Remembering Iwo Jima

71 years ago, in one week, 6821 men gave their life here. Not as much for the raising of a flag there, as much as it was for the cost of flying the flag back home. An enemy moved closer to final defeat. The victors paid a heavy price. Men died. Lives were changed forever. A page of history was indelibly written.

Let us remember those we lost that week, those many who have since joined them, and let us honor them along with the precious few who remain.

We will never forget the sacrifices. Cherish the freedom that was purchased at such a cost and can never be repaid.

#ThursdayThoughts

In our corps without responsibility and discipline we would not have won the Battle of Iwo Jima

 -LTG "Howlin' Mad" Smith

The raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next 500 years

-Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal to LTG Holland McTyeire "Howlin' Mad" Smith



These two quotes taken together say a lot about the Marine Corps. Who they are, and what they mean to our country. They have achieved a great many things in the course of this nation's history. They would not have had the pattern of success that they enjoy without the hard work, training, discipline, dedication, leadership and heartbeat of every single Marine who ever wore the uniform.

Smith cited responsibility and discipline as primary factors in the Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the hardest fought victories in the history of warfare. Other things certainly came into play on those black sand beaches so staunchly defended by a fortified, entrenched, determined enemy (so determined that around 18,000 of the estimated 21,000 died during the battle. They were not about to give up. In fact, the last ones to be captured after coming out of hiding occurred in 1949). But the greatest factor in the commander's eyes was the responsible actions of disciplined Marines.

We can only hope that Forrestal's quote finds firm footing on the pages of history when looked back on many years from now. I have little doubt, if the Marines continue to act in the manner that Marines have acted since their inception, that they will last as long as this nation lasts.

God Bless the U.S. Marine Corps!

 

Happy 240th Birthday USMC

Happy 240th Birthday United States Marine Corps

Đông Hà

Dong Ha was the northernmost city in South Vietnam. Camp Spillman, or Dong Ha Combat Base was located there, only 6 miles south of the DMZ near a major intersection of highways and rail lines. It was a highly sought, strategic location. 

Given its close proximity to the North, it was a frequent target of their rockets and artillery. Such was the case on October 30, 1968, when some 40 artillery shells rained down on the 3rd Marines stationed there. This is pure speculation on my part, but the NVA must have had some intelligence about where and when to strike on this particular evening. From the declassified command chronology monthly report, the attack claimed 5 casualties in a 1,5 hour time period, the lowest in rank being sergeants.

Sergeant John J Sapienza, and Gunnery Sergeants, James A Vance and Franklin B Gamlin all received wounds from shrapnel. All three survived these wounds. 

Killed in the attack were Master Gunnery Sergeant John Vernon Berg and Sergeant Major Harlan Lee Graham. Also killed, from another Marine unit, was Cpl Richard Eugene Turner.

Berg had served the Marines for 28 years. He was on Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima during World War 2, he fought in Korea, and he was on his third tour in Vietnam. He was a highly respected Marine and had served with distinction and valor. As you can tell by his ribbon rack, he was a Marine's Marine! You will not be forgotten by those who fought along beside you or by those left behind. There is no shortage of very fond remembrances of Berg. His loss affected the lives of many.

Berg 

Graham

There is not much information about Graham and Turner other than a few remembrances, all of which paint them as loved, honorable and missed. There is no doubt that they served their country well. All three of these men who lost their lives that afternoon 48 years ago will be remembered and loved dearly by those they left behind. Let us not forget what they did, how they fought and what they sacrificed for freedom. 

We also want to honor those that survived the attack that day. You are no less highly thought of. You have lived with what happened and had to endure it over and over again. Nothing can replace the friends and leaders you lost. Nothing can replace the time that you've spent mourning and dealing with everything you saw while serving. Nothing I can say could ever come close to making things better for you, but we want you to know, as much as we can, we thank you. 

Navy To Honor Woody Williams

Hershel Woodrow "Woody" Williams turned 92 about 3 weeks ago. He is the last living Medal of Honor recipient from Iwo Jima. There were 27 awarded, 14 posthumously. He has been honored a number of ways since that day, February 23, 1945. He has received various medals, awards, and commendations, been named to "walls of fame", had armories, bridges, and athletic centers named after him. People have recognized his service in a number of ways, all very deserving.

In addition to the Medal of Honor, he also received a Purple Heart for injuries he sustained in fighting on Iwo Jima. Woody did an amazing job on the battlefield and his legacy is well known. There are two lengthy interviews with him that are both very much worth watching, one, on C-Span in 2006 and the other with the Pritzker Institute in 2008. I have linked them below.

C-Span Interview, 2006

Pritzker Military Museum and Library Interview, 2008

Yesterday, October 20, 2015, the United States Navy announced that Woody Williams will be honored by naming a ship after him. The ship will be an expeditionary sea base. There is no specific date for when the ship would be built or dedicated.

Williams said that he was, "extremely excited and humbled” when he received a call Tuesday morning by U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, who told him the news. “It's almost beyond my imagination ... that the secretary of the Navy — and America as a whole — would think me worthy to receive such an honor,”.

You can read the entire article, from the Charleston Gazette-Mail, where it talks a little more about the honor and Williams' history.

Charleston Gazette-Mail article

I am very glad that Woody is being honored in this way. I only hope that he is able to stick around long enough to actually see it happen. Thank you Woody, for the incredible service that you have performed, not only to our country, but also to other veterans. Your love for them is obvious and exemplary. 

 Williams speaking to Iwo Jima vets in 2010

Truman presenting the Medal of Honor

Seven Men of the USS Lewis

The USS Lewis (DE-535) was a John C. Butler Class destroyer escort. She was active during the latter stages of World War II and the Korean War. She received three battle stars during WWII and one during Korea. She served in the Philippines, Okinawa, Iwo Jima and during attacks on mainland Japan.

During the Korean War, in 1952, she was operating on shore bombardment taking out many targets, from gun batteries to transports to trains. It was during one of these operations on the night of October 21, that she came to the aid of ROK minesweepers in Wonsan harbor. The Lewis started taking fire from 4 enemy batteries. She returned fire and also laid down smokescreens so the minesweepers could safely retreat. She took two 75mm shell hits around this time, the first striking the forward fire room and #1 boiler. This resulted in the death of seven men.

Those seven men died while working to silence the enemy intent on killing all the men on board the Lewis as well as all of the men aboard the two South Korean minesweepers. They died not only in service to their country and in defense of freedom, but also in defense of those who stood side by side with them, their brothers in arms.

The seven men who paid the ultimate price that night are not forgotten by their families or their brothers in arms. They are remembered at every reunion by those who remain. Let us join with them in remembrance of those seven men.

Richard Eugene Brower

James Theodore Crossman

Arnold William Karlin

Raymond Edwin Remers

David John Schmit

George Alfred Schofeild Jr.

Floyd Sneed

USS Lewis (DE-535)

USS Brush (DD-745)

The USS Brush was one of 58 Allen M Sumner-class destroyers built during World War II. She was commissioned on April 17, 1944. Even with a somewhat late entry into the war, she still received five battle stars before the war ended, including Leyte, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

During the Korean war, for which she received four more battle stars, the Brush was part of Task Force 77, participating in screening carriers launching air strikes and also shore bombardment operations. It was during one of these bombardments, on September 26, 1950 that she hit a mine in the waters near Tanchon, Korea. In addition to dozens of injured, the following men were killed in the ensuing explosion:

John David Beagles

James Robert Colleran

Frank Allen Davis

Bobby Eugene Freeman

Meyer Louis Getz

David Morrell Grubb

Dale Lloyd Hoover

Gordon Eugene Johnson

Henry Dean Little

Warren Maxwell Shepherd

Eugene Leroy Timmons

William Duffy Morris

Oliver Clyde Sexon

Willie Henry Fisher Jr.

Also listed as having died one year and a day later, but presumably from the same incident, 

Bennie Joe Berryman

All of these men died while serving their country and in the direct protection of their fellow men who were fighting the war. Let us no forget, even 65 years later, what their sacrifices mean. Also, let us than all of those injured and all of the other men that have served aboard the USS Brush in their careers.

The Brush went on to three tours in Vietnam as well, before she was decommissioned in 1969

USS West Virginia (BB-48)

The USS West Virginia was a Colorado Class battleship launched in 1921, commissioned on December 1, 1923. Sent to Hawaii in 1940 to guard against a potential Japanese attack, she was moored in Pearl Harbor when that attack happened. She was hit by two bombs, both duds, and 6 torpedoes. She was sunk with the loss of 106 men. Rescuers can be seen pulling a man from the water around the West Virginia below.

After salvage and repairs, she sailed to Puget Sound Navy Yard for extensive repair and re-fitting, adding over 90 twenty and forty mm cannons. In addition to her main 16 and 5 inch guns, she was very formidable upon return to the Pacific. When she left Puget Sound, she headed for Leyte Gulf in the Philippines, where she participated in the landings and later the Battle of Leyte Gulf. She also was involved in later actions around the islands of the Philippines. She also participated in the Iwo Jima and Okinawa campaigns, using her guns to great effect. At the end of the war, she was in Tokyo Bay as the Japanese surrendered. The USS West Virginia ended her war duty in Operation Magic Carpet, which brought home over 8 million Americans fighting around the globe. She made three trips as part of this homecoming operation.

Today, September 23, 1944 is the day the mighty USS West Virginia returned to Pearl Harbor and beagn her service avenging the attack there almost 3 years earlier. She was the last of the ships damaged to return to service. Last, but not least by any means. She earned 5 battle stars during World War II.

We salute those 106 men who died from the USS West Virginia on December 7, 1941. We also salute all of those who served aboard her, before and after the war. The service and sacrifices are immeasurable.