My dad was at Iwo Jima 60 years ago, on the

[Ilsa]

APA-61 Barrow, which participated in the assault. He was aboard ship. Someone else he came to know much later was one of the Marines that went ashore and fought there. Anyone else have family there at that time?


"On 19 February 1945, the 5th Marine Amphibious Corps (consisting of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Marine Divisions) landed on Iwo Jima (Sulphur Island). When the battle was over, 6821 American Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers , along with an estimated 20,000+ Japanese defenders had died. This was Americas first landing on what was considered traditional Japanese territory. It was the beginning of the end."

[leftofthedial]

1. hats off to your dad!

My dad was a B-29 pilot at the end of WWII (and then a bomber pilot for petty much the rest of his life).

[JimmyJazz]

2. You don't say if your father is still with us. If he is not,

I am sorry for your loss. If he is, thank him for his service. Lefties get bashed for hating the troops, but that isn't true - it's unjustified invasions that sorta stick in our throats. We love the troops and those who sacrificed so much for us. :hug: for you.

[Ilsa]

12. Thanks. He's alive, a widower, and occasionally a liberal.

He even doesn't care if gays get married. But he gets mad if there are gay parades and people are dressed "weird".

On edit: Actually, he's mostly a liberal. He's a good Baptist Christian, but he really believes in Christ's teachings, not in judging people.

[oneighty]

3. Navy ship mate of mine

Went in with the Marines. He was shot. During hospitalization they discovered he was under age and kicked him out. A year or so later he joined the Navy and retired years later.

180

[Ilsa]

13. Yeah. almost 18 when his ship went in. Said he joined the Navy

to get fed regularly. Hates being in cafeteria lines now, though.

[candy]

4. How proud of your Dad you must be--

He was probably a very young man at the time. They were all so brave and we owe them much thanks.

[Ilsa]

17. Yeah, he used to tell us stories over dinner. I think he may have had

some PTSD then. He referred to emotional problems of others as being "shell-shocked", the typical term for it at that time.

[WarNoMore]

5. MY stepdad (at age 17) had always wanted to go to China.

He just happened to be on his way there, with a stopover in Hawaii (Diamond Head)? He went from there through the entire Pacific campaign and ended up as part of the occupation of Japan. He did'nt come home for 5 years. He earned many medals. I also know first hand how it affected him for many, many years. At one time he had a Japanese flag from the downing of a plane at Pearl Harbor, and a Japanese sword, plus a fantastic Marine scrapbook. Other family members let all that disappear, tho' I do have some of his medals. Oh, he was a Marine.

[BrotherBuzz]

19. My Pop did make it to China during that war...

He was drafted into the navy and assigned to a sea-going tug that was stationed in Tsingtao (Qingdao), China. I always heard odd stories from him: "I slept in a Bavarian villa during the war" - Dad, you were in China. "I moonlighted in a German brewery during the war" - Dad, you were in China. On and on it went until he explained that he was home ported in a small German settlement in China (think Tsingtao think German beer). Finally, he told me, "I fought the Chinese during the war" - Dad, we were fighting the Japanese. He explained that his one and only only battle during the war was against Chinese communist insurgents that were intent on stealing disabled and abandoned US warships that he was sent to salvage. He had, in fact, fought the first battle of WWIII...I guess.

Oh, his war booty was a neat small carved box full of pearls, both black and white, and a pearl engagement ring to include a wedding band, both made from way too soft gold (24k) for his fiancé, my momma. Momma never did get a diamond ring...;)

[Illinois_Dem]

6. My Dad fought his way across the Pacific.

He was with the 3rd Marine Division and wound up losing his leg BTK, for which he received a Purple heart and a Bronze Star. Dad's been gone now since 1999, and Mom since 2003. Like most members of 'The Greatest Generation', he never considered what he did to be exceptional.

[rustydog]

7. If ever there were HEROES, your dad is one of them

If not for people like your dad, we would probably be saying "Seig heil" to our leader.

My grandfather served but not in the Pacific Theater.
Thank your father for me please.

[Sympleesmshn]

8. My grandfather was in the Navy

provided fire support through the night. His quarters were under the 5 inch gun and it fired a star shell ever 5 minutes into the valley. Their guns had one kill they could see from the boat. One night they brought Marines on board to have a hot meal and a warm dry bed. They only did it once because one of the Marines took off his helmet and tried to dig a foxhole in the deck of the Destroyer. Those boys had some real "shell shock". The ship was part of the 7th fleet, made every major engagement in the south pacific until they were hit and limped back to Brooklyn.

[xmas74]

9. No.

My grandfather was a Ranger (3rd Battalion). He was in North Africa and Italy. He was a POW but returned to service shortly after rescue.
If you are trying to find someone there are many wonderful sites and message boards out there. My family has been posting at one and have found a couple of people who knew my grandfather. He wouldn't tell us what the war was like when he was alive, so this is a way for us to know him now that he was gone.
If you would like, I will find the links for you and post them sometime. Maybe you can find someone there who served with him.
And, if he is still with us, thank him.

[Sympleesmshn]

10. I would love some links myself

My grandfather has taken me to some of the reunions but i would love to try to find some of the Marines that spent a night on his ship during the Pacific campiagn...

[xmas74]

11. No problem.

I will look around.
I go to Ranger.org but they might have something for the other branches out there.

[DrWeird]

14. Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal.

Great uncle, I think, on my dad's side of the family. I really don't know much about him.

Now my paternal grandfather, he was in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, tracked the Yamato off the Aleutian Islands, and patrolled the Japanese coast in early 1942. He's the one who sat me on his knee and told me all the exciting stories.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

15. Yes, My Uncle Gunnery Sgt Russell

was there

[Ilsa]

16. My mom worked for the War Dept in Houston Tx

while Dad was in the Navy. She took a bus at 6:15 every morning. Got home late every night. Long hours. She died over four years ago.

Sometimes I think we're prone to forgetting these other patriots.

[Ilsa]

18. Hugs to all of you and your families who were there or in other campaigns,

and serving in other ways, like my mom. Those people really gave of themselves. And the civilians had supplies rationed. There is no such sacrifice required of most citizens these days.

[HEyHEY]

20. BS! Dems or family members of dems don't fight in wars!

Don't you listen to O'REilly?

[RetroLounge]

21. My Dad's Uncle was in the Pacific and something of a hero

Captured and was part of the Bataan Death March and spent the rest of the war in a Japanese POW camp. He was very near Hiroshima when the bomb dropped and was burned pretty bad.

Fucked him up but good...

RL

[maveric]

22. My Uncle Louie was in first wave of the landing.

Most of the guys in his unit died there. He and his buddy, a guy named Lee Marvin, managed to survive that whole mess.