Bitter taste of Okinawa
Reducing a Tomb Stronghold

The hillsides of southern Okinawa were dotted with tens of thousands of lyre-shaped tombs unique to the Okinawan culture. Generations of ancestors were buried in the limestone and concrete tombs. When a relative died the tomb was opened and the body interned in a front chamber to decompose. The bones were later cleaned and placed in ceramic urns in the tomb's main room. Families would have celebrations within the small wall-enclosed lawn fronting the tombs to honor their ancestors.
The Japanese frequently converted the tombs to pillboxes by smashing in the small sealed entrance and emplacing a machine gun. The machine gun was supported by riflemen, and although the position lacked all-round fire, the flanks were protected by fire from other tombs and dug-in covering positions. There was of course no escape, and they became tombs for the Japanese soldiers as well.
Thousands were destroyed along with the remains of many generations of ancestors. Many were blasted with artillery and tank fire merely on the suspicion that they might harbor Japanese defenders, and many did.
The desecration of the tombs was a terrible affront to the Okinawans, and a necessary evil.
The reduction of a tomb required special tactics. An entire platoon might be required to reduce a fortified tomb and adjacent covering positions. Artillery and mortars first saturated the tomb and surrounding area to kill any enemy on the surface and drive those within the defenses away from the firing positions. Under the cover of direct fire from tanks and self-propelled 105 mm howitzers the infantry would close in on the position's flanks staying out of the field of fire. Machine-guns, BAR, rifle, and rifle grenade fire was directed at the firing port to cover, bazooka, flamethrower, and demolition teams closing in from the flank.
The Americans called this the ""blowtorch and corkscrew," the Japanese called it "straddle tactics".

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"Danger Will Robinson!"