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Posted on 10/19/2003 12:05:23 AM PDT by snippy_about_it
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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 Marine First Lieutenant On 19 February 1945, the 5th Marine Amphibious Corps (consisting of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Marine Divisions) landed on Iwo Jima (Sulphur Island). When the battle was over, 6821 American Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers , along with an estimated 20,000+ Japanese defenders had died. This was Americas first landing on what was considered traditional Japanese territory. It was the beginning of the end.  Marine First Lieutenant Jack Lummus, former Baylor University and New York Giants football star, was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for heroism on Iwo Jima at the cost of his life, March 8, 1945. He was born at Ennis, Texas, on October 22, 1915, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Lummus. His father was a policeman. The Lummus family settled in Ennis in 1900 after having lived in Mississippi previously. Lieutenant Lummus attended Ennis High School for two years before he was forced to leave due to ill health. He finished his high school education at Texas Military College, graduating in 1937. At both Ennis High and Texas Military, he was a stand-out performer in baseball and football. While at Texas Military, he earned an athletic scholarship to Baylor University. At Baylor, the tall Texan was selected to three “All Conference” baseball squads, and, during his senior year, was picked for the “All Conference” football team and nominated for “All-American” honors. While in college, he majored in Physical Education but never graduated because of his heavy commitment in sports. In the summer of 1941, he signed and played professional baseball with the Wichita Falls (Texas) Team of the Western Texas-New Mexico League. In the preceding fall he signed up with the New York Giants and was still on their roster when he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on January 30, 1942.  He received his “boot training” at San Diego, California, and upon graduation was assigned to Base Headquarters, Company C, Marine Barracks, San Diego. In May 1942, he was reassigned to Guard Company, Mare Island, California. While serving in this command he was promoted to private first class on June 10, 1942 and corporal on August 14, 1942. In October of the same year he was selected to attend Candidates Class at Quantico, Virginia, and on December 30, 1942 he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve. His first assignment as an officer was at Camp Elliott, California, where he served as an instructor in the Infantry School. In June 1943 he was transferred to Camp Pendleton, California, as a student officer in the Raider Battalion. Later he served as an instructor in the Raider Battalion’s Training Center.  In January 1944 he joined Company G, 2d Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division. When the designation of the company was changed to Company F in March of that year, he became commanding officer of the company. On August 11, 1944, he embarked on the USS Henry Clay at San Diego and arrived at Hilo, Hawaii, seven days later and was assigned to Camp Tarawa. In October he was reassigned to Headquarters Company within the same battalion and participated in a seven-day maneuver aboard USS LST 756 from January 10-17, 1945. On January 17, he embarked on the USS Highlands and landed at Saipan on February 11. He reembarked the same day on LST 756 and landed against the Japanese defenders on Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945. On March 8, when his rifle platoon was pinned down by enemy fire.  "Marines of the 5th Division inch their way up a slope on Red Beach No. 1 toward Surbachi Yama as the smoke of the battle drifts about them." Dreyfuss, Iwo Jima, February 19, 1945. 127-N-110249. The Marine Corps lieutenant, after relentlessly leading his platoon against Japanese positions on Iwo Jima for two days and nights and although wounded twice, singlehandedly destroyed three devastating enemy installations. He charged forward and stepped on a land mine just before the unit reached its objective in the bitter World War II campaign. His legs were blown off. In his book "Iwo Jima" (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1965), Richard F. Newcomb wrote of the fateful March 1945 day; "Suddenly he (Lummus) was at the center of a powerful explosion, obscured by flying rock and dirt. As it cleared, his men saw him rising as if in a hole. A land mine had blown off both his legs that had carried him to football honors at Baylor. "They watched in horror as he stood on the bloody stumps, calling them on. Several men, crying now, ran to him and, for a moment, talked of shooting him to stop the agony. "But he was still shouting for them to move out, move out, and the platoon scrambled forward. Their tears turned to rage, they swept an incredible 300 yards over the impossible ground and at nightfall were on the ridge, overlooking the sea. "There was no question that the dirty, tired men, cursing and crying and fighting, had done it for Jack Lummus."  But after Lt. Jack Lummus, 29, of the 27th Marine Division, was carried on a stretcher to an aid station, he told a surprised surgeon, "I guess the New York Giants have lost the services of a damn good end." His stamina enabled him to remain conscious and he raised himself briefly on an elbow. Through the ordeal, he often smiled. But despite the transfusion of 18 pints of blood, he died from the land-mine blast and earlier wounds on D plus 17 (17 days after D-Day), March 8, 1945. He was among the 1,101 Marine officers and 22,056 enlisted personnel killed or wounded in capturing the 7-square-mile, pork-chop-shaped island and its 1,500 caves and 30 miles of tunnels.  "Across the litter on Iwo Jima's black sands, Marines of the 4th Division shell Jap positions cleverly concealed back from the beaches. Here, a gun pumps a stream of shells into Jap positions inland on the tiny volcanic island." Ca. February 1945. 26-G-4122. That night he was buried by his men at the base of 550-foot Mount Suribachi. He was buried in the 5th Division Cemetery on Iwo Jima. Later, his remains were reinterred in Myrtle Cemetery, Ennis, Texas.  "Flag raising on Iwo Jima." Joe Rosenthal, Associated Press, February 23, 1945. 80-G-413988. On March 26, 1945 at 0800 Major General Harry Schmidt, Commander of the Fifth Amphibious Corps, declared the operation completed thus ending the Marine Corps' combat presence in the Battle of Iwo Jima.  "Smashed by Jap mortar and shellfire, trapped by Iwo's treacherous black-ash sands, amtracs and other vehicles of war lay knocked out on the black sands of the volcanic fortress." PhoM3c. Robert M. Warren, ca. February/March 1945. 26-G-4474. He closed his command post, and withdrew from the island on the afternoon of the 26th. The following day troops of 3rd Marine Division trudged to the east beach, and embarked aboard landing crafts that would take them to waiting transports. Fourth and 5th Divisions followed.  After 36-days and many nights of bitter fighting against General Kuribayashi's subterranean garrison ensconced in a near impregnable fortress, and their job finished, Fifth Amphibious Corps abandoned the malevolent little island to the U.S. Army. Marine Corps Official Reports: Killed in action: Officers -215.........Men - 4,339 Died of wounds: Officers -60..........Men - 1,271 Missing, presumed dead: Officers -3........Men - 43 Wounded in action: Officers -826............Men - 16,446 Combat fatigue casualties: Officers -46.............Men - 2,602 Navy Official Reports: Officers and Men Killed in action 363 Died of wounds 70 Missing, presumed dead 448 Wounded in action 1,917 Jack Lummus' mother was presented the Medal of Honor during ceremonies held in Ennis, Texas, on Memorial Day, 1946. Besides his mother, he was survived by two sisters, Mrs. Gilbert Wright and Mrs. Tommy Merritt. In 1986 the Flagship of the Maritime Prepositioning Ships Squadron Three, the "First Lieutenant Jack Lummus", was christened.  MV 1st Lt Jack Lummus at sea      |
HMMMMMM. No more Carthage or Carthaginians. The rest of the world got tired of them always starting trouble and made sure they wouldn't be around to do it anymore. Oh well, totally destroying your enemy is no longer PC. Too Bad.
Rodger, see Dave's idea at post #23 .... :)
snippy, SAM, can one of you give me a call at the VetsCoR phone number on Monday??? or can either or both of you join us at the Board Meeting on Wednesday???
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"The Era of Osama lasted about an hour, from the time the first plane hit the tower to the moment the General Militia of Flight 93 reported for duty." 
Toward FREEDOM
.......FALL IN to the FReeper Foxhole!WHAT???
LOL.
Oh well, I guess 4 or 5 hours out of 168 a week isn't too bad. Try not to bite all your fingernails off. ;)
I was wondering about my ping today, hehe.
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