Honoring the 160 Marines killed on this day on Iwo Jima

Unto the Breach ^ | Feb. 25, 2021 | Chris Carter

[fugazi]

Most of us alive today can’t even begin to imagine the nightmare that our young men endured on Iwo Jima 76 years ago. Feb. 25, 1945 was two days after the Marines famously raised the American flag atop Mount Suribachi, but the Japanese defenders would throw everything they had at the Americans until they have nothing left, and 160 Marines lost their lives on this date.

Most of these men are teenagers, fresh from high school — if they even stayed long enough to graduate. 36 lived long enough to leave behind widows. In addition to those listed as “missing-killed in action,” several families will never have a body to bury or visit since the remains of their loved one who died of wounds or were killed in action were lost on the battlefield. Hundreds of Marines that survive this day are wounded: shot, hit by fragments, buried alive, burned… and those who escaped injury — horribly scarred by their experiences — faced fatigue, hunger, and thirst on a level we can’t fathom. Many of these men died of wounds they had suffered previously. Those who are mortally wounded on this day will also suffer terribly before they succumb to their wounds days, weeks, or months later. Many of the fallen left behind brothers that fought elsewhere in the Pacific or Europe — or in some cases on Iwo Jima.

[...]

ABRAMS, Leon J., Cpl., USMC. Father, Mr. Samuel Abrams, 25 Ryan St., New Bedford, Mass, CoA, 1stBn, 24thMar, 4thMarDiv

ALTHAMAR, Harry F., Cpl., USMC. Mother, Mrs. Helen Althamar, 5218 North Liano Ave., Chicago, Ill, HqCo, 1stBn, 26thMar, 5thMarDiv

ALWARD, Everett Vyron, Major, USMC. Wife, Mrs. Geraldine B. Alward, Westwinds, Jamestown, RI, commanding officer of Marine Fighting Squadron 123 (VMF-123) aboard USS BENNINTON, MISSING-KILLED IN ACTION

[Irenic]

Thank you, Marines.

When your country called, you gave everything.

/ hand over heart

[Bill of Rights FIRST]

God bless them all!

[Huskrrrr]

Can’t imagine what those brave men endured. Thank you!

[oh8eleven]

Semper Fi ...

[A Navy Vet]

The Thin Red Line movie about Guadalcanal shows the horrific fighting and lack of water they dealt with. I suggest anyone with a squeamish stomach not watch it. Once the Marines made it up to the main Jap encampment, the fight was barbaric. The advancement up the hill was bad enough, but at the top was worse.

I know there are a lot of realistic movies that captured the awful island hopping of the Marines. The above is one of if not the worse.

[dsc]

“The Corps lives forever, which means that you live forever.”
R. Lee Ermy

Their courage is stunning.

[Irenic]

Amen

[Midwesterner53]

As we watch it all torn down, I thank God my Army Great Great Grandfather, Grandfather, Dad and Father in Law are not here to see what has happened to this country.

[JonPreston]

I had the honor of being coached little league by a Marine who fought on Iwo Jima. In later life we worked together, with me as his apprentice. He was one of a few mentors I had in life that I’ll never forget. Truly the Greatest Generation.

[Achilleus]

All down the tubes because of vote fraud and a very corrupt bunch of you know whats

[Irenic]

Doesn’t change the good they did but it sure changes how we look at ourselves in the mirror, if we can.