Iwo Jima anniversary today

lowbuckbob said:
My late FIL was a Marine at Iwo. He was friends with the guys who did the flag raising. RIP, Larry.
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The real (first) raising of the flag (the small one), or the second raising of the large flag that was staged later for the photo op? Only reason that I ask is that a late member of Braintree R&P was amongst that first group. I learned this from some of the Vets who sit around drinking coffee and shooting the bull at the club daily. The referenced member had moved North before I became a member so I never had the honor of meeting him.
 
Len-2A Training said:
The real (first) raising of the flag (the small one), or the second raising of the large flag that was staged later for the photo op?
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Neither of those photos were staged.

Facts on the Iwo Jima Flag Raising
The controversy stems from a moment of confusion—you see, Rosenthal wasn’t entirely sure that he had captured the flag raising moment, so afterward, he asked the group of men to pose for a picture beneath the flying stars and stripes. He referred to this as the “Gung Ho” picture. When people saw the picture in the newspapers and congratulated him, Rosenthal assumed the papers had picked up the “Gung Ho” shot, and freely said that he had posed the soldiers for the photo. It wasn’t until later that he realized which photo had become a national sensation. He spent the rest of his life denying that he had staged the flag-raising shot.
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Sgt. Bill Genaust (later KIA) had been with Rosenthal at the time of the second flag-raising and filmed it.
His film proved that Rosenthal had not staged the picture.
 
Len-2A Training said:
The real (first) raising of the flag (the small one), or the second raising of the large flag that was staged later for the photo op? Only reason that I ask is that a late member of Braintree R&P was amongst that first group. I learned this from some of the Vets who sit around drinking coffee and shooting the bull at the club daily. The referenced member had moved North before I became a member so I never had the honor of meeting him.
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The first raising - small one.
 
M60 said:
Iwo Jima Marines. Talk about setting the bar high. Outstanding behavior.
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I knew Russ from way back. I knew he was an Iwo Marine. I was driving a 1968 Fairlane 500 GT with a 4 speed. I blew the clutch driving from USN Philly to Boston for a weekend pass. I drove that SOB over 300miles with no clutch. I picked up the clutch and Pressure Plate and drove it to the ramp behind the local Fire Station where Russ worked, my dad, his senior officer had said that Russ had offered to help.

I got everything disconnected and was trying to get the trans out of the bell housing when Russ said, come on out kid, I'll get it. He slid in where I was, pulled the trans out, laid it on his chest and rolled out from beneath the car. He handed it to me and one of my friends, stood up, spit, and said, let me know when you are ready to put it back in and went inside for coffee.

Some years later, just before I got on the FD, my dad was training officer for the department and would frequently go to multiple alarm fires for additional supervision as well as documenting fire ground experiences to be taught in the classroom later. Russ worked the Rescue squad and was always first in for search and rescue. Dad had told me that Russ was an Iwo Marine and still carried some metal in his chest from that time.

I was sitting on the rear step of the Rescue Squad with a good view of the fire ground. Russ came walking up, pulling his mask off his face, totally immersed in sweat and water from the hoses, after dropping a youngster off at an ambulance with 2 EMT's working on the kid.

Just before he got to where I was sitting, he puked, blew his nose with a finger on each side and said, "Hi Kid."

I asked him if he was ok, thinking I could get him some O2 or water.... and He replied, "Piece of cake kid." That was Russ.

I just read a quote from a book about behind the lines So Pac operations. It involves a Marine Capt. from the Rangers who was first into an Island held by the Japanese and had spent two months living off the jungle, stealing rations and fighting guerilla operations. He had received radio notification of a submarine resupply mission and met the fist rubber boat to find a Major USMC Ranger in that boat. After fast paced introductions the Major told the Capt. to get in the boat and return to the sub. The Capt. wanted to stay on the island.

"Captain, when a superior officer gives you an order, what is the appropriate response?"

"Aye Aye Sir!."

"Then get in the damned boat!"

"Aye Aye Sir. Sir." Unslinging his M1 Carbine and handing it over to the Major, "Sir, round in the chamber, safety is on."

I have used that on a number of occasions, "Round in the chamber, safety on." It's a lot better than, "Round in the chamber and safety OFF!"
 
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Years ago when I lived at home out neighbor was WW2 Marine vet, not sure if he was on Iwo but definitely fought in the Pacific. He very rarely talked about his experiences but the few times he did were not happy stories, different breed for sure!
 
A couple of interesting tidbits:

1. I had the pleasure of spending three days back in April 2008 at Parris Island with a whole bunch of Marine veterans from all era's, including Jack Lucas, who earned his MoH on Iwo Jima. Sadly, Jack passed away a couple of months after that reunion.

2. There is ONE LIVING MoH recipient from WW2, Woody Williams, who received his MoH for his actions on Iwo Jima.
 
Andy in NH said:
75th anniversary of D Day on Iwo Jima today.
The example set by the Marines and sailors who fought on Iwo Jima set the standard for what the Marine Corps is today.
Semper fidelis!
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God bless the Marines and Navy

Lest we forget our 'Doggies': The Army's Fighting Ohioan's the 147th were slugging it with the Japs all the way across the Pacific Island chains along with The Tropic Lighting's 25th Infantry Division

"The regiment's next assignment would prove to be their most difficult; in the spring of 1945, the Ohioans fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima.[5] In the early days of the Marine landings, the 147th was ordered to climb from landing craft with grappling hooks to scale a high ridge about 3/4 mile from Mount Suribachi. The mission was to fire on the enemy opposing the Marine landings on the beaches below.[6] They were soon pinned down by heavy Japanese fire, and engaged in non-stop fighting for 3 months. Once the island was declared secure, the regiment was ostensibly there to act as a garrison force, but they soon found themselves locked in a bitter struggle against thousands of stalwart defenders engaging in a last-ditch guerilla campaign to harass the Americans.[7] Using well-supplied caves and tunnel systems, the Japanese resisted American advances. For three months, the 147th methodically scoured the island, using flamethrowers, grenades, and satchel charges to ferret out the enemy. 1,602 Japanese were officially credited as killed, and 867 captured, with potentially thousands more sealed up in caves using explosives. Some sources credit the regiment with killing at least 6,000 Japanese soldiers in those anonymous and merciless small unit actions.[7] In return, the 147th suffered fifteen men killed in action and 144 wounded.[8] On 30 June 1945, the 1st Battalion boarded the USS Rockwall and was transported to the island of Tinian, where it would earn the distinction of providing security for the Fat Man and Little Boy atomic bombs. The 147th would go on to fight in the bloody Battle of Okinawa, once again in charge of rooting out stubborn Japanese defenders who remained even after the island was declared secure. When the war ended on 2 September 1945, the 147th Infantry was sent home piecemeal, and the last men to return home arrived in March 1946.[6]

During World War II, the 147th Infantry Regiment fought in the infamous battles of Guadalcanal, Saipan, Tinian, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. These battles are often associated with the US Marines, but no US unit other than the 147th fought in all of these battles. Aside from the combat on the battlefield, the 147th was also victim of little press, fighting alongside Marines and the Navy, whose units commanded better public relations exposure."
 
By the day of the flag raising (D+4), MOH recipient (from Guadalcanal) John Basilone was dead and would receive a Navy Cross posthumously.

Ten other actions that would result in awarding of the MOH had already occurred.

Seventeen additional MOH actions would occur by the last week of March.

On this date in 1945, Hershel Williams' savage attacks with a flamethrower would result in him receiving the MOH.

Semper Fidelis!
 
God bless Mike Demattio, iwo marine !! One of the few who were stranded there before we went back to get them. I’ll never forget you
 
Another anniversary to reflect and remember.

From Wikipedia:

During the two-month-long battle, 27 U.S. military personnel were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions.

Of the 27 medals awarded, 22 were presented to Marines and five were presented to United States Navy sailors (four Corpsmen and one Pharmacist's Mate).

This represents over 25% of the 82 Medals of Honor awarded to Marines, and four of the seven Medals of Honor awarded to Hospital Corpsmen, in the entirety of World War II.

The 27 recipients held a wide range of ranks, from private to lieutenant colonel.

Fourteen (52%) received their awards posthumously.
 

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