MARINES TAKE SURIBACHI, CHIEF POINT ON IWO; 5 AIR FORCES JOIN TO CRIPPLE REICH RAILWAYS (2/23/45)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 2/23/45 | Warren Moscow, S/Sgt David Dempsey, Charles E. Egan, Harold Callender, Clifton Daniel, Gene Currivan

[Old Sarge]

Has it really been 70 years!?

The youngest of those Marines is at least 88, if they’re still around.

[Western Phil]

“February 18: “Five hundred Jews married to Christians are seized throughout Germany and deported to the Theresienstadt,”

The destruction of Dresden allows Victor Klemperer, a relative of the conductor, a WWl hero married to a Christian, who had survived WWll living in Dresden to escape from this edict. “I WILL BEAR WITNESS, a diary of the Nazi Years, 1942-1945.”

[Hebrews 11:6]

When I was in my late teens in the '60s I often played golf with several WW 1 veterans, some of whom had been gassed in the trenches in France. I was very appreciative of the opportunity to get to know them and hear their experiences 50 years after the fact, and because I appeared appreciative they welcomed and befriended me. That's now a treasured memory for me.

I'm now approaching the age they were then. They'd all be 120 by now...

[Steven Scharf]

At the second raising of a flag on the peak, Joe Rosenthal photographed five Marines:

Ira Hayes, born January 12, 1923, died January 24, 1955 (would have been 22 on February 23, 1945, would be 92 today)

Mike Strank, born November 10, 1919, died March 1, 1945 at Iwo Jima (would have been 25 on February 23, 1945, would be 95 today)

Rene Gagnon, born March 7, 1925, died October 12, 1979 (would have been 19 on February 23, 1945, would be 89 today)

Harlon Block, born November 6, 1924, died March 1, 1945 (would have been 20 on February 23, 1945, would be 90 today)

Franklin Sousley, born September 19, 1925, died March 21, 1945 (would have been 20 on February 23, 1945, would be 90 today)

and

U.S. Navy corpsman John Bradley, born July 10, 1923, died March 21, 1945 (would have been 22 on January 1, 1994, would be 92 today) raising the United States flag on the fourth day of the battle (February 23).

[It appears that John Bradly was the only one who raised both the first andsecond flag]

On February 23, Bradley and another navy corpsman, Phm2c Gerald Ziehme,[2] were part of the 40-man combat patrol led by 1st Lt. Harold Schrier of E Company that successfully climbed up Mount Suribachi to capture the summit and raise the American flag. Bradley was one of those that helped secure the [first] flagpipe in the ground after it was raised and planted.

[untenured]

Much of the war reporting throughout, much of it filed from HQ, has to this point been optimistic, Pollyannish even. David Dempsey’s report on p.4 may be, in contrast, the most somber thing I have seen yet in the pages of the Times since the U.S. entered the war.

[henkster]

I’m not sure if there is a more iconic American photograph than the flag going up on Mt. Suribachi.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

And to think Joe Rosenthal wasn’t even looking through the view finder when he snapped it.

[colorado tanker]

After three days of the worst carnage in the Pacific, to see the Stars and Stripes on Suribachi must have immeasurably pumped up morale all over the island.

[henkster]

And to think Joe Rosenthal wasn’t even looking through the view finder when he snapped it.

And that's why Joe Rosenthal was a professional. Under those circumstances I would have snapped a blurry photo of Bill Ganaust's butt.

[henkster]

400,000 is a lot of men to lose in any war.

If you average 11,000,000 military deaths over 47 months of combat, this is what the Soviet Union lost every two months.

[colorado tanker]

The Germans suffered more than 10 times our dead. Following the daily fighting in the East as we have now for several years explains why.

One of the images that has stayed with me is the smiling, jovial German ski trooper high in the Caucasus Mountains, certain of German victory and oblivious to the Stalingrad disaster that was in his near future. It has been a long and bloody trail from there to Kustrin. No more smiles.

[tet68]

Tet68 says, “We’ll know we are winning the war on terror
when the Stars and Stripes are raised over Mecca!”

[Hebrews 11:6]

Hebrews 11:6 says, "We'll know the war on terror is won when Jesus Christ sits upon His white horse!"

"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." Rev. 19:11-16