Talyn
SAINT
Tomorrow is the 75th anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Good article here.
The Common Will Triumphant
Good article here.
The Common Will Triumphant
Battle of Iwo Jima
- Thread starter Talyn
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Annihilator
Emissary
Thanks Talyn, great read!
KillerFord1977
SAINT
God Bless all those brave men that gave their lives on that far away island.
My wife's grandfather was a photographer in the navy during WW2 and my wife has some original photos of Roosevelt meeting with Stalin and Churchill at the Yalta conference. There are some other really cool photos in the collection also. I'll try and upload a few tomorrow if she can find them. They got packed away during our move 6 months ago.
Sigma4506
Operator
Men were men, i couldn't shine their shoes , America America god shed his grace on me
And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea
BET7
Ronin
Thanks for the article Talyn. My Uncle was a marine who fought in that battle. He was wounded, but not sure if it was this battle or one of the other Island battles. Watching the series “Pacific” illustrated to me, just what kind of hell these guys fought in, and several paid the ultimate sacrifice. I honor all Veterans of all Wars & conflicts that fought for our freedoms. God Bless.
SMSgtRod
Professional
In my lifetime I have had the great fortune to know MANY WWII vets. My Dad for one was a conscientious objector back in that time. Did he run away or hide? No. Although he just couldn't bring himself to kill anyone on June 6, 1944 he hit Omaha beach without a firearm. He was a medic! Went all through France and east.... Never liked to talk about it much. I do know he went in as a Private and was discharged a Technical Sergeant after three years service. Took me 11 years to make Tech.....
My father-in-law wouldn't talk much about his service either. During WWII he was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In 1947 he transferred to the USAF. He served in Korea and Vietnam before retiring in 1972.
When I changed schools and needed a ride to the new one about 12 miles away I got in to a carpool with some guys that made the trip each morning to work. One fellow was a WWII vet and he said, "I went from one GD island to another GD island". He went on to say his life was charmed or something. "We'd be going in on another GD beach and the guy on the left of me, and the guy on the right of me, would be hit in the head and drop dead!" (Losing the one on the left and right of him happened often he said) "I lived to get on another boat and hit another GD beach!" That was what Island Hopping was like in the Pacific well told I thought.
A Vietnam vet myself, when I joined the VFW my post had mostly WWII vets. Those that would talk could tell some really scary stuff. But the WWI vet that told about how the British did the trench warfare. Going over the top into machine gun fire and how crazy it was. Ten, Twenty thousand would die. Next day or two do it all over again. Remember? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different out come is the definition of INSANITY!!
If you talk to them the Korean Vets will tell you the same crazy went on there. Guess we could say that about Nam too!
My father-in-law wouldn't talk much about his service either. During WWII he was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In 1947 he transferred to the USAF. He served in Korea and Vietnam before retiring in 1972.
When I changed schools and needed a ride to the new one about 12 miles away I got in to a carpool with some guys that made the trip each morning to work. One fellow was a WWII vet and he said, "I went from one GD island to another GD island". He went on to say his life was charmed or something. "We'd be going in on another GD beach and the guy on the left of me, and the guy on the right of me, would be hit in the head and drop dead!" (Losing the one on the left and right of him happened often he said) "I lived to get on another boat and hit another GD beach!" That was what Island Hopping was like in the Pacific well told I thought.
A Vietnam vet myself, when I joined the VFW my post had mostly WWII vets. Those that would talk could tell some really scary stuff. But the WWI vet that told about how the British did the trench warfare. Going over the top into machine gun fire and how crazy it was. Ten, Twenty thousand would die. Next day or two do it all over again. Remember? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different out come is the definition of INSANITY!!
If you talk to them the Korean Vets will tell you the same crazy went on there. Guess we could say that about Nam too!
Talyn
SAINT
My Dad & Uncle were WW2 vets, as well as some other more distant relatives, a USMC Uncle was in in Korea, Grandpa in WW2, and family history of service in the Civil War (Union-side), Revolutionary War, and French & Indian War.
Bad eyes kept me out of the Mil, but made up with service in fed govt.
Bad eyes kept me out of the Mil, but made up with service in fed govt.
BET7
Ronin
Great Info SMSgtRod, and it's good that your father stood strong for his principles and still served his country. It reminds me of the movie "Hacksaw Ridge" about Conscientious Objector Desmond Doss, who won the Medal of Honor in the Pacific. I'm sure your Dad saw his share of horrific fighting and injures as well, on the beaches, and the wounded he tended to. Like your family, mine severed in WWII, from my one Uncle at Iwo Jima and other Pacific islands, to my other Uncle serving in Patton's 3rd Army, to my father in the Army Air Corp, who flew into France 2 weeks after the invasion. My friend was in Dust Off in Vietnam and saw his horrors picking up and treating wounded. I honor and thank all vets that served in all wars and conflicts this country has engaged in. And I thank you for your services, since I can write that to you here & now.
SMSgtRod
Professional
Great Info SMSgtRod, and it's good that your father stood strong for his principles and still served his country. It reminds me of the movie "Hacksaw Ridge" about Conscientious Objector Desmond Doss, who won the Medal of Honor in the Pacific. I'm sure your Dad saw his share of horrific fighting and injures as well, on the beaches, and the wounded he tended to. Like your family, mine severed in WWII, from my one Uncle at Iwo Jima and other Pacific islands, to my other Uncle serving in Patton's 3rd Army, to my father in the Army Air Corp, who flew into France 2 weeks after the invasion. My friend was in Dust Off in Vietnam and saw his horrors picking up and treating wounded. I honor and thank all vets that served in all wars and conflicts this country has engaged in. And I thank you for your services, since I can write that to you here & now.
Thank you and you are most welcome. I had the great fortune to hold an AF specialty that was limited in troops.
We kind of met ourselves coming and going to the Vietnam theatre.
I was over there all or part of 1966, 67,68,69,70,72,73. I managed 137 combat sorties that were 12 to 13 hours long up in the northern Tonkin Gulf. Was the best bunch of guys to work and fly with ever. Wouldn't sell any of my experiences for a Million Dollars, and wouldn't give you a Nickel for another one.
Got the been there ribbons that will get you a cup of coffee in most places when accompanied by $2.50....
Thank You for your service and your family.
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