I just returned from a long trip, so I listened to the audiobook "Flags of our Fathers". It tells the stories of what happened to the men who raised the second flag on top of Mount Suribachi. The author of the book was the son of the medic, John Bradley. One of the reasons he wrote the book is because his father would never talk about the war, and after his father's death, he learned that he had earned a Navy Cross in the battle. Mr. Bradley kept those boxes with his medals hidden in his office.
That brings me to Iwo Jima. From what little I learned about it in this book, it was probably the most horrific battle the U.S. was engaged in in the PTO. The famous flag picture was only taken a few days into the battle, which lasted for over 35 days. The Japanese had tunnel systems not only in the famous Mount Suribachi, but also in a vast array of rocky outcroppings. Most of which gave a crossfire in three different directions.
For such an incredibly small island, there were a tremendous amount of men. Over 20,000 Japanese, and eventually 100,000 Marines. All on 8 square miles. I can see why no one wanted to talk about it. John Bradley was once quoted as saying "For many years I've tried forgetting that part of my life", after his teenage son kept pressing him for war stories. Then he went on to tell a very mild version of what happened to his fellow medic and best friend Ralph Ignatowski, who was captured by the Japanese and tortured to death for three days.
On a side note, my grandfather was in the Pacific in the Army. It wasn't until the 90s that I got my dad to ask him where he was stationed or what he actually did. From there the stories did come. Stationed on the island of Tongareva (Penrhyn). Turns out he was the senior englisted man on the island (First Sgt). He even met Mrs. Roosevelt on her tour of the PTO. Trained as an artillery man, a Japanese submarine scouted the island one evening at dusk. The island (which was just an atoll) had 155mm cannons, but never recieved any shells. My grandfather contracted malaria serious enough to be evacuated, and enroute to Hawaii the aircraft (which he just referred to as a 'hospital plane') lost an engine. Fortunately the plane, which I suspect was a C-47, made it back.
Anyhow I digress, does anyone have any suggestions for further reading on this battle? This rarely told piece of history has piqued my interest, and I would like to learn more about it.
