thedrifter
11-21-07, 07:37 AM
IWO JIMA, Japan -- Watching war movies might give some appreciation for the brutality of war, but actually walking on the ground of one of the fiercest battle sites of World War II gives greater understanding and is, in a word, humbling.
More than 60 Marines from various units on Okinawa including 1st Marine Aircraft Wing's Marine Air Support Squadron 2 and 3rd Marine Logistics Group gained that perspective firsthand when they spent two days on Iwo Jima, Nov. 14-16, learning about the battle for the island during World War II.
"(The battle) is a part of our history," said 2nd Lt. Steven Murello, a communications officer with 3rd Marine Division. "It's important to give the Marines of this generation an idea of what their forefathers went through with a very hands-on experience and a better appreciation of our history."
The Marines spent the majority of their time traversing the island by foot and stopping at some of the numerous memorials and battle sites to hear a brief history relating to the specific spots.
"Each kilometer we hiked out here was just full of history and knowledge," said Staff Sgt. Joaquin Cocco, a utilities chief from Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 18. "I've been here before, but this time has been an even greater learning experience because of the way we did it."
The Marines arrived on the afternoon of Nov. 14, set up a small campsite and prepared for the following days.
On the morning of Nov. 15, the Marines loaded their packs and set out for Mount Suribachi before dawn.
"On top of Suribachi, looking down on the beaches and just imagining the ships out at sea and the Marines coming on shore under all the fire that they came under was impressive," Murello said. "It's one thing to read about the battle in a book or watch it on TV, but it's a whole other thing to walk around and see what these Marines had to do to take the beach and the whole island."
On top of Suribachi, the Marines placed dog tags and chevrons on the monument located on the spot of the famous flag raising.
After splitting up into small teams, the Marines set off to other historic destinations on the island. The next stop for most was one of the invasion beaches where some collected a small amount of black sand as a remembrance.
"My favorite part of the trip was probably the beaches," said Pfc. Glenn Hall, a logistics embarkation and combat service support specialist with MASS-2. "My great grandfather was wounded on (Blue Beach) and seeing what the Marines had to deal with makes me feel grateful for what they did. You learn about it at boot camp and hear about it all the time, but it just means more to me now."
The day concluded with a barbecue featuring a meal of steak and eggs - the same breakfast the WWII Marines had prior to the invasion of Iwo Jima. The following morning, the Marines packed up their gear and headed back to Okinawa.
Cocco said he was overwhelmed by the entire experience.
"The history behind this place can make any man humble, especially a person who serves in the military, but being here as a Marine ... words can't describe."
More than 60 Marines from various units on Okinawa including 1st Marine Aircraft Wing's Marine Air Support Squadron 2 and 3rd Marine Logistics Group gained that perspective firsthand when they spent two days on Iwo Jima, Nov. 14-16, learning about the battle for the island during World War II.
"(The battle) is a part of our history," said 2nd Lt. Steven Murello, a communications officer with 3rd Marine Division. "It's important to give the Marines of this generation an idea of what their forefathers went through with a very hands-on experience and a better appreciation of our history."
The Marines spent the majority of their time traversing the island by foot and stopping at some of the numerous memorials and battle sites to hear a brief history relating to the specific spots.
"Each kilometer we hiked out here was just full of history and knowledge," said Staff Sgt. Joaquin Cocco, a utilities chief from Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 18. "I've been here before, but this time has been an even greater learning experience because of the way we did it."
The Marines arrived on the afternoon of Nov. 14, set up a small campsite and prepared for the following days.
On the morning of Nov. 15, the Marines loaded their packs and set out for Mount Suribachi before dawn.
"On top of Suribachi, looking down on the beaches and just imagining the ships out at sea and the Marines coming on shore under all the fire that they came under was impressive," Murello said. "It's one thing to read about the battle in a book or watch it on TV, but it's a whole other thing to walk around and see what these Marines had to do to take the beach and the whole island."
On top of Suribachi, the Marines placed dog tags and chevrons on the monument located on the spot of the famous flag raising.
After splitting up into small teams, the Marines set off to other historic destinations on the island. The next stop for most was one of the invasion beaches where some collected a small amount of black sand as a remembrance.
"My favorite part of the trip was probably the beaches," said Pfc. Glenn Hall, a logistics embarkation and combat service support specialist with MASS-2. "My great grandfather was wounded on (Blue Beach) and seeing what the Marines had to deal with makes me feel grateful for what they did. You learn about it at boot camp and hear about it all the time, but it just means more to me now."
The day concluded with a barbecue featuring a meal of steak and eggs - the same breakfast the WWII Marines had prior to the invasion of Iwo Jima. The following morning, the Marines packed up their gear and headed back to Okinawa.
Cocco said he was overwhelmed by the entire experience.
"The history behind this place can make any man humble, especially a person who serves in the military, but being here as a Marine ... words can't describe."