My morning, part 5

[NanceUSMC]

I arrived at the donut shop this morning, having no idea I was about to get perhaps the coolest gift I've ever gotten...

I got there right at 8am... I had with me some CDs I burned for Don, with his pictures on them that he asked if I could make for him... I gave them to him and he said "I've got something for you", and went out to his van... When he came back in, he handed me a zip-loc bag with some grainy black sand in it... On the bag was written "Mt. Surabachi, Iwo Jima"... I said, "are you serious?!?"... He said that was for me! Absolutely awesome!

Today I asked him to tell me what goes through your mind as you board the landing crafts and head towards shore...

He said they get you in the LC (landing craft) around 7am... At that point they keep the crafts moving in circles while they wait for the Beach Commander to call for your wave... Then he heard the call for the 3rd wave... His wave... He said it was quiet in the LC... Quiet, that is, until they came in range of the guns from the shore... He said there was no chatter, other than the occasional curse uttered as shots whizzed overhead... He said that instead you are more focused on your task at hand, and what your plan of action is once you hit the shore... He said he was thinking more to himself to keep his head down, and to look for exit avenues off the beach, or specific kinds of cover...

They, of course, made it to the shore, and the ramp went down... He said the first thing he saw after exiting the LC was one of the engineers sent in early that morning to clear the beach of mines, and to ensure there were safe exit routes on the beaches... The engineers wore a bluish 'flash cream' on their faces... This engineer was walking towards the LC, and Don said he couldn't tell if this was an American or a Japanese... As he got closer, he said this engineer reached out to him with both hands and said simply "Help me." He had been shot in the neck... Don said he called for a corpsman, and did what he could til he arrived... He didn't know the engineer, nor if he survived... He had to continue to advance and to get off the beach...

I asked him what he is hearing at this point... He said you hear the bullets coming overhead, the same as you did in the LC, and the mortars and artillery exploding around you... He told me there was lots of yelling... But he said one of the most disturbing things was the sound of the LC as it pulled away from the beach... He looked back, and saw some of the LCs being hit by enemy fire, and exploding... He said the thought that went through his mind at that time was "They're not going to be able to come get us." Then he pushed on...

He told me that there were several tiers of sand dunes as you went up the beach... Once he came over the third dune, the enemy fire had drastically intensified, and he was running from crater to crater for shelter... He said he dove into one crater, beside another Marine that was already there... He said "I asked him 'Hey buddy, you Dog Company?', but he didn't answer"... He said he then looked over at him to ask again, and it was then that he noticed the man had been severed in half by an explosion... "There was no blood", he said, he was just in two pieces... I asked him what goes through your mind when you see something that horriffic... He responded, "I've got to get out of here", and he moved forward...

I told him that many of you here have suggested to me that he should write a book of these experiences... He told me his daughter-in-law has been after him to do the same... He said he's been jotting down notes...

He told me then, about the nights on the island... He said it was cold at night, but that the volcanic sand would still be hot, so you could keep warm by digging down just a bit, and laying in the sand...

The last story he told me today was of an evening he decided he wanted to make himself a cup of 'hot chocolate'... He lit a small fire, and poured some water into his helmet... He put the helmet over the fire, and began to cut up his chocolate bar out of his K-rations into the hot water... He was right in the middle of this when he heard, in a Japanese accent, from across the lines yell "Hey Marine! Chocolate good?" lol

This week he goes for his Honor Flight to Washington... I'll let everyone know next weekend how that went... He's already told me he's going to hit them up to get him back to Iwo... We'll see how that goes, and whether or not we've got to try a different approach... More next week!

[sunbunny]

Can you post the local news station that will be covering the honor flight? I know for the one out of Raleigh, wral covers them and always asks for people to come out and give them a hero's welcome home. I think I said before that the Patriot Guard riders are there for takeoff and landing of each flight. I hope they're doing the same for your area.

Another thing they do here to honor them, is the firetrucks do their water salute thing before takeoff.

Oh, and you made me all teary eyed again. I wish my uncle had talked about what he went through.

[NanceUSMC]

I'll have to find out next weekend if any of the channels around here covered it... I'm SURE they will... Probably all of them, but I'll make sure and let you know... I'll post any links to it that I can find then too...

[Hawk]

that's fricken awesome Nance!!!!

what are you going to do next weekend when he's in Washington? Going to be weird not having your morning together! Good for you and thanks for sharing!

[NanceUSMC]

that's fricken awesome Nance!!!!

what are you going to do next weekend when he's in Washington? Going to be weird not having your morning together! Good for you and thanks for sharing!

He'll actually be back... His trip is just a one day thing put together by American Airlines... They're going to fly them up, leaving at 630am, see a few sights, and have them back by that evening... So I'll get, as Don called it, 'the dope' on his trip next weekend... heh

[NanceUSMC]

I just realized that today is the day Don is flying to Washington... I could've sworn it was Thursday... I've got my dates all crossed up... Anyway, here is a link to the Freedom Flight webpage from American Airlines, and a current photo of Don that I pilfered from the site... SB, I accidentally called this an Honor Flight... This one is the Freedom Flight, but I'll still post the local news stories (if/when they cover it)...

http://www.freedom-flight.org/Home.html

[NanceUSMC]

(and sorry about the sizes of the photos, not somewhere that I can edit them currently)

[sunbunny]

Thanks for the update, Nance!

[Epistaxis]

Good on ya buddy.

Strong work.

[g5jamz]

Cool story man.

I kick myself for never interviewing my grandfather.

I've met this guy as he attends some functions I go to... http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=174750386617&topic=10931

and I just need to sit down and interview him with a recorder.

[SorthNarolina]

You can't have 5 parts of your morning it should be noon by then ahaha

[NanceUSMC]

SB, so far these are the news outlets I've seen cover it... We had a wild ride yesterday with weather, and that's taking the front cover for most stations, so this may not get much more exposure than this...

http://www.wfaa.com/video?id=122512909&sec=553117

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wwii-freedom-flight-to-nations-capital-brings-history-to-life-for-north-texas-students-122498058.html

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20110524-grapevine-colleyville-students-join-world-war-ii-vets-for-freedom-flight-a-one-day-tour-of-d.c.-memorial-sites.ece?ssimg=190535#ssStory190071

[PanthaSan]

These updates are probaly the coolest thing I have read on the Interwebz in a long while.

When I was reading this update, and Don was talking about bullets flying overhead, I swear I remember that sound like it was this morning. I also welled up a bit when reading about the bodies (for personal reasons).

They sure don't make 'em like that anymore.

That dirt is probably the most awesome gift you will ever get besides having chillun. I say put it in one of those plastic cube boxes (still in the original plastic baggie) so that your future genrations can look upon it and remember those who gave some and those who gave all without questioning the order.

You are very lucky to have made this friend...

[NanceUSMC]

Thanks PS =)

I've been kinda afraid I'm posting them too often, and that they're getting routine and/or old hat... I don't want to overdo it, but I know if I don't write these down, I'll never remember them the way they were told to me...