The Black Sands
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1 SUMMER 2016 The Black Sands PUBLISHED BY THE IWO JIMA ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA INC. Founder Emeritus From the Executive Director MajGen Fred Haynes, USMC** Chairman Emeriti LtGen Larry Snowden, USMC Wow, it’s hard to believe that this is the LtGen H.C. “Hank” Stackpole, USMC Honorary Chairmen eighth year as your executive director. Over Gen Carl Mundy, USMC ** Gen “Chuck” Krulak, USMC the last eight years we have had a program Gen Jim Jones, USMC in February that includes visits to the Gen “Mike” Hagee, USMC Gen Jim Conway, USMC National Museum of the Marine Corps Gen Jim Amos, USMC Gen W.L. “Spider” Nyland, USMC (Love that Police Escort!) over the last two Gen Carl Fulford, USMC years we have held a memorial service at Gen “Tony” Zinni, USMC LtGen “Rusty” Blackman, USMC Marine Barracks 8th&I and of course we LtGen Ron Christmas, USMC LtGen Ron Coleman, USMC have the symposium on Saturday morning LtGen “Chip” Gregson, USMC followed by our big band dinner. LtGen Earl Hailston, USMC Col “Barney” Barnum, USMC, MOH Col Dave Severance, USMC I assure you that we as your administrative team and Board of Mr. Arnold Shapiro H.”Woody” Williams, USMC, MOH Directors have heard your complaints about the weather! We have Mr. Jerry Yellin, USAF almost been snowed out twice, and every year the icy conditions Board Of Directors President/CEO give me a heart attack as we walk toward the Iwo Jima Monument. LtGen “Norm” Smith, USMC Sr Vice President As a result of the wintery conditions the board of directors voted to Bonnie Haynes Treasurer have Art Sifuentes and myself explore the possibility of joining the Doug Meny IJAA members on the West coast. After many phone calls and back Members Gene Bell, John Butler, David Fields Ivan and forth conversations with the West Coast, we have signed a Hammond, Kevin Jarvis, Chris Johnson, Lt Col Mike Kessler, USMC, Laura Leppert, contract with the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort in Carlsbad Ira Rigger, Col Bill Rockey, USMC California. In the coming weeks we will be sending you IJAA Staff Executive Vice President information on the itinerary which includes tours of Camp Col Warren Wiedhahn, USMC Executive Director Pendleton and MCRD San Diego! We are excited to be able to join Shayne Jarosz in with the established program in California and still provide a Dir., Bus. Development LtCol Raul “Art” Sifuentes, USMC quality enjoyable and educational program which will honor our Dir., Communications Mark Stevens Iwo Jima Veterans in a warm sunny climate where we aren’t Chaplain worried about Ice! The Rev/Col. Bill M. Krulak, USMCR Attorney Of Record David Bracken, Esq. Shayne A. Jarosz Board of Advisors Gail Chatfield, Dale Cook, tom Cox, Col Executive Director Bill Davis, USMC, Ray Elliott, Joyce Faulk- ner, Joe Garza, Maj Norm Hatch, USMC, G. Wilson Horde, John Huffhines, Peter Johnson, Jr., Dan King, Donald Mates, Kathy Painton, Dale Quillen SNAIL MAIL VERSUS E-MAIL ** Deceased Should you wish in the future to receive the IJAA newsletters by e-mail versus USPS, please send your e-mail address to [email protected] Iwo Jima Association of America - Black Sands - Summer 2016 Iwo Jima 71th Anniversary Reunion of Honor - March 19, 2016 By Mark W. Stevens A view of the landing beaches from Mt. Suribachi This years Reunion of Honor (ROH) was attended desolate island. These veterans were the lucky ones by six veterans from the battle of Iwo Jima. For who got to return home. The battle of Iwo Jima was each one of these veterans, their return carried very the only battle in the Pacific that the U.S. fought, different sentiments. Emotions, that for someone where our casualties were greater than the enemies. who had not been there to experience the horror and The U.S. suffered 26,038 casualties, of which 6,821 turmoil of the battle, would be incomprehensible. were fatal. A total of approximately 21,000 Japanese troops were defending the island. The exact total Japanese casualties will probably never be known, as many as 3,000+ are possibly still entombed there. Of the 21,000 Japanese, only 216 were taken prisoner. Pictured above, from L-R are Al Eutsey, Jr., Gene Bell, Carl DeHaven, Jack Lazere, George Catellona and Jerry Yellin Our day starts out in the early morning hours where we gather in the hotel lobby so that we can be These men are returning to honor their fellow shuttled to the airport for our flight to Iwo Jima comrades who were wounded or killed on this which is set to leave at 8:00 am. 2 Iwo Jima Association of America - Black Sands - Summer 2016 This year there is but one 737 to take us to the The III MEF (III Marine Expeditionary Force), plays island. The ranks of the veterans are quickly a vital role in the Reunion of Honor. In my opinion, diminishing, which makes each of these trips that they do not get enough recognition for their efforts. much more meaningful. It won’t be to far off in the The III MEF arrives the day before the ceremony to future that only family and friends will be making “establish a support detachment on Iwo Jima … in this journey. order to ensure a successful, respectful, ceremony” and to “provide ceremonial support commensurate After a pleasant two hour flight, Iwo Jima appears with the level of contribution of the veterans who out of our windows. It is a beautiful day and the served in World War II while showing the island is clearly visible as we land. appropriate decorum for the Japanese memorial service.” This all is done with the cooperation of our hosts, the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) who are stationed on the island and supplied the majority of the transportation to the ceremony site. The Young Marines are the first to get off the aircraft so that they can assist the veterans. Next the veterans exit the plane. It is now around 10:30 am Guam time. There is no glory, no bravado in their return, just silent reflections by these men. You can see it in their faces as each one steps off of the plane. It is almost a painful expression. So many of their friends lost their lives here. The veterans are now loaded into vehicles for the journey to the top of Mt. Suribachi. The majority of everyone else is shuttled to the ceremony site by the JMSDF. Those that desire to go to Mt. Suribachi, walk the winding road in order to get there. Each of the Veterans and every guest were greeted by Lt Gen Lawrence D. Nicholson, CG, III MEF, We arrive at the top of Mt. Suribachi at around USMC as they stepped off of the plane. 11:15 am where the veterans then mingled with 3 Iwo Jima Association of America - Black Sands - Summer 2016 friends and family. A few folks had flags to raise I head back up to where the ceremony was to begin, and were kindly assisted by the Marines to do so. but not before crossing paths with Lt. Gen We were also pleasantly Nicholson, who may have been heading down to the surprised to find the Lt Gen beach for inspiration and reflection as well, prior to Lawrence D. Nicholson was presenting his talk at the ceremony. conducting promotion ceremonies for two Marines from III MEF and were privileged to be able to witness the ceremony. It was such a beautiful serene day, but one could not help but imagine what the Marines had to endure 71 years ago on the landing beaches below. About two thirds of the way back up, you are After spending an hour on Mt. Suribachi, the greeted by a Japanese pill box which still houses a veterans were whisked back down to the ceremony rusty machine gun that you are reminded also site where the program was set to start at 1 pm. greeted the landing Marines 71 years ago. At that point it was 12:30 pm and I decided now The ceremony starts promptly at 1 pm and is might be a good time to walk down to the beach for punctuated by moving speeches from U.S. and some private reflections. I passed several people Japanese dignitaries followed by a wreath laying at coming back up from the beach leaving it essentially the Reunion of Honor (ROH) monument. Wreaths deserted by that point. are traditionally laid by dignitaries and veterans, but this year was very special, as Jerry Yellin’s It is a powerful feeling, standing there alone on the granddaughter Sara, was in attendance as a beach with the waves crashing ashore. Looking representative of bereaved families. Sara laid a down at the sand terraces that 71 years ago were wreath with Bonnie Haynes who’s husband Fred being scaled by young Marines. With each two was a captain in Combat Team 28 on Iwo Jima. steps forward they took one step back, all while taking devastating enemy fire, which ended many of You say, what is so special about that. It turns out their young lives. that after the war, Jerry’s son Robert, married a 4 Iwo Jima Association of America - Black Sands - Summer 2016 Japanese woman who’s father just happened to be a reconciliation and inner peace with their former Japanese fighter pilot. So Sara has two grandparents enemies and their descendants. who fought against each other in WWII, yet she is living proof that time and love can heal old wounds.