The FReeper Foxhole Studies the Origins of the EOD - January 11th, 2004

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[SAMWolf]

Hey, I remember that flick!!

[SAMWolf]

Morning Feather.

[snippy_about_it]

No Elvis was, Gatorbait was in the Army.

Ah. I was going on his freep name. I'm a fan of the gator Navy and just made an incorrect assumption. Oops.

Thanks.

[snippy_about_it]

Yikes. Some ear burst!

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks Sam for the current EOD news.

[U S Army EOD]

Gatorbait is kind of like Redneckbonics.

[snippy_about_it]

LOL. Redneckbonics. Ha!

[SAMWolf]

1994 John Bradley, raised US flag at Iwo Jima, dies at 70

There are six Flag Raisers on the photo. Four in the front line and two in back.
The front four are (left to right) Ira Hayes, Franklin Sousley, John Bradley and Harlon Block.

The back two are Michael Strank (behind Sousley) and Rene Gagnon (behind Bradley).

Strank, Block and Sousley would die shortly afterwards. Bradley, Hayes and Gagnon became national heroes within weeks.

John Bradley
b. July 10, 1923 Antigo, WI.
d. January 11, 1994 Antigo, WI.

"Doc" Bradley was a Navy Corpsman who "just jumped in to lend a hand." He won the Navy Cross for heroism and was wounded in both legs.

Bradley, a quiet, private man, gave just one interview in his life. In it he said . . .
"People refer to us as heroes--I personally don't look at it that way. I just think that I happened to be at a certain place at a certain time and anybody on that island could have been in there--and we certainly weren't heroes--and I speak for the rest of them as well. That's the way they thought of themselves also."

John Bradley in later life . . .

"Of the surviving Flag Raisers, only Bradley was successful in putting his life back together after the war."
---From the best-selling "Immortal Images" by Tedd Thomey

John Bradley returned to his home town in the Midwest after the war, prospered as the owner of a family business, and gave generously of his time and money to local causes. He was married for 47 years and had eight children.

While Bradley had a public image as a war hero, he was a very private person. He avoided discussion of his war record saying only that the real heros were the men who gave their lives for their country.

The Global Media reported the death of a World War II icon on January 11, 1994 at the age of 70. But his hometown newspaper best captured the essence of Bradley's life after the war:

"John Bradley will be forever memorialized for a few moments action at the top of a remote Pacific mountain. We prefer to remember him for his life. If the famous flag-raising at Iwo Jima symbolized American patriotism and valor, Bradley's quiet, modest nature and philanthropic efforts shine as an example of the best of small town American values."

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for sharing the info EOD.

We often forget that there had to be someone who had to learn all this without any previous knowledge base to work from.

[U S Army EOD]

Your current tagline wins the contest hands down.

[SAMWolf]

No Elvis was, Gatorbait was in the Army.

Since Elvis was a Navy EOD and you guys were Army, I guess that explains the "Girls, Girls, Girls". The Navy always did get the breaks.

[U S Army EOD]

He only sang to them.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks. I remeber reading this somewhere, know if it's true?

Walt Disney was the original artist for Bugs Bunny. He originally drew it for an insignia for a US ARMY EOD unit. Warner Bros liked it and bought it from him.

[U S Army EOD]

That rings a bell but I am not sure at all.

[SAMWolf]

Ok, thanks. At least it sounds familiar to you so there may be some truth to it.

[U S Army EOD]

I may have been drinking when I heard it and got it confused.

[E.G.C.]

(LOL)!!!!

[Professional Engineer]

Howdy ma'am.

Interesting reading today.

[Professional Engineer]

I have an image of Hawkeye and Trapper John in their beach chairs, raising a toast to 5 o'clock charlie.

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you and good afternoon PE.