thedrifter
11-08-07, 06:33 AM
First-hand Iwo Jima experiences close out One Great Read program
By JOE LARSON
jlarson@journalandcourier.com
November 8, 2007
The book featured in the One Great Read program this year helped convince a Lafayette man to begin writing a narrative of his own years ago.
"It was (James Bradley's) book, Flags of Our Fathers, that inspired me to seek out my uncle, Jim Craig, the last lieutenant," and ask him about his experiences, said local physician John Shively.
Last year, Shively published The Last Lieutenant: A Foxhole View of the Epic Battle for Iwo Jima. The book details the experiences of James Craig, 84, of Pendleton, who was a second lieutenant in the Fourth Division, 24th Marines, 3rd Battalion, L Company, First Platoon at the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Shively and Craig were both at the Tippecanoe County Public Library on South Street Thursday night to talk about the Battle of Iwo Jima and help conclude the One Great Read program.
"No matter what you read, it doesn't replace oral history," said Lori Spencer, who drove from her home in Anderson to hear Shively and Craig speak.
Alison Moss, head reference librarian and chairwoman of One Great Read, said the program generated a lot of local interest in Flags of Our Fathers.
That program, which was sponsored by the Tippecanoe County Public Library, West Lafayette Public Library and Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette, began July 1 and ends Nov. 11.
Flags of Our Fathers was chosen because World War II seems like a distant memory to today's youth, Moss said.
While many of One Great Read's events were attended by veterans and their families, a few younger residents showed interest as well.
"We didn't quite have the meeting of the generations like we were hoping for, but we did have some youth participation," Moss said.
About 20 people were at the library Wednesday night to listen to Shively and Craig speak.
Counting reinforcements, Craig said there were about 63 men in his platoon during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Of those, 32 were wounded and 21 were killed, leaving just 10 relatively unharmed when it was finally captured.
Craig believes there was a simple reason why he was among the 10.
"I'm very short in stature," Craig said. "... I could run fast. And I could run low. And I zigzagged."
The title for Shively's book comes from one of Craig's experiences. At one point, he was the only junior officer left in his battalion, so he was asked to lead his platoon in a gap between the Third Division and Fourth Division.
That wasn't Craig's only memorable story. Another came from his ship ride to the island.
"Jim played cribbage with Joe Rosenthal," Shively said.
Rosenthal was the photographer who took the famous picture of soldiers raising the American flag on top of Mount Suribachi.
The crowd was impressed with both Craig and Shively's book.
"I had some personal friends who were on Iwo Jima," said area resident Bill Hinze, "so it meant much more to me than if I had just read the book."
Ellie
By JOE LARSON
jlarson@journalandcourier.com
November 8, 2007
The book featured in the One Great Read program this year helped convince a Lafayette man to begin writing a narrative of his own years ago.
"It was (James Bradley's) book, Flags of Our Fathers, that inspired me to seek out my uncle, Jim Craig, the last lieutenant," and ask him about his experiences, said local physician John Shively.
Last year, Shively published The Last Lieutenant: A Foxhole View of the Epic Battle for Iwo Jima. The book details the experiences of James Craig, 84, of Pendleton, who was a second lieutenant in the Fourth Division, 24th Marines, 3rd Battalion, L Company, First Platoon at the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Shively and Craig were both at the Tippecanoe County Public Library on South Street Thursday night to talk about the Battle of Iwo Jima and help conclude the One Great Read program.
"No matter what you read, it doesn't replace oral history," said Lori Spencer, who drove from her home in Anderson to hear Shively and Craig speak.
Alison Moss, head reference librarian and chairwoman of One Great Read, said the program generated a lot of local interest in Flags of Our Fathers.
That program, which was sponsored by the Tippecanoe County Public Library, West Lafayette Public Library and Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette, began July 1 and ends Nov. 11.
Flags of Our Fathers was chosen because World War II seems like a distant memory to today's youth, Moss said.
While many of One Great Read's events were attended by veterans and their families, a few younger residents showed interest as well.
"We didn't quite have the meeting of the generations like we were hoping for, but we did have some youth participation," Moss said.
About 20 people were at the library Wednesday night to listen to Shively and Craig speak.
Counting reinforcements, Craig said there were about 63 men in his platoon during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Of those, 32 were wounded and 21 were killed, leaving just 10 relatively unharmed when it was finally captured.
Craig believes there was a simple reason why he was among the 10.
"I'm very short in stature," Craig said. "... I could run fast. And I could run low. And I zigzagged."
The title for Shively's book comes from one of Craig's experiences. At one point, he was the only junior officer left in his battalion, so he was asked to lead his platoon in a gap between the Third Division and Fourth Division.
That wasn't Craig's only memorable story. Another came from his ship ride to the island.
"Jim played cribbage with Joe Rosenthal," Shively said.
Rosenthal was the photographer who took the famous picture of soldiers raising the American flag on top of Mount Suribachi.
The crowd was impressed with both Craig and Shively's book.
"I had some personal friends who were on Iwo Jima," said area resident Bill Hinze, "so it meant much more to me than if I had just read the book."
Ellie