LE1 - THE SECOND MARINE DIVISION STORMING THE SEA WALL AT TARAWA NOV. 20, 1943
I have this one displayed on the wall of my office.
Posted on 03/10/2006 4:13:29 PM PST by mdittmar
Americans, Japanese mark 61st anniversary
IWO JIMA, Japan — Men once hellbent on killing one another gathered here Wednesday in peace to pay tribute to the more than 27,000 comrades who never walked away from the black-sand beaches of this strategic Pacific island.
Former U.S. and Japanese servicemembers met at the Reunion of Honor monument for the 61st anniversary commemoration ceremony honoring those who fought here. The monument sits on a hill overlooking Yellow Beach, where in World War II many U.S. Marines landed on Japanese soil for the first time on Feb. 19, 1945.
More than 100,000 U.S. troops fought to take the island. More than 26,000 were casualties, including more than 6,800 dead. Japanese troops vowed to fight to the death — and almost did so: fewer than 1,000 of the 22,000 defenders survived.
The island was important to the United States strategically. It offered an air base close to mainland Japan for U.S. bombers and escort fighters and was a safe haven for crippled aircraft. The importance of Iwo Jima became evident as 2,251 B-29s carrying 24,761 crewmen made emergency landings there by the end of the war.
One Marine who fought on Iwo Jima, retired Lt. Gen. Larry Snowden, said during Wednesday’s ceremony that standing on the black beaches makes memories come back.
“It’s an emotional experience to all of us who fought and survived here,” he said.
The commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force, Lt. Gen. Joseph Weber, also spoke during the ceremony, saying: “The one common purpose we have is to remember the fallen of both sides. The men who fought on Iwo Jima were willing and innocent young men who were robbed of their youth.”
Despite the vicious battles of World War II, the United States and Japan since have built a strong alliance.
“The sacrifices here have born peace and stability,” Weber said.
Kiyoshi Endo, Japanese Iwo Jima Veteran’s Association chairman, told the audience, “Our responsibilities and duties are to dedicate the rest of our lives to passing the memories on to our next generations, so that a tragic battle of this kind would never be repeated.”
Time is said to heal all wounds, Snowden said during his speech, but even 61 years later, some men on both sides still may have a hard time erasing all bitterness.
“Perhaps time is the best healing, but healing leaves scars,” he said. “We can only hope that over time, the scars fade away.”
Awesome!
Gen Snowden was formerly known as Col Snoddy, before his name change. His son , Capt Snoddy, was my OSO.
Col Charlie Waterhouse, the famous USMC arist, is also a Iwo vet along with Gen Barrow. They were the only Iwo vets on active duty in 1980.
Semper Fi
I hear that Clint Eastwood is going to make a movie, may be coming out this year, based on the book "Flags of our fathers" written by Corpsman Bradley's son.
I like a line from the book that says something to the effect of "The Japanese fought for the Emperor and that made them formidable. The Marines fought for each other and that made them invincible."
Semper Fi
Ditto. Thank God for men like your father, investigateworld.
I have this one displayed on the wall of my office.
The people who complain about Iraq have no interest in facts or comparisons. Their purpose is distortion and deception.
Iwo Bump!
My uncle, too. He drove graders and other heavy earth moving equipment to build the airfields and clear the jungles. The fighting was still going on while they were working on some of the islands.
No stories but I had another uncle who was a Marine. He joined a year before Pearl Harbor and intended to stay in after the war but his mother and sisters kept begging til he relented and got out.
He was all over the Pacific but would never talk about it. When asked what he did he said he was a typist and didn't do anything. I never believed it and later read several things that said that was typical of those who had seen the worst.
When he returned he would often take his rifle, his cot, and several fifths of whiskey and go spend a week or two in the swamp by himself. He lived until his seventies but died an alcoholic.
Iwo Bump #2
That's the sad part,my dad was an Aviation Machinist's Mate.
He didn't tell me that,I found it in a old news clip of my dad and mom's engagement,he's still alive,we don't talk much.
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