Whereas, following the surprise attack by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the United States formally declared war on the Imperial Government of Japan on December 8, 1941; Whereas during the four years that followed the attack, the United States and allied forces fought a prolonged counterattack against Japanese advances across the Pacific region; Whereas the tactic of attacking, defeating, and controlling Japanese-held outposts through the use of amphibious assault landings against Japanese-held islands and territories (referred to in this preamble as island hopping ) became crucial to successfully countering Japanese advances throughout the Pacific region; Whereas the goal of this island hopping was to secure airfields and supply bases— (1) in order to launch aerial bombardment attacks against the mainland of Japan using the new Boeing B–29 Superfortress; and (2) in preparation for, and in anticipation of, a United States invasion of Japan; Whereas, by early 1945, the United States and allied forces bravely fought and advanced to the island of Iwo Jima, an 8-square-mile volcanic island with 3 strategic airfields, located between the Mariana Islands and Japan; Whereas Iwo Jima was— (1) a strategic island with airfields to support bombers of the United States with fighter escorts; and (2) an essential base for emergency, refueling, and diversionary landings for B–29 bombers; Whereas, under the command of Japanese Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, Iwo Jima was a heavily fortified island with nearly 11 miles of underground and networked tunnels, rooms, bunkers, artillery emplacements, ammunition dumps, and pillboxes supporting more than 21,000 Japanese soldiers