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07-30-06, 02:49 PM
60 years later, Marines come to comrade
By KRISTA LEWIN, Staff Writer
klewin@jg-tc.com
ARTHUR, Illinois -- A Marine veterans group still abides by the code of 'leave no man behind.'
Several members of the Richard Pittman Marine Corps League of Champaign-Urbana traveled to Yoder's Kitchen in Arthur to have lunch and socialize with fellow Marine veteran Lawrence "Slats" Trower of Arthur.
Trower recently joined the Marine League and wanted to attend the installation of officers ceremony, but it was at night and in Champaign.
Trower, a veteran of World War II who was injured during the battle of Iwo Jima, can't drive at night.
The League's ceremony was also the same night as his 58th wedding anniversary. He didn't think his wife would want to spend her anniversary listening to war stories.
"I wouldn't leave her on our anniversary," smiled Trower. "I am smarter than that."
Former Marine Ray Elliott, a Marine League member and author of the book "Iwo Blasted Again" wanted to introduce Trower to the members, especially the ones who served in World War II and and fought at Iwo Jima.
Iwo Jima survivors Ed Barstow, Sammy Weldon and James Kelly, along with other Marine veterans, signed up for a temporary tour of duty to Arthur to visit Trower. They arrived in an air conditioned motor coach to Yoder's restaurant.
"The Marines are a band of brothers," said Barstow of Urbana. "We live by the code of never leaving any man behind."
Trower and the veterans traded stories and Trower's questions about fear were answered by the other Iwo Jima survivors.
"I wanted to know if they were as scared as I was," said Trower. "And they said they were. The experience was so horrible. It didn't seem real at the time. It seemed more like a nightmare."
Trower graduated high school in 1944 and just two weeks after headed off to the Marines.
"I boarded a ship for Iwo Jima Jan. 1, 1945," said Trower.
In March 1945, Trower was injured in battle at Iwo Jima and later was awarded a Purple Heart.
"It changed my whole life," said Trower. "I wanted to be the best person I could be."
A lasting image from the battle of Iwo Jima is the black and white Pulitzer prize-winning photo of six men raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi.
"Here you had all these rugged Marines all over the island of Iwo Jima watching as these guys were raising the flag," said Barstow describing the scene at Iwo Jima in 1945. And these rugged Marines all had tears in their eyes. "I will never forget that. If that didn't bring tears to your eyes, nothing would have."
The Marine Corps League, comprised of about 50 Marine veterans representing service from World War II to Iraq, grew by one more Friday as Trower's friend, Charles Lines of Shelbyville, was sworn in as a Marine League member.
"I found out about Slats after seeing his picture in the newspaper," said Lines, who also served at Iwo Jima.
Along with being a decorated war veteran and the 2005 recipient of the Arthur Humanitarian Award, Trower is also well-known throughout the community for helping children learn to garden. He has been featured in the newspaper.
The two have struck up a friendship and Trower was instrumental in encouraging Lines to join the Marine Corps League.
"Iwo Jima was a bad deal, but it was a good deal," said Lines. "I had Jesus taking care of me. I wasn't supposed to be sent to Iwo Jima, but they needed more men and artillery, so I was sent."
Some of the real heroes in battle, especially at Iwo Jima, were the Navy corpsmen, who would risk their lives to go tend to the sick and wounded while bullets whizzed by them and bombs dropped dangerously nearby, said Trower.
"Those are the bravest guys I have ever seen," said Trower.
Trower was touched that the Marine Corps League traveled to Arthur to see him.
"It really tickles me," smiled Trower. "It's so nice they came down here. I really feel like I've been honored today."
By KRISTA LEWIN, Staff Writer
klewin@jg-tc.com
ARTHUR, Illinois -- A Marine veterans group still abides by the code of 'leave no man behind.'
Several members of the Richard Pittman Marine Corps League of Champaign-Urbana traveled to Yoder's Kitchen in Arthur to have lunch and socialize with fellow Marine veteran Lawrence "Slats" Trower of Arthur.
Trower recently joined the Marine League and wanted to attend the installation of officers ceremony, but it was at night and in Champaign.
Trower, a veteran of World War II who was injured during the battle of Iwo Jima, can't drive at night.
The League's ceremony was also the same night as his 58th wedding anniversary. He didn't think his wife would want to spend her anniversary listening to war stories.
"I wouldn't leave her on our anniversary," smiled Trower. "I am smarter than that."
Former Marine Ray Elliott, a Marine League member and author of the book "Iwo Blasted Again" wanted to introduce Trower to the members, especially the ones who served in World War II and and fought at Iwo Jima.
Iwo Jima survivors Ed Barstow, Sammy Weldon and James Kelly, along with other Marine veterans, signed up for a temporary tour of duty to Arthur to visit Trower. They arrived in an air conditioned motor coach to Yoder's restaurant.
"The Marines are a band of brothers," said Barstow of Urbana. "We live by the code of never leaving any man behind."
Trower and the veterans traded stories and Trower's questions about fear were answered by the other Iwo Jima survivors.
"I wanted to know if they were as scared as I was," said Trower. "And they said they were. The experience was so horrible. It didn't seem real at the time. It seemed more like a nightmare."
Trower graduated high school in 1944 and just two weeks after headed off to the Marines.
"I boarded a ship for Iwo Jima Jan. 1, 1945," said Trower.
In March 1945, Trower was injured in battle at Iwo Jima and later was awarded a Purple Heart.
"It changed my whole life," said Trower. "I wanted to be the best person I could be."
A lasting image from the battle of Iwo Jima is the black and white Pulitzer prize-winning photo of six men raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi.
"Here you had all these rugged Marines all over the island of Iwo Jima watching as these guys were raising the flag," said Barstow describing the scene at Iwo Jima in 1945. And these rugged Marines all had tears in their eyes. "I will never forget that. If that didn't bring tears to your eyes, nothing would have."
The Marine Corps League, comprised of about 50 Marine veterans representing service from World War II to Iraq, grew by one more Friday as Trower's friend, Charles Lines of Shelbyville, was sworn in as a Marine League member.
"I found out about Slats after seeing his picture in the newspaper," said Lines, who also served at Iwo Jima.
Along with being a decorated war veteran and the 2005 recipient of the Arthur Humanitarian Award, Trower is also well-known throughout the community for helping children learn to garden. He has been featured in the newspaper.
The two have struck up a friendship and Trower was instrumental in encouraging Lines to join the Marine Corps League.
"Iwo Jima was a bad deal, but it was a good deal," said Lines. "I had Jesus taking care of me. I wasn't supposed to be sent to Iwo Jima, but they needed more men and artillery, so I was sent."
Some of the real heroes in battle, especially at Iwo Jima, were the Navy corpsmen, who would risk their lives to go tend to the sick and wounded while bullets whizzed by them and bombs dropped dangerously nearby, said Trower.
"Those are the bravest guys I have ever seen," said Trower.
Trower was touched that the Marine Corps League traveled to Arthur to see him.
"It really tickles me," smiled Trower. "It's so nice they came down here. I really feel like I've been honored today."