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My morning, part 3

NanceUSMC

By NanceUSMC,
in Huddle Lounge

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NanceUSMC

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Some of you have asked me to keep the updates coming, so here is the latest...

I took today off work and went back to the donut shop this morning... This time, I was armed with my laptop, the documentary Iwo Jima - 36 Days of Hell, and a brand new copy of The Pacific. Don was there, of course, even though we had originally planned to meet tomorrow morning. I came in, shook his hand, and he immediately noticed I had something behind my back. I handed him the copy of The Pacific, still wrapped in it's new plastic. He looked at me, a bit confused, and asked why I hadn't taken it out of the pack yet. I told him "That's yours". He reminded me "you know how much that costs?" I told him I figured he'd earned his own copy. I pulled up the documentary on my laptop, which is filled with interviews of men who survived the fighting on the island. We watched 10 minutes or so of it, the whole time with him saying "I didn't know him.", "I might know him." and "I remember him!" He watched it, pointing out at various points where he would have been, and describing what it was like. He again made the comment that he wanted to return to the island. I very matter of factly asked him "are you sure you'd like to do that?" He said "more than anything". I told him "I can't promise anything, but if I can find a way to make it happen, would you go?" He got a huge grin and a shine in his eye and said "in a flat minute!" He said "I want to walk up those dunes of sand one more time." I told him I'd been doing some research and have spoken to the only company allowed to land on the island. I have travel details, prices, and approximate dates of the next trip to Iwo (the trip itself hasn't yet been scheduled by the company). I told him if I'm able to work it out, I want to go too! He told me that would be great, and that he would show me around. lol So, now I have my mission, and I'm relatively sure I can work this out and make it happen, at least for just him, if not both of us.

At this point, he went back to his car to get some pictures. Many of them he had shown me last week, but he had a disk full of photos taken by the regimental photographers on the island during the battle. These were exceptional. Then he pulled out a piece of paper, with what looked like a photocopy reprint, of a very old photo on it. I asked him if he minded me scanning it, and sharing it with all of you guys. So, with that being said, I'd like to introduce you all to my friend Don Graves, USMC, February 19, 1945.

DonGraves-IwoJimaFeb191945.jpg

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NanceUSMC Newbie

NanceUSMC

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that is incredible. I hope both of you get to go, I know this is just as special for you as it would be for him. Especially having someone who was in the war there to show YOU around. Incredible.

It's been somewhere I've wanted to visit for, well, for as long as I've been a Marine... But, never somewhere I figured would be plausible, or at least something I have always thought of as being able to do 'one day'... Well, having met and befriended Don, I have a bit more urgency about it... And, I can't even begin to describe how amazing it would be to be 'shown around' by someone who lived all 36 days (there were over 28000 Marines who were lost due to death, injury or fatigue, he is certainly an exceptionally rare individual) of the event!

Wow ... just wow.

Nance -- You know, you might approach some media about a possible trip. They might be willing to do something to get him (and you) there ... just a thought. Or do a story with him, and maybe some benefactor comes up with a way to fund the trip.

I've got a handful of ideas to try... Getting to Iwo isn't actually the difficult part (would be about $2500 for 2 tickets)... The hard part is getting to Guam, which is where that flight departs from... That's the challenge in all this... But I've got a few things to try that will hopefully be productive...

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NanceUSMC Newbie

NanceUSMC

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Nance, that's great.

I'm broke and can't afford much, but even if I could send ya 10 or 20 bucks to help out with that I'd be happy to.

I really appreciate that, my friend! =)

I'm HOPING I can convince one of the major airlines that fly to Guam to donate a ticket (or two heh)... If I can get us to and from Guam, I'll pop the $2500 for Iwo tickets myself (if necessary)...

Regardless, I will DEFINITELY keep you all updated on what's transpiring...

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NanceUSMC Newbie

NanceUSMC

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Wow Nance that is amazing. You are truly blessed to have met Don. I'm happy for you. Makes me wish I could hang out with you guys at the donut shop, even though I have never served, but I admire all you guys a great deal.

LOL

I told him about the posts I have been making telling The Huddle about him... I don't think he quite comprehended just how many friends are on here, though... I'll see him again tomorrow and Sunday, then again in 2 weeks... If you guys have any well wishes, questions, thoughts or whatever, feel free to PM them to me... I'll print them out and give them to him personally... He absolutely loves to talk about his experiences, so, I'm sure he'd be thrilled to answer any questions anyone might want to ask...

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NanceUSMC Newbie

NanceUSMC

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Awesome stuff Nance!! just awesome.

As the son of a Marine Staff Sergeant and PMI, I salute you and Mr Graves for your service, HOO RA!

I only wish I could have served too, damn physicals and blown out knees :(

Thanks brother =) PMI is good stuff! Guessing you grew up on a base or two?

Oh, Nance. You are a wonderful person. He's a wonderful person. Crap, I'm crying again.

Did you say last time he's going on a Flight of Honor to DC? If he's not, let's get him on one.

http://www.honorflight.org/index.cfm

Thank you hun =) Not sure that I'm all that wonderful, but he certainly is, and I'm just fascinated with his life and story... Enough so that I feel compelled to share it with you all each time I get new stories to share...

No reason to be teary, but I do admit I got a bit choked up when he told me he wanted to 'walk up those sand dunes one more time'...

The flight he is taking to DC is actually something with American Airlines, through their Dallas hub, where they are taking some select local school kids to DC to see some of the war monuments, and meet some dignataries (don't know who), and he was asked to come along as a guest and mentor... He told me he's working on the American Airlines representative to drop him off on Iwo... lol I told him if she can get us to Guam, I'll take care of the rest... So, he's going to talk to her this Thursday I think, and see what she can do... Even if she can just get us discounted tickets, that would help immensely (prices for one round trip to Guam are currently running around $2700 each)... So, we'll see how that conversation goes and it'll give me a better idea of what kind of mountain I'm looking at having to climb...

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that's fricken awesome! There had to be a way to get you both over there, hell, I'd wanna go too!!!! Media should get involved, I'm thinking he could be the brains and history behind a series in the local paper or something doing a documentary or something.

And yes, please keep the stories coming and 100%, if you can make something happen and need funding, I'm more than happy to help!!!

please tell him he has a Canadian fan, and we are more than grateful for his service!

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sunbunny Newbie

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Thanks brother =) PMI is good stuff! Guessing you grew up on a base or two?

Thank you hun =) Not sure that I'm all that wonderful, but he certainly is, and I'm just fascinated with his life and story... Enough so that I feel compelled to share it with you all each time I get new stories to share...

No reason to be teary, but I do admit I got a bit choked up when he told me he wanted to 'walk up those sand dunes one more time'...

The flight he is taking to DC is actually something with American Airlines, through their Dallas hub, where they are taking some select local school kids to DC to see some of the war monuments, and meet some dignataries (don't know who), and he was asked to come along as a guest and mentor... He told me he's working on the American Airlines representative to drop him off on Iwo... lol I told him if she can get us to Guam, I'll take care of the rest... So, he's going to talk to her this Thursday I think, and see what she can do... Even if she can just get us discounted tickets, that would help immensely (prices for one round trip to Guam are currently running around $2700 each)... So, we'll see how that conversation goes and it'll give me a better idea of what kind of mountain I'm looking at having to climb...

Talk to him about an honor flight, too. He'd be with other veterans and it's all free. That link has a map that you click on to find flights leaving from your area. They get a hero's welcome when they come back and really go all out for them. At least, they do in Raleigh.

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NanceUSMC Newbie

NanceUSMC

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Talk to him about an honor flight, too. He'd be with other veterans and it's all free. That link has a map that you click on to find flights leaving from your area. They get a hero's welcome when they come back and really go all out for them. At least, they do in Raleigh.

Will do! =)

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