Posted on 02/19/2005 8:49:33 AM PST by kellynla
GARDEN GROVE – No one knew how bad it was going to be.
Certainly not Tom McGraham, who'd never seen battle. Worried about dinner, he stuffed a big, canned turkey under his jacket before heading ashore. It wouldn't last long.
The moment he hit Iwo Jima beach, 60 years ago this morning, he tossed it aside, along with his gas mask.
"I began stripping things off because it was hard to move," he said Friday at his Garden Grove home. "And I thought if I got off the beach, I might not get killed."
McGraham survived the beach and 11 more days on the tiny island of volcanic ash before a mortar attack killed six of his buddies and wounded him in five places.
Today he'll reflect on one of the most iconic battles of World War II - a 36-day siege that cost America about 6,000 lives and 18,000 injuries but won it strategic landing strips for bombers on the doorstep of Japan.
"I have a special feeling for Iwo Jima," said the great-grandfather, now 80. "It brought us an awful lot closer to the end of the war. I feel proud of that."
As the former president of the Los Angeles Chapter of the 4th Marine Division's National Association, McGraham owns a flag that flew atop Mount Suribachi on the 50th anniversary. But he never saw the original flag raised on day five of the fighting. Why not?
"I was busy," he deadpanned.
McGraham admits there is much he's forgotten about his 12 days on Iwo Jima, but he clearly remembers the night before the invasion.
(Excerpt) Read more at historychannel.com ...
Ping Again...
Hoo-yah!
amen. just an historical perspective- we lose over 6,000 marines on Iwo Jima, an island not even big as a city during one battle of the war. We lose over 1,000 soldiers taking over a country (Iraq) and there are a good amount of the american population who think that we are somehow losing. it is something to ponder. read "flags of our fathers"- a great book
In honor of my dad, Iwo Jima Vet, US Navy, on board the USS Finnegan, destroyer escort.
Thanks for sharing the letter from your Dad!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Always, always faithful. Semper.
Fi.
Who are the ladies in Post 4?
The left is my Mom, the right is her friend Simone
To have been brought up during the Depression,saved the world from the likes of Hitler,and having held off the likes of Mao,Stalin,Kim Il Sung and Breshnev earns them this title....in spades!
Semper Fi bttt ...
"Lancey Howard"
0311
U.S. Marine Corps Infantry
Back at cha!
0311
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Back at cha 0811!
You guys(An Hoa) sure saved my butt on more than one occasion! LOL
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Thanks for posting, kel. God bless every one of them.
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