thedrifter
03-06-09, 10:23 AM
Crescent-News.com
Boes receives flag during event at Iwo Jima Memorial
Jack Palmer
By JACK PALMER
palmer@crescent-news.com
Nearly a half century after serving as part of the U.S. Marine ceremonial color guard company, John Boes returned to the Iwo Jima Memorial.
This time it was even better.
The rural Defiance resident was presented with the American flag, which had flown over the treasured memorial for the prior 30 days, during a ceremony last week which received national attention.
"It was beyond great," said Boes. "I was proud and honored to be selected. I will remember this for the rest of my life."
The ceremony was part of an annual ceremony held by the National Park Service and U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial Flag Detail Inc. The group provides a new flag for the memorial on a monthly basis to ensure there are no tattered or dirty flags flying over it.
Boes was picked for the honor as a former member of the ceremonial color guard company at Marine Barracks 8th and I in the nation's capital from 1961-65. He also met all other qualification requirements.
"This whole thing started when Jim Donovan, one of my Marine buddies from 8th and I, visited the memorial a couple years ago," said Boes. "He was horrified at the condition of the American flag. It was all tattered and the shavings were very visible."
Knowing that the commencement of a monthly flag replacement ceremony was in the offing, Donovan suggested that Boes apply for the honor of being one of the recipients.
"I found out about a year ago I was selected," said Boes. "My ceremony was originally set for December, but they moved a couple of generals ahead of me. It turned out great, since my flag came down on the 64th anniversary of the taking of Iwo Jima."
On Feb. 23, 1945, three Marine divisions fought past more than 20,000 Japanese soldiers to the top of Mount Suribachi, the key strategic point on the Pacific island of Iwo Jima. At about 10:30 a.m., a small American flag was flying from the mountain top.
That afternoon a second, larger flag was raised by five Marines and a Navy hospital corpsman. The event was captured for posterity by news-photographer Joe Rosenthal, which, in turn, inspired the life-size memorial sculpture.
"Three of the men were killed before they left Iwo Jima," said Boes.
The memorial was officially dedicated by President Dwight Eisenhower on Nov. 10, 1954, the 179th anniversary of the Marine Corps.
"Jim and I both marched on the memorial's parade deck many times," said Boes. "When I was on the ceremonial color guard they gave parades there every Tuesday night. That flag was always pretty special to me."
After last week's ceremony, Boes was congratulated by several current and retired military officers, including Col. William Lietzau, commanding officer of the Marine Corps' Headquarters Battalion in Arlington, Va.
"I also had the opportunity to talk with Barney Barnum, who received the Medal of Honor during Vietnam," said Boes. "He knew Gut Livingston (Defiance native Major Gen. Larry Livingston, himself a highly-decorated Vietnam combat veteran who retired from the Marine Corps in 1997) and we had a real nice talk."
The flag presented to Boes was riveted to a long metal brass bar, which extended significantly outside his duffle bag.
"When people saw me at the airports on the trip home, they came up to me and hugged me," said Boes. "I told them it was a happy time, not a sad time. It was such a great feeling to know that so many people cared."
Ellie
Boes receives flag during event at Iwo Jima Memorial
Jack Palmer
By JACK PALMER
palmer@crescent-news.com
Nearly a half century after serving as part of the U.S. Marine ceremonial color guard company, John Boes returned to the Iwo Jima Memorial.
This time it was even better.
The rural Defiance resident was presented with the American flag, which had flown over the treasured memorial for the prior 30 days, during a ceremony last week which received national attention.
"It was beyond great," said Boes. "I was proud and honored to be selected. I will remember this for the rest of my life."
The ceremony was part of an annual ceremony held by the National Park Service and U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial Flag Detail Inc. The group provides a new flag for the memorial on a monthly basis to ensure there are no tattered or dirty flags flying over it.
Boes was picked for the honor as a former member of the ceremonial color guard company at Marine Barracks 8th and I in the nation's capital from 1961-65. He also met all other qualification requirements.
"This whole thing started when Jim Donovan, one of my Marine buddies from 8th and I, visited the memorial a couple years ago," said Boes. "He was horrified at the condition of the American flag. It was all tattered and the shavings were very visible."
Knowing that the commencement of a monthly flag replacement ceremony was in the offing, Donovan suggested that Boes apply for the honor of being one of the recipients.
"I found out about a year ago I was selected," said Boes. "My ceremony was originally set for December, but they moved a couple of generals ahead of me. It turned out great, since my flag came down on the 64th anniversary of the taking of Iwo Jima."
On Feb. 23, 1945, three Marine divisions fought past more than 20,000 Japanese soldiers to the top of Mount Suribachi, the key strategic point on the Pacific island of Iwo Jima. At about 10:30 a.m., a small American flag was flying from the mountain top.
That afternoon a second, larger flag was raised by five Marines and a Navy hospital corpsman. The event was captured for posterity by news-photographer Joe Rosenthal, which, in turn, inspired the life-size memorial sculpture.
"Three of the men were killed before they left Iwo Jima," said Boes.
The memorial was officially dedicated by President Dwight Eisenhower on Nov. 10, 1954, the 179th anniversary of the Marine Corps.
"Jim and I both marched on the memorial's parade deck many times," said Boes. "When I was on the ceremonial color guard they gave parades there every Tuesday night. That flag was always pretty special to me."
After last week's ceremony, Boes was congratulated by several current and retired military officers, including Col. William Lietzau, commanding officer of the Marine Corps' Headquarters Battalion in Arlington, Va.
"I also had the opportunity to talk with Barney Barnum, who received the Medal of Honor during Vietnam," said Boes. "He knew Gut Livingston (Defiance native Major Gen. Larry Livingston, himself a highly-decorated Vietnam combat veteran who retired from the Marine Corps in 1997) and we had a real nice talk."
The flag presented to Boes was riveted to a long metal brass bar, which extended significantly outside his duffle bag.
"When people saw me at the airports on the trip home, they came up to me and hugged me," said Boes. "I told them it was a happy time, not a sad time. It was such a great feeling to know that so many people cared."
Ellie