I remember it, 66 years later....Iwo Jima, One of the most intensive battles I've ever been in since I've been in the Marine Corps. I had just gotten promoted to Sgt. I was assigned to the 1st Marine Division. I remember walking up a giant hill, It was quiet, As if the Japanese high tailed it out of there. A few minutes later I saw members of my squad get mowed down by a machine gun nest. A couple of our M4A3 Sherman's got hit by shore guns. They were waiting for us. It was an ambush. The Japs were getting desperate, they were using fighter planes and ramming them into ships like Aircraft carriers and Destroyers, they called them "Kamikaze's" or "Divine Wind." I remember laying in the dirt, in cover, trying to avoid being hit by machine guns and on top of that, shore guns. I remember after all the carnage and blood shed, thinking back during Guadalcanal when I was a LCpl, had a small reunion with some old buddies back from high school, it was great seeing them. I asked to see if they were around. A corporal said "Sorry Sgt. They didn't make it. They were killed in action there in the Philippines in '44. Sorry Sgt." I thanked him and continued on to get my mail. I got a letter from home. It felt like forever since I heard anything. The St. Louis Browns gained their first "physically challenged" player named Pete Gray, he lost his right arm in a childhood accident. Jason Brown, the old high school football captain died in a car accident. Him and I were cool in high school but not all that much. My sister got married to her boyfriend, they are expecting their first child soon. The chief of police retired with full benefits. He was a good friend to our family, he sent me a .357 through the mail. I haven't used it that much. I was surprised he sent me his .357 though, the chief worshiped that pistol, more than his wife. He took great care of it! They are saying that the war in Europe may be over soon, so may the war here in the Pacific. God I hope so. I'm sick of being here. All these damn mosquitoes and the humidity and heat! How these people stand this I have no clue. I'm just praying I get out of here in one piece and alive.
