Iwo Jima veterans honored on battle's anniversary

A vial of volcanic ash and black sand from the island of Iwo Jima, a Japanese flag dated 1945 and signed by World War II Marines, and the faded - but not forgotten - memories of a few good Marines were the highlights of a ceremony Feb. 19 in recognition of the 63rd anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima.

The ceremony, held at the Veterans Memorial Museum and hosted by the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Honor Flight, recognized the Battle of Iwo Jima as a defining moment of World War II and honored three local Marines who were among the 110,000 sent to battle against the Japanese to capture and control two air strips on Iwo Jima, located 650 miles from Tokyo.

"The D-Day invasion of Iwo Jima on the 19th is an event that really defines the Marine Corps and that defines our nation," said Joe Fitzgerald, president of Honor Flight. "It's an honor to recognize this anniversary and these Marines as a symbol of our nation's tenacity, determination and bravery."

The victory of the battle - which lasted 35 days - made a big difference in the war in the Pacific Theater because it provided a landing strip for U.S. B-29 bombers disabled over Japan and needing a place to land. Iwo Jima saved the lives of 25,000 American crew members of those U.S. aircraft, including WWII bomber pilot Marion Stevens of Huntsville, who flew B-29s in the Pacific Theater.

Stevens presented the ceremony's three Iwo Jima Marines - Jimmy Tanner of Scottsboro, and Bob O'Bannon Jr. and Harvey Aden, both of Huntsville - with a photograph of the U.S. Marine Corps memorial that he took while on the Honor Flight trip in September 2007. Honor Flight sponsors trips for WWII veterans to see their memorial in the nation's capital at no charge to the veterans.

Also presented to the three Marine veterans and 11 other Marine veterans who served during WWII and who were in attendance at the ceremony were vials of volcanic ash and black sand from the Iwo Jima beach, collected by Mike Ward, director of governmental affairs at the Chamber of Commerce, during a visit to the island in November 2007.

Visiting Iwo Jima "was an incredibly humbling experience," Ward said, his voice shaking with emotion. "We were allowed to take a small baggy of black sand from that infamous beach. I could never find the words to express my gratitude."

The Iwo Jima Marines accepted the gifts and gratitude. The attention was humbling.

"You honor us for more than we deserve," O'Bannon told the veterans and their wives, Marine Corps League members, Marines from the local Kilo Battery Reserve Unit and Honor Flight representatives who attended the ceremony. "We were simply doing the job assigned to us, just like all Marines."

Prior to the Battle of Iwo Jima, hundreds of tons of Allied bombs and thousands of rounds of heavy naval gunfire were bombarded on the island. Yet, the Japanese defenders were unscathed, hidden safely in tunnels under the ground.

On Feb. 19, 1945, Marines landed on a vulnerable beach to face 25,000 Japanese soldiers - each of which had made a suicide pact vowing to kill 10 American Marines before their own death. The 110,000 Marines who fought in the battle traveled in 880 ships to launch the 35-day battle that is known as the first American attack on the Japanese home islands, and the longest sustained air and naval offense of World War II.

Iwo Jima island was heavily fortified, with vast bunkers, hidden artillery and 11 miles of tunnels. The Japanese had dug 1,500 caves into the landscape, and used their positions in the caves to bombard the Marines. While the Japanese fought from their underground hideouts, the Americans were unable to dig foxholes in the island's volcanic ash, and were hindered by heavy smoke.

In the end, more than 20,000 Japanese soldiers were killed and only 1,000 were taken prisoner. The Allied forces suffered 25,000 casualties and 7,000 deaths.

It was a major success for the U.S. efforts in the Pacific theater, both strategically and symbolically.

The raising of the flag on Iwo Jima - a lasting image of WWII memorialized in the famous photograph by Joe Rosenthal and the Marine Corps memorial in Washington, D.C. - "had a deep effect on Americans and on the overall war effort and the national spirit," retired Marine Lt. Gen. Frank Libutti said, while the lengthy battle itself proved the "courage, tenacity, leadership at all levels and determination of the Marines and the supporting Navy fleet."

Libutti described the Marines of that day as young men, many new to the fight, many drafted for the fight.

"All, however, prepared to do their duty - to destroy the enemy, to take care of their buddies and to do their part to bring the war in the Pacific to an end. It was one of our country's most costly combined operations and one of our most proudest moments," he said.

Addressing the three Iwo Jima Marines directly, Libutti said "This is your day. I stand before you with deepest respect and admiration. I am honored all the more to get to meet and share my respect with our World War II Iwo Jima veterans. They are a special breed of warrior and patriarch who performed above and beyond the call of duty to secure Iwo Jima."

Iwo Jima veteran Tanner traveled all the way from Scottsboro to participate in the ceremony. As one of a few Iwo Jima Marines still alive, he is proud to represent the Iwo Jima Marines and tell his story of his 19 days of battle on the island.

"There's not many of us left," he said. "And, we are going fast. It won't be long before we're all gone. It's just one of those things."

The ceremony brought back many memories of struggle and hardship on Iwo Jima for Tanner and his fellow Marines.

"When we landed, they (the Japanese) had all their artillery zeroed in on that mile and a half of beach," Tanner recalled. "We took that island inch by inch on our stomachs most of the time. If you stood up, you were in danger. When you stood on your feet you would hear the bullets whizzing by you."

Tanner, who was a member of the 4th Marine Regiment, "saw the five brave men of the 5th Marines raise that flag that day. The 5th Marines were on the west side of the airport and the 4th Marines were on the east side. The plan was for us to work to connect at the end of the airport."

Tanner said he fought 14 more days after the flag raising before he was injured. And, although the battle continued until March 26, it was important to raise the U.S. flag as soon as possible at the airfield so that U.S. bombers would know we had "secured the airport for forced landings."

For 19 days, Tanner did not bathe or shave, and he didn't take his helmet off or take the shoes off his feet. He will never forget the images left by the Battle of Iwo Jima.

"I've seen some of the awfullest stuff you've ever seen," he said. "I walked on dead men for 50 or 60 yards without ever stepping on ground. So it's not something fun to talk about."

But, in the midst of all the death he witnessed, Iwo Jima Marine veteran Aden discovered the value of life.

"We've all heard the tales of destruction. But, good things happened, too," he said, choking back tears. "About mid-March, we got our first mail on the island. My wife (who was expecting their first child when her husband went to war) sent me an envelope. I opened it and shook that envelope and a little blue ribbon fell out. I had a baby son. I celebrated with my buddies.

"The other good thing that happened was I didn't get hit one single time."

Also on that island with the Marines were 3,000 anti-aircraft Army Soldiers while hundreds of Navy Sailors manned the ships around the island.

"I was on the ship that the general (Brig. Gen. L.O. Hermle) was on board directing traffic at Iwo Jima," said Navy veteran Lester Alexander.

"The speaker we had could be heard for five miles and the general used it to direct traffic. I was an electrician. I made sure we didn't lose power. But, when they called general quarter, I manned a 50 millimeter machine gun. It was unpredictable, but whenever Japanese planes came over, we shot at them. We also shot at Japanese suicide boats."

WWII Army veteran Bobby Burke drove a half-track loaded with 450-caliber machine guns on Iwo Jima.

"I had the privilege of knowing the first Marine who made the first tracks on Iwo Jima," Burke said. "He got wounded the fourth day he was there.

"We had four half-tracks that we drove on the island, parked and then shot at Japanese airplanes. I don't know who did it, but we shot down one airplane."

In closing the ceremony, organizer Fitzgerald, whose late father was an Iwo Jima veteran, displayed a Japanese flag inscribed with the date Feb. 19, 1945, and including the signatures of several Marines who he has been able to identify through research. It was one of several Marine mementos on display during the ceremony to honor the sacrifices made at Iwo Jima.