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CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa, Japan — The wardroom from U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa (USNHO) held a professional military education (PME) event to observe the start of the Battle of Okinawa.
In a quote from then-Secretary of Defense and retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, in theSummary of the 2018 National Defense Strategy of the United States: “PME has stagnated, focused more on the accomplishment of mandatory credit at the expense of lethality and ingenuity.” According to the U.S. Naval Institute, “Officer education should include research on new concepts that inform Navy force development efforts, not only learning about the higher aspects of naval warfare but also using gaming, exercises and research to develop new concepts. Officers so educated will be better prepared to lead an evolving force.”
Lt. Kimverlyn Yue coordinated a battlefield site tour of Hacksaw Ridge and the Japanese Naval Observatory for 25 Navy Medicine staff members on April 9, 2026. The PME event was an opportunity to visit two of the key battle sites that shaped the war in the Pacific and continues to be a contested region in the world today. The tour was a time for the Sailors to realize that they too are part of the continuing story of Okinawa.
The tour started from the naval hospital and was conducted by Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS). Tour guide Chris Majewski unleashed a 25-minute "knowledge bomb" that gave rapid fire, play-by-play actions of key players at the launch of the Battle of Okinawa. As the bus maneuvered through the gritty, bumper-to-bumper traffic of modern-day Okinawa, Majewski did his best to take the group back to a time just 81 years ago that likely looked more like an alien planet than the bustling metropolitan area of modern-day Okinawa. Majewski pointed to nearly indistinguishable ridgelines and hills, now covered in concrete and glass structures, that shaped the battlefield during the opening campaigns of early April. The battle lasted 82 days, from April 1 to June 22, 1945. On April 1, 1945, the first Allied troops landed at Okinawa in the action codenamed Operation Iceberg. Approximately 183,000 Allied soldiers began to land on the northern shoreline of Okinawa. They were supported by approximately 300 warships from the U.S. and Royal Navy.
The first stop was the Maeda Escarpment, also known as “Hacksaw Ridge,” now commonly recognized as part of the Urasoe Castle Ruins and made famous by the 2016 release of Mel Gibson’s Academy Award-nominated "Hacksaw Ridge." This ridge and its story were made remarkable by Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector and Army medic who saved 75 lives on this ridge without carrying a weapon, later receiving the Medal of Honor for his actions.
Standing on that ridge on a gloomy, gray afternoon in April, it was hard to visualize the seemingly insurmountable cliff where soldiers used ropes and netting to gain a foothold, only to be met by a wall of gunfire and explosives. At first glance, it would not be easy to overlook the physical differences, Hollywood needs people to watch the movie, the most notable is the height of the cliff, but there is no doubt about the bravery required to look over the edge into a wall of lead.
As the Sailors stood quietly listening to Majewski recount the actions of April 29 to May 6, 1945, it was not difficult to picture themselves in similar situations providing medical care for wounded warfighters. In total, more than 12,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors and Marines died during the battle, making it World War II's largest and bloodiest battle in the Pacific Theater.
The next stop on the tour was the Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters in Tomigusuku, Okinawa. This historic site features preserved World War II tunnels used by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
The group of Sailors quietly walked the halls and observed remnants found while exploring the tunnels, including marks on the cave walls from a grenade used by a Japanese officer to commit suicide. Japanese forces fought from inside the tunnel complex until June 13, 1945, when the final survivors either rallied forth in one last counterattack or committed suicide. The complex was sealed after the war, but portions were reopened to visitors in 1970, along with a small museum and peace memorial. Today, it is one of the most poignant historical reminders of the battle on the island.
As the day came to an end and everyone piled back onto the bus, Majewski ended the tour with one last lesson on the history of the battle. It was a whirlwind event that left everyone wanting more and planning to either join another MCCS tour or return with their family and friends. It was a somber reminder of the horrors of war, but it also was an incredibly motivating opportunity to hear about one man among many who stood out as a hero and put the lives of others ahead of his own—a concept the Sailors stationed at U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa completely understand.
U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Okinawa supports the Defense Health Agency's U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, which is the largest overseas medical treatment facility staffed by active-duty Navy personnel and stands at the ready to respond to contingency operations to support the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s area of operations. It is a critical regional asset for direct care delivery, regional referrals, and medical contingency operations. The staff at USNH Okinawa understand their vital role as pre-positioned, forward-deployed naval forces within the first island chain, aligned and in support of joint military commands and operations.
Trey Savitz, Public Affairs Officer U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan Comm: 011-81-971-7024 DSN: (315) 646-7024 isaac.s.savitz.civ@health.mil
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