Posted on 02/23/2014 7:08:38 PM PST by kingattax
Wednesday marked the 69th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima – one of the worst battles of World War II.
Across the nation many remembered this day from 69 years ago.
In Newington, Connecticut, a memorial was recently built and is the only flag raising memorial built by survivors of the Battle of Iwo Jima. The flag flown at the memorial is historically correct with 48 stars. There is also sand from Iwo Jima beaches in the concrete base. The memorial also includes inscriptions of the names of 100 men from Connecticut who died during the battle.
The 69th anniversary will be marked on February 22 and 23 by events being held by members of the Iwo Jima Memorial Historical Foundation.
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We follow a higher standard....that is truly American Exceptionalism.
Well said!
I am surprised so many Japanese survived. I would have guessed maybe 15-20 instead of over a thousand. I suspect many of them were badly wounded and unable to resist.
Lt John Ringler was a good friend of my dad’s. Prior to becoming
CO of B Co 511 PIR and leading the parachute assault on Los Banos
Ringler was a Lt in my dad’s Co (H 511). He was paymaster and
my PFC dad was his bodyguard. Years later my dad, Ringler, and
Col Ed Lahti worked together on 511 PIR Assoc matters such as
reunions.
Throw in an Army unit, too. My father-in-law’s 75th JASCO - Joint Assault Signal Company - 3rd wave. Ran the communications lines between units at minimum. In many landings they also served as Forward Artillery Spotters (called Observers than).
You can find out about the Signal Corps ops in the Pacific in the official history volumes, by organization, known as the “Green Books”.
Father-in-law is still alive and sharp at 94. Don’t know how many Purple Hearts he got in the Pacific campaigns (Saipan, Eniwetok, Tinian, etc. Heard he had at least three.
Later rose to become a Lt. Col. with the Army Security Agency and turned down a Brigadier General position to be with his family and soon deceased wife.
Signal Corps frontline units suffered up to 60-75% casualties in many of the Pacific campaigns.
The 75th was the only Army unit to land on Iwo in an assault wave. Combat Engineers (Navy Seebees if I recall correctly), lost a whole company on the beaches due to a mix-up in request for personnel (they needed one man and got a whole company, largely unarmed by mistake. Took the brunt of a Japanese suicide attack).
The Army brought the troops in on assault transports. A late cardio-rehab friend of mine, Gen. Bruce Jacobson, was the commander of one of those transports.
Everybody fought or served at Iwo, though the Marines did literally all of the ground fighting.
We must never forget any of them. Back then we had real military leaders and politically incorrect soldiers, which is why we won the war.
My Dad, who passed away last April, was a field radar specialist who came ashore on D+1.
He set up at least one radar unit under mortar and sniper fire, and he was one of the lead radar operations NCO’s on the island until it was pacified in late March.
Naval intelligence had predicted a high probability for Kamikaze attacks, so my Dad's work was considered an essential part of Naval defense.
In the event, only a few Kamikaze attacks took place, but a carrier was sunk, and more than 300 personnel were killed.
My Dad had the same job on Saipan, but I don't know any interesting details about his time there.
Truth be told, my Dad and I did not get along well for the last 30 years - he remarried after my Mom died, and, as so often happens, that didn't work out well for his own kids.
But, that aside, I think he might be pleased that I remembered him on this day.
RE: “I am surprised so many Japanese survived.”
That’s an interesting story.
Many of the “survivors” were Korean forced laborers.
Before the invasion, there were up to 10,000 Koreans working mainly on the tunnels.
No one is sure how many were still there when the invasion began.
I didn’t see your Comment until after I posted.
My Dad was an Army radar specialist who went in D+1.
Please check out my Comment #27.
I have no idea what unit my Father was attached to, but he and his lieutenant and squad were bunked all alone with Marines on their transport ship.
Is it possible radar guys were in Army Signals, too?
My Dad was There.
Isn’t Iwo Jima memorial in New Britian? Or did Newington build another memorial?
On the second floor of that building were both Flags raised on Suribachi. Wish I had the pictures handy.
I have yet to visit the Museum in Quantico, hopefully some day. Semper Fi
Re “Is it possible radar guys were in Army Signals, too?”
I would say yes based on what I’ve read in the official military histories of WW2 in the “Green Books”.
Radar specialists were in the Signal Corps (see if your father graduated from Ft. Monmouth, NJ SC school). They set up anti-aircraft radar units all over the Pacific, esp. where the Japs had airfields or carrier task forces.
Also used to pick up incoming US bombers and fighters who needed guidance to emergency bases, esp. on Iwo Jima.
My father-in-law was in an Assault Wave while others came in, possibly like your father, as detached elements to the Marines. Or perhaps your father was in an Assault Wave but after the beaches and shorefronts had been secured. Signal Corps men were not trained to be frontline assault troops but did fight when necessary.
They were electronics specialists - radio communications, radar, Forward Observers who called in target positions to both ships and land artillery, etc. They were the communications lifeline people for the Marines.
Very brave men.
He made a lifelong joke out of that connection.
Anytime someone challenged him on a technical issue, he would say, “Well, I studied at MIT.”
Post-war, he got in one year at Northwestern, but had to drop out and work full time when my older brother was born.
--Pres. Reagan
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