This story almost complete fabrication.
Lee Marvin and Bob Keeshan did both serve in the Marines.
Before his death in January, 2004, we checked with Bob Keeshan, who was living in Vermont, and he said he never served at Iwo Jima, was not presented with the Navy Cross and, in fact, never saw combat.
There is no record of Lee Marvin at Iwo Jima or winning the Navy Cross. According to a biography that we have on file at TruthOrFiction.com, Marvin did see a lot of action in the Pacific participating in the invasions at Kwajalein and Eniwetok and was wounded in Saipan, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart. Marvin is buried in Arlington Cemetery.
(Last updated 3-20-02)
PS Marvin played the indian Ira ---- who raised the flag at IJ
Ira Hayes was a Pima Indian from Az.
I have plenty of respect for those who serve even if they don't see any combat. One of the bravest men I know served in Alaska during the Korean war. His older brother saw real heavy combat in Korea and never recovered from it. My friend cared for his brother until his brother died a few years back.
Those were the islands that my Grandad was on, while a Captain in the Army Corps of Engineers. His unit built an airstrip in less than a week, while under enemy fire. Some of the combat engineers from his unit cleared beach obstacles for the Marine landing craft.