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Iwo Jima Flag-Raising

Sarge

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http://specials.msn.com/A-List/Iwo-...chtext=Iwo Jima Flag Raising 65th Anniversary


It's been 65 years since the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. Thousands of soldiers on both sides lost their lives, and the effort to raise an American flag captured the world's attention.
 
During WWII my uncle served in the South Pacific on the Gen. W. A. Mann, which was a troop transport. I know he went to Midway, but not sure about Iwo Jima.

That picture has to inspire you.
 
This wasn't the real one though correct? Didn't only like two or three guys put up a little flag, but a photographer wanted a bigger one with a couple others or something?

Nonetheless still a HUGE moment in history.
 
Uncommon valor was a common virtue.
 
This wasn't the real one though correct? Didn't only like two or three guys put up a little flag, but a photographer wanted a bigger one with a couple others or something?

Nonetheless still a HUGE moment in history.

Depends on what story you listen to, but long before the movie Flags of Our Fathers, the history channel did a show on the flag raising. It's worth watching.

The first flag was raised buy 5 guys, and that's where the story gets muddled I guess. Some say a larger flag was wanted for better viability, and others say some officer wanted that flag for his wall, but the Marine officer in charge on the island called BS, and had it taken down as it belonged to the unit, and had it replaced.

If you have the time, I recommend watching Flags of our fathers, and letters from Iwo Jima. Two very well done movies...

None the less, Iwo was one of many hard fought battles the Marine Corps served valiantly in some of the worst conditions on the earth.

If you like to read, there are a few very good books about Marines with long and distinguished careers.

My good friend Rich's dad was a gunner on a landing craft at Iwo Jima. I remember sitting around with him one night in their den hittin a bottle of single malt, and noticed a picture box on the wall with some ribbons, and metals including a purple heart. I inquired, not knowing he had served in WWII. He faked his ID, and enlisted in the Navy at the age of 16, and was barely 17 when the first Marines hit the beach at Iwo. What he told us that night brought the battle into a completely different light, and I wept as he spoke of the unimaginable horror he witnessed till his craft was hit, and he was wounded.

There is truly no glory in war, in death, in killing. The glory lies within the men who put others before themselves..... then, and now.
 
My good friend Rich's dad was a gunner on a landing craft at Iwo Jima. I remember sitting around with him one night in their den hittin a bottle of single malt, and noticed a picture box on the wall with some ribbons, and metals including a purple heart. I inquired, not knowing he had served in WWII. He faked his ID, and enlisted in the Navy at the age of 16, and was barely 17 when the first Marines hit the beach at Iwo. What he told us that night brought the battle into a completely different light, and I wept as he spoke of the unimaginable horror he witnessed till his craft was hit, and he was wounded.

There is truly no glory in war, in death, in killing. The glory lies within the men who put others before themselves..... then, and now.

You were fortunate to have asked and listened to these stories. I know the stories my Uncle told me about things he saw. He also told me about just after VJ day his ship pulled into Japan and how he gave a Marine in a Jeep some cigarettes to take him to Nagasaki. This was just few days after bomb was dropped.

Talked to my cousin's father-in law once and he told me about going to Germany toward end of WWII. Said they took a wrong turn and came under fire. Told me he laid in a ditch and played dead as German soldiers walked by.

If you ever get chance to talk with someone that served...you owe it to them and yourself to do so.
 
You were fortunate to have asked and listened to these stories. I know the stories my Uncle told me about things he saw. He also told me about just after VJ day his ship pulled into Japan and how he gave a Marine in a Jeep some cigarettes to take him to Nagasaki. This was just few days after bomb was dropped.

Talked to my cousin's father-in law once and he told me about going to Germany toward end of WWII. Said they took a wrong turn and came under fire. Told me he laid in a ditch and played dead as German soldiers walked by.

If you ever get chance to talk with someone that served...you owe it to them and yourself to do so.

I've been fortunate to have dealt with many WWII vets when I was working at the mobility company, and heard lots of stories. I also had a high school teacher who was with troops that first walked into one of the death camps. Don't know if he was a riflemen or what, but he had to big photo albums with some really graphic stuff in them. He said he owed it to us to show the truth of it all....

Even old Louie I worked with, who was a combat Marine during Koera had some wild stories. The only person I regret not ever getting to listen to was my uncle Raffi, who was in Burma with the flying tigers. I've come to a dead end on the research, but did find out he wasn't with the original AVG, but with what was called the Flying Tigers once the Army air corps was involved.

I guess he told his story often enough when I was a kid, but never listened at that very young age, and never seemed to be around when he would visit my dad once I was living down here, as he retired to Ocala. He passed away about 12 years ago.
 

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