Semper Fi......

[LarryJ]

The last known surviving flag-raiser, Charles W. Lindberg, who helped put up the first flag, died Sunday in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina. He was 86.

semper fi brother!

[Berta]

Yes- Semper fi to all of these beloved men-sad news-

The photo of Iwo Jima is my screen saver.

When I was about 12 years old I got off a school bus at Arlington and stood amazed at what was before me- the enormous bronze status of Iwo Jima that we all are so familiar with.

The detail and the wonder of this wonderful sculpture-true to the famous photo-

made me feel as though my life would be affected by it all.

My family is from Europe and from a Native American Indian Tribe.

The tribe had war veterans but my European part of family didnt have any American veterans.

I dont know why but here I am decades after seeing this statue-

a widow of a combat Marine and a student of the United States Marine Corps at AMU.

BTW all- see "Flag of our Fathers "if you can-

I saw the other movie-- "Letters from Iwo Jima "all in Japanese with subtitles-

but am taping the American version today-

"Letters" was wonderful -dont know if they will show it at the local VA-they have a movie theatre-

to many WWII vets- the Japanese are still 'Japs' ,pardon that awful word)and still the enemy-

The movie was wonderful.

Kids-on both sides- fighting for Suribachi.

BTW all- you all know I am sure- that the famous Iwo photo was of the second flag raising-not the first.

[LarryJ]

..........and the Japs are apparently still disgraced by the outcome of the WWII, to the point of changing the name of the island of Iwo Jima. I guess that they are STILL operating upon the illusion that if you don't talk about it and manage to do away with all the historical appendages connected with IT (WWII), then it will just go away.

They STILL do NOT teach ANYTHING about WWII in any of their school classrooms........

And, they murdered my Uncle, so if I should accidently slip and call them Japs.....well, darn, I guess I'm just not very Politically Correct.

Shot him first, then cut off his head when he fell down, on the Bataan Stroll.

My Bad.

[Berta]

a couple WWII vets threw a VA meal at my husband when he worked in Dietitics at the local VA-

there was rice in it-

most diet cards of vets at VAMCs however state clearly their diet restrictions and their aversions-for every patient there-

Some of the Nam VAMC vets refused to eat rice too- guess this should all be in social- but -oh well-

And dont even mention sauerkraut to some of these WWIIers-

I have been greatly touched by the interviews at Pearl between both the Japanese vets and the American vets who were there then-

It was difficult for many of them to even think of talking to their enemy counterparts-

but once they started talking - Japanese vet to American vet-

it is stuff like this that should be in the high schools and the history books.

I could talk about this subject all day so I better go-I do understand your feelings.

War is Hell on Earth and nothing can ever alter that fact.

[Flatbroke]

The last known surviving flag-raiser, Charles W. Lindberg, who helped put up the first flag, died Sunday in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina. He was 86.

semper fi brother!

Saw on the internet an article from The Boston Globe. There is a team on Iwo JIma searching for the remaions of Sgt William Genaust, of the 28th Marines, who was the marine photographer at the flag raising ( i think he took the movie picture) and was killed 9 days later while helping some marine securs a cave.

semper fi brother!