Seventy-Five Years Ago....Start of the Battle For Iwo Jima
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Seventy-Five Years Ago....Start of the Battle For Iwo Jima
Seventy-Five Years ago today....the US Marine Corps and other units of the US Military invaded Iwo Jima which became an iconic event for the Marines.
The following is a recounting of an event that took place many years later but demonstrates the significance that place holds for a Marine.
It tells of an airline flight for 165 Marines headed to combat in Vietnam.
https://www.gvnews.com/opinion/edito...0rmBXI5MKpI8Sw
The following is a recounting of an event that took place many years later but demonstrates the significance that place holds for a Marine.
It tells of an airline flight for 165 Marines headed to combat in Vietnam.
https://www.gvnews.com/opinion/edito...0rmBXI5MKpI8Sw
Thanks for posting that, SAS. A very evocative story.
I was on Guadalcanal 40+ years ago and visited the scene of one of the major battles between a vastly outnumbered US company and Japanese forces. It was good to see that even 30+ years afterwards, it was visited by large numbers of Americans, as witnessed by the small flags placed on the site.
I was on Guadalcanal 40+ years ago and visited the scene of one of the major battles between a vastly outnumbered US company and Japanese forces. It was good to see that even 30+ years afterwards, it was visited by large numbers of Americans, as witnessed by the small flags placed on the site.
Thanks for that, SASless.
Semper Fi, Marines.
Semper Fi, Marines.
Seventy-Five Years ago today....the US Marine Corps and other units of the US Military invaded Iwo Jima which became an iconic event for the Marines.
The following is a recounting of an event that took place many years later but demonstrates the significance that place holds for a Marine.
It tells of an airline flight for 165 Marines headed to combat in Vietnam.
https://www.gvnews.com/opinion/edito...0rmBXI5MKpI8Sw
The following is a recounting of an event that took place many years later but demonstrates the significance that place holds for a Marine.
It tells of an airline flight for 165 Marines headed to combat in Vietnam.
https://www.gvnews.com/opinion/edito...0rmBXI5MKpI8Sw
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Attribution: Green Valley News, Bill Knowles, 18 Feb 2018,
Attribution: Green Valley News, Bill Knowles, 18 Feb 2018,
Monday marks the 73rd anniversary of the start of the Battle of Iwo Jima. This column by Bill Knowles was first published in 2014. Bill died in September, and we're rerunning this in his memory and that of all our veterans.
Off and on during my adult years I have associated with members of the United States Marine Corps, and these short interludes have been worthwhile in all respects; most recently I have shared a mutual volunteer chore with a retired member of the Marines, a local guy by the name of Master Gunny Bob Duerden. Another great member of the “Corps.”
For Bob and the rest of our local retired Marines, here is a story about 165 Marines on their way to war!
During the years 1963 to 1971, I had the privilege of managing the flight operation of a 13-plane fleet of Boeing 320C aircraft carrying troops and/or cargo from United State’s shores to Southeast Asia and the war known as Vietnam. When carrying Marines, our flights progressed from the USMC base at Pendleton, in Southern California, to Honolulu thence to the Marine base in Okinawa and then to Da Nang in Vietnam, where the Marines would board their own helicopters to proceed to their in-country posts.
It was a typical lovely Sunday that we departed Honolulu bound for Okinawa; there were three cockpit crew members , eight cabin flight attendants and 165 members of the USMC in this gold-tailed Boeing 320C Intercontinental jet capable of flying nonstop some 13 hours and more than 6,000 miles.
Over the Pacific Ocean the skies were clear and the ride was smooth … most of our passengers quickly fell asleep. Some seven hours later, a smidgen of light coming up on our tail suggested the arrival of the morning sunrise; I called the first flight attendant to the cockpit and asked about the well-being of the passengers and when she was planning to awaken them for their breakfast.
“We have a small gift for the Marines coming up in 20 minutes but I need them all to be awake.”
She answered that she would awaken them now and serve breakfast when I advised her.
During flight planning, before departure from Honolulu, the en route winds and weather suggested a route that took us directly over the islands of Iwo Jima — these islands were deeply etched in the history of the USMC in World War II — and forecast winds would result in a flight faster than the normal for this route.
I called the first flight attendant on the intercom and advised her that I would be making a PA to the passengers in about 10 minutes and that after that please do not serve any beverages until we had passed Iwo Jima. A short time later our weather radar picked up the Iwo Jima Islands on the nose 40 miles ahead; I made the following PA to the passengers: “Gentlemen, I hope that you have been comfortable … we are ahead of schedule and we have a small gift for you this morning … in about 12 minutes we will pass directly over the islands of Iwo Jima where earlier members of your Marines fought so gallantly in World War II. We will circle the islands two ways so that all of you will have a great view.
The Pacific Ocean six miles below was glassy smooth and deep blue, it was an outstanding morning.
As we started our circle of the islands below, the first flight attendant came into the cockpit saying, “Captain, look back through the cockpit door at the passengers.”
She opened wide the cockpit door.
The First Sergeant had every Marine aboard standing up, at attention and these 165 proud warriors were singing the Marine Corps hymn as we passed over these Iwo Jima islands where so many of their brothers had earlier fallen.
The cabin of the aircraft had taken on all those qualities of a land-based church; I really do not think that, including the cockpit, there was a dry eye aboard this flight, on this morning, so far from home. The hymn from 165 Marine voices reached every nook and cranny of this largest of Boeing aircraft on this peaceful morning … never to be forgotten.
Later arriving at Okinawa , where the Marines would spend a week or so before heading for Da Nang to join their fellow Marines, as our crew descended the steps after the passengers has proceeded us, we heard a great “Thank you, crew” from 165 proud Marines. It was a gratifying moment!
Of 157 flights across the Pacific, that particular trip — with 165 of the nation’s finest – will live forever in the memory of this flight crew member.
Off and on during my adult years I have associated with members of the United States Marine Corps, and these short interludes have been worthwhile in all respects; most recently I have shared a mutual volunteer chore with a retired member of the Marines, a local guy by the name of Master Gunny Bob Duerden. Another great member of the “Corps.”
For Bob and the rest of our local retired Marines, here is a story about 165 Marines on their way to war!
During the years 1963 to 1971, I had the privilege of managing the flight operation of a 13-plane fleet of Boeing 320C aircraft carrying troops and/or cargo from United State’s shores to Southeast Asia and the war known as Vietnam. When carrying Marines, our flights progressed from the USMC base at Pendleton, in Southern California, to Honolulu thence to the Marine base in Okinawa and then to Da Nang in Vietnam, where the Marines would board their own helicopters to proceed to their in-country posts.
It was a typical lovely Sunday that we departed Honolulu bound for Okinawa; there were three cockpit crew members , eight cabin flight attendants and 165 members of the USMC in this gold-tailed Boeing 320C Intercontinental jet capable of flying nonstop some 13 hours and more than 6,000 miles.
Over the Pacific Ocean the skies were clear and the ride was smooth … most of our passengers quickly fell asleep. Some seven hours later, a smidgen of light coming up on our tail suggested the arrival of the morning sunrise; I called the first flight attendant to the cockpit and asked about the well-being of the passengers and when she was planning to awaken them for their breakfast.
“We have a small gift for the Marines coming up in 20 minutes but I need them all to be awake.”
She answered that she would awaken them now and serve breakfast when I advised her.
During flight planning, before departure from Honolulu, the en route winds and weather suggested a route that took us directly over the islands of Iwo Jima — these islands were deeply etched in the history of the USMC in World War II — and forecast winds would result in a flight faster than the normal for this route.
I called the first flight attendant on the intercom and advised her that I would be making a PA to the passengers in about 10 minutes and that after that please do not serve any beverages until we had passed Iwo Jima. A short time later our weather radar picked up the Iwo Jima Islands on the nose 40 miles ahead; I made the following PA to the passengers: “Gentlemen, I hope that you have been comfortable … we are ahead of schedule and we have a small gift for you this morning … in about 12 minutes we will pass directly over the islands of Iwo Jima where earlier members of your Marines fought so gallantly in World War II. We will circle the islands two ways so that all of you will have a great view.
The Pacific Ocean six miles below was glassy smooth and deep blue, it was an outstanding morning.
As we started our circle of the islands below, the first flight attendant came into the cockpit saying, “Captain, look back through the cockpit door at the passengers.”
She opened wide the cockpit door.
The First Sergeant had every Marine aboard standing up, at attention and these 165 proud warriors were singing the Marine Corps hymn as we passed over these Iwo Jima islands where so many of their brothers had earlier fallen.
The cabin of the aircraft had taken on all those qualities of a land-based church; I really do not think that, including the cockpit, there was a dry eye aboard this flight, on this morning, so far from home. The hymn from 165 Marine voices reached every nook and cranny of this largest of Boeing aircraft on this peaceful morning … never to be forgotten.
Later arriving at Okinawa , where the Marines would spend a week or so before heading for Da Nang to join their fellow Marines, as our crew descended the steps after the passengers has proceeded us, we heard a great “Thank you, crew” from 165 proud Marines. It was a gratifying moment!
Of 157 flights across the Pacific, that particular trip — with 165 of the nation’s finest – will live forever in the memory of this flight crew member.
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Actual film of the combat on Iwo.
Easy to see why we tip our hats to those who served in that battle.
Some of it is not pretty....but then War is an ugly thing.
Easy to see why we tip our hats to those who served in that battle.
Some of it is not pretty....but then War is an ugly thing.
For those who run into blockages ...
Attribution: Green Valley News, Bill Knowles, 18 Feb 2018,
Attribution: Green Valley News, Bill Knowles, 18 Feb 2018,
