[PattonReincarnated]

>> My uncle fought at Iwo Jima, Tarawa, Saipan and Okinawa.

I find this claim to be very difficult to believe. Perhaps this is the first lie in this piece. I'm not sure about the naval history, but since Bangert was talking about the Iwo Jima Memorial, I assume his uncle was a Marine. At first blush, I thought it would be increbile odds to make it through all four battles without being wounded or KIA. And of course Bangert would *have* to mention that. Then it occurred to me, that unless you transfered all over the place, it wouldn't be possible to be in all those battles. Here's where the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Marine divisions were at that time of WWII:

2nd Marine Division: Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa
3rd Marine Division: Bougainville, Saipan and Iwo Jima
4th Marine Division: Roi-Namur, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima
5th Marine Division: Iwo Jima and Kyushu as Occupational Forces

I can't be certain that I got all that right, if anyone knows any better, I'm open to the correction.

By the way, my great-uncle was in the 5th Marine Division and he was shot on Iwo Jima. He spent over a year recovering in a hospital. I remember as a kid trying to get him to tell me stories about WWII. He never had much to say about the war. I always considered him a war hero, but it had more to do with the way he carried himself and acted in day-to-day life than in anything he ever said.

[HardStarboard]

>>>I thought it would be increbile odds to make it through all four battles without being wounded or KIA<<<

I agree. However you never met John (I never knew his last name) who was the dockmaster at the Kona Kai Marina in San Diego. (Now called the Shelter Point Marina and Inn)

He was in the first wave on Guadacanal, Pelieu, Tarawa and Iwo Jima. He was a wonderful tough old bird that didn't talk much about his experiences - but on the few times I was around when it came up, you could see the fight, the pain and the hate for the enemy in his eyes.

John passed on a year or so ago. He was a hunble hero.... a breed we will never have enough of.