My brother and my best friend's husband [he was my husband's best friend] were both on Iwo Jima,two young men from Wellston, Ohio.
Carl Zimmerman,I know he was in the artillery, died in April 1997, my brother died in July 1996.
I don't think my bother was a very good soldier, he would not talk to me about what he did. He only said I didn't have to kill anyone.
I wish I knew what his job was. His name is Albert Sadler.
Carl and Albert saw each other while on Iwo Jima. Is there any way I can find out if any of his firends are still living?
Thank you
Frannie
Frannie, don't sell your brother short. He wasn't in a stateside brig for going AWOL. He was at one of the roughest battles in our history. I bet he went where he was sent and did what he was told to do.
Many of the combat veterans of that time didn't want to talk about what happened. A lot of them didn't say anything at all until they were over 60. They might talk about funny things that happened while in the service, but not the truth of war.
There were no substandard marines on Iwo Jima - "uncommon valor was a common viture". In Feb 45 that place was the closest thing to hell this world has ever seen and I respect the h*ll out of guys like your brother. Regardless of what the marines had him doing there.