The View from Two Marine's Eyes
And They Lived to Talk About It
It was February 1945 in the middle of Iwo Jima, two American Marines were awaiting to charged, with a mission to take over three airfields of Iwo Jima, they've been there since September of 1944. However, this day will go down in history as D-Day. They were both ready to fight and maybe even give their lives in their first war. It was an invasion that would take over 21,000 American soldiers lives. One was John, a 18 year-old from Jackson, Mississippi and the other was Thomas, a 19 year-old from Bristol, Illinois. Both with fear in their eyes and soon more blood on their hands.
They were in the 407 th Regiment, 102 nd Infantry Division, near Glimbach, Ruhr Arca, in Germany. They were heading towards Koffern and Dinguchoff, with the intention of seizing the high terrain. As the Marines invaded the beaches and high terrain, they met little hostile fire, many thought it was due to the massive air attacks by the U.S. Only after the front wave reached a line of Japanese bunkers, with machine gunners did they take on hostile fire and where they took many loss of American lives.
Soon after John and Thomas made it through the invasion, too bad they could not say the same for many of their brothers. However; the one thing they walked away with was being a witness of one of America's most heroic photograph's to date. It was February 23 rd, 1945, it was called "The Rising of the Flag on Iwo Jima" is shows five American Marines and U.S. Navy Corpsman raising the flag of the United States atop Mt. Suribechi.
To date it is the only photograph of war that won the Pulitzer Prize the same year it was published. It is also the most recognizable images of war. John and Thomas both married and started families since coming back home. And on February, 19 1985, on the 40 th anniversary of the landings, both John, Thomas and their brothers, along with the soldiers that fought for Japan were honored at a memorial service, that took place on the beach where the U.S. first invaded.
Both John and Thomas try to make it to every memorial service, but age and time is catching up with them. They both have son's serving in the Marines and they go in their places to represent them and honor both their father's and fallen brothers.
They were in the 407 th Regiment, 102 nd Infantry Division, near Glimbach, Ruhr Arca, in Germany. They were heading towards Koffern and Dinguchoff, with the intention of seizing the high terrain. As the Marines invaded the beaches and high terrain, they met little hostile fire, many thought it was due to the massive air attacks by the U.S. Only after the front wave reached a line of Japanese bunkers, with machine gunners did they take on hostile fire and where they took many loss of American lives.
Soon after John and Thomas made it through the invasion, too bad they could not say the same for many of their brothers. However; the one thing they walked away with was being a witness of one of America's most heroic photograph's to date. It was February 23 rd, 1945, it was called "The Rising of the Flag on Iwo Jima" is shows five American Marines and U.S. Navy Corpsman raising the flag of the United States atop Mt. Suribechi.
To date it is the only photograph of war that won the Pulitzer Prize the same year it was published. It is also the most recognizable images of war. John and Thomas both married and started families since coming back home. And on February, 19 1985, on the 40 th anniversary of the landings, both John, Thomas and their brothers, along with the soldiers that fought for Japan were honored at a memorial service, that took place on the beach where the U.S. first invaded.
Both John and Thomas try to make it to every memorial service, but age and time is catching up with them. They both have son's serving in the Marines and they go in their places to represent them and honor both their father's and fallen brothers.
Published by Patricia Tibbits
I am a single mother of 3 beautiful children. I am the baby of 7 children. Born and rasied in Chicago, IL. I have been through serveral bad experiences, that I have learned and grew from and willing to share... View profile
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