Thank God for so many brave Marines -- true American heroes.
The raising of both flags, even!
I can’t remember who said it but I recall roughly this quote: “Iwo Jima where uncommon valor was a common virtue”. One of America’s greatest moments
Stars and Stripes on Iwō-Jima--Judy Canova & the Riders of the Purple Sage (1945)
Accept for the MSM, Google, et al .....
Today is the anniversary of an historic day in the annals of American history. The raising of the flag on Iwo Jima is one of the most iconic images to ever represent the American struggle for democracy and freedom in the world. The image is as recognizably American as the Statue of Liberty and Mount Rushmore.
By the morning of February 23rd, 1945 the battle of Iwo Jima had already been underway for several days. The 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines battled to the top of Mount Suribachi, a huge volcanic mountain that overlooks the rest of the island.
As you may have seen in the film “Flags of Our Fathers” directed by Clint Eastwood, the first flag raised over Iwo Jima was a small one crudely tied to a metal pole salvaged from wreckage found on top of Mount Suribachi. The second, larger flag, raised on a better-suited flagpole, is what we recognize today as the famous depiction of the 4 Marines atop the mountain.
The dramatic photograph was taken on February 23, 1945 by Joe Rosenthal an Associated Press photographer shadowing US Marines in the Pacific. It won him a Pulitzer Prize and went down in history as the inspiration for the USMC Memorial, various stamps, posters, and other timeless depictions of the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Please use this anniversary to honor the memory of all veterans who have served their country in wartime throughout the years. We owe everything we have today to the service and sacrifices of our veterans, especially those who served in our most recent Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
I don’t think they are 100 American men in Connecticut today who could match up with those 100 that died there.
Active Duty/Retiree ping.
God bless Ira Hayes.
It is rightfully a proud day in Marine history. However, another
heroic event happened in the Pacific Theater at the same time
that never gets recognition. In the Philippines 2147 mostly
American civilians were rescued from a Japanese prison camp
thirty miles south of Manila. The behind the lines rescue executed
by the US Army 11th Airborne Div included a parachute assault,
infiltration by the 11th AB Recon platoon and guerillas, a diversionary
operation, and an evacuation by amtracs across a vast lake. Over
150 Japanese guards were killed or scattered. No prisoners were
lost.
The raising of the US flag on Mt Surabachi was truly a memorable
historic event. However, that it completely over shadows an
event like the Los Banos Raid is somewhat sad IMO.
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.
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
--Pres. Reagan