Iwo Jima: ‘The Ghastly Price of Freedom’

Breitbart's Big Peace ^ | February 21, 2014 | Jarrett Stepman

[stevem]

I believe they also had crippled bombers land on the captured airfields while the battle was in progress.

[caveat emptor]

My neighbor an anti-nuke lefty was on his way to Japan. Seventeen at the time. Saved his sorry ass.

[diogenes ghost]

I was privileged to meet Mr. Tibbets several times during his time at ExecJet, and I cherish a signed copy of his book.

He was a gentleman in all his business dealings, he simply exuded honest character.

[Figment]

Not a bad argument. Boils down to hindsight being 20/20. Too many bosses with different agendas

[Shadowstrike]

my great uncle died on Iwo Jima.

God bless you Sir, and Semper Fi.

[noinfringers2]

My brother was killed on Okinawa. A few months later I was on Leyte getting outfitted for the invasion of Japan. I was very angry about my brothers death and can honestly say I was looking for revenge. However,some common sense thinking told me the bombs were good for our side, so no regrets to this day as to use of the bombs. I have no sympathy for the people of Japan at that time.

[stevem]

My uncle, my mom’s baby brother, was 17 years old...He was the second wave to hit the beach on that first day. After surviving, one of his jobs was to guard the bodies of the dead, so their belongings would not be stolen.

I've often been terrified that I would not have had the sand needed to do what these guys did and keep moving forward straight into the fire of hell. Those of us who were never "there" probably can't fathom in our worst nightmare what hell really looks like.

Your uncle paid the ultimate price because he did what he had to do at the time in his life when he was really needed. That sentiment is for every man or woman who faces his or her crucible and keeps forging ahead when that crucible becomes his or her destination.

[rlmorel]

That is a great story. If there was ever a reason I would ride a motorcycle, it would be with Rolling Thunder.

[rlmorel]

They are indeed being undermined by the Left. Damn all of them. All of them.

[GATOR NAVY]

One of the reasons Iwo was taken was to be an emergency landing field for the B-29’s that were bombing Japan. Before the island was secured, several of our planes made emergency landings there. The decision was made at the time with the conditions that existed at the time.

It was also an early warning outpost for raids and a base for fighters that attacked the inbound and outbound bombers. Could it have been bypassed? Probably, with the acceptance of greater Air Corps casualties. Would those casualties have equaled the Marine Corps and Navy casualties in taking the island? We can argue now until the cows come home, but remember in February 1945 the atomic bomb had still not been tested, and it was not known how long the bombing campaign would continue.

[ErnBatavia]

Sure wasn’t that way when I was a Juggie in the 60’s....the term “Service Trash” still had teeth then.