70 Years Ago Today 2/19/45

[ouwasp]

The Marines hit Iwo Jima

https://www.google.com/search?q=iwo+...ml%3B500%3B500

[olevetonahill]

[ouwasp]

I used to have an old Marine, an Iwo vet, come talk to my class every yr, either on Veteran's Day or the anniversary of the assault on Iwo. He would recite Red Skelton's "Ragged Old Flag", and add a couple of his own verses regarding his Iwo experience. He was in the second wave that day. His best buddy was cut in half by a Jap machine gun on the beach, and this guy ended up with two purple hearts, one from Saipan, the other Iwo.

What a proud American he was. I was honored to serve as a pallbearer for him about 15 yrs ago.

[olevetonahill]

I used to have an old Marine, an Iwo vet, come talk to my class every yr, either on Veteran's Day or the anniversary of the assault on Iwo. He would recite Red Skelton's "Ragged Old Flag", and add a couple of his own verses regarding his Iwo experience. He was in the second wave that day. His best buddy was cut in half by a Jap machine gun on the beach, and this guy ended up with two purple hearts, one from Saipan, the other Iwo.

What a proud American he was. I was honored to serve as a pallbearer for him about 15 yrs ago.

Salute

[rock on sooner]

Salute

Absolutely!

[rock on sooner]

As an aside, a few years back there was an episode of NCIS that
dealt with an Iwo marine, a CMH awardee, that was a real tear
jerker...wow, just blanked on the actor's name...really good story!

[SoonerStormchaser]

Those men who fought on Iwo and are still living are badasses in a world of pansies

[rock on sooner]

Those men who fought on Iwo and are still living are badasses in a world of pansies

Not many of 'em left, either....

[SoonerStormchaser]

I'd take them vs. ISIS any day of the week...even if they are 96!