁off ▁of ▁L V T s ▁( amt rac s ; ▁am ph ib ian ▁tra ctors ) ▁from ▁L ST ▁# 1 0 ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁board ed ▁February ▁ 1 1 ▁when ▁the ▁USS ▁Hans ford ▁stopped ▁at ▁Sa ip an . ▁" Red ▁Beach ▁ 2 ", ▁a ▁ 5 5 0 - yard ▁landing ▁zone , ▁was ▁about ▁ 8 0 0 ▁yards ▁across ▁from ▁M oto y ama ▁Air field ▁# 1 , ▁which ▁in ▁turn ▁was ▁ 1 , 5 0 0 ▁yards ▁north ▁of ▁Mount ▁Sur ib achi ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁end ▁of ▁I wo ▁J ima . ▁" Red ▁Beach ▁ 2 " ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁seven ▁color ▁named ▁and ▁number ed ▁landing ▁zones ▁that ▁combined ▁were ▁two ▁miles ▁long