Marines mark 62nd anniversary of Iwo Jima

[thedrifter]

Marines mark 62nd anniversary of Iwo Jima

By: DAVE DOWNEY - Staff Writer

CAMP PENDLETON ---- Framed against a brilliant setting sun that splashed puddles of light across the ocean on a warm winter evening, Saturday's quiet ceremony on the lawn of the South Mesa Senior Noncommissioned Officers Club stood in stark contrast to that cold, noisy day when the Battle of Iwo Jima began.

The annual Iwo Jima Commemorative Sunset Memorial at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base ---- on the 62nd anniversary of a strategic, bloody World War II battle that dragged on for more than a month ---- was over in half an hour.

There was barely time for the crowd of 600 people, including 100 veterans of the historic conflict, to hear the Pledge of Allegiance, a prayer and a few short remarks, and witness the laying of a wreath at the base's Iwo Jima Monument.

On the wreath were two simple words: "We remember."

It's nice, said local Iwo Jima Memorial Committee chairman Joe Garza afterward, that a pair of contemporary movies ---- "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima" ---- have reminded Americans of the sacrifices 6,825 people made. But Garza said there will always be a need for ceremonies long after the memories of the films fade, to call attention to the conflict that extended from Feb. 19 to March 26 of 1945.

"It's important that we remember them," he said. "We want to keep their spirits alive."

Garza, an 83-year-old Covina resident who had just turned 21 when he landed on Iwo Jima, delivered the tribute.

"The morning was cold and damp, with a light drizzle, as the 5th Marine Division moved in for the assault on Iwo Jima," Garza said, reading from prepared remarks. "They landed on the left flank and the 4th Marine Division was on the right. They struggled through the volcanic sand under constant fire. ... It slowed the Marines, but it did not stop them."

"The gloomy weather matched the hell that was Iwo Jima," he added.

Garza went on to talk about the now-famous flag-raising of Feb. 23, 1945, atop 546-foot Mount Suribachi, the volcanic island's high point. The Coronado-sized island is 500 miles south of Tokyo and 500 miles north of Guam. It's name, in Japanese, means "Sulphur Island."

Garza also noted that many who fought had just left high school.

"These were the teen-agers who not long before had danced at the senior prom and sat at the drive-in with their girl, listening to the strains of Glenn Miller's 'Moonlight Cocktail,' " he said.

That's about the way it was for Franklin Moravec, 80, of Carlsbad, one of seven men who placed the wreath at the memorial. He said he was 18 1/2 at the time of the invasion.

Moravec, a corporal with the 5th Marine Division, landed on that first horrific day. He somehow managed to survive and even witnessed the famous flag-raising from 500 yards away, four days later. But later that night he suffered injuries to his leg and knee.

"We didn't know there was a tunnel beneath us," Moravec said. "They came out and threw the hand grenade on top of us. The tunnel was right under our foxhole."

In preparing to defend the strategic island, the Japanese had created an extensive tunnel system aimed at shielding their fighters during the initial American bombardments by air and sea.

"I lost a bunch of buddies over there," Moravec said, saying he was at the ceremony to honor them.

Kevin Curry of San Marcos was there to honor his late father, Frank J. Curry, who landed on the second day.

"They pulled lottery numbers to see which wave and which day they would go ashore," Kevin Curry recalled his father telling him. His father had said that some of those who pulled first- or second-day numbers offered as much as $300 to Marines with later assignments willing to trade.

"He said he never thought about trading," Curry said.

Curry said his father died on Feb. 23, 1995 ---- the 50th anniversary of the flag-raising.

And, so, for Curry, a claims consultant for an insurance company, the ceremony was a particularly emotional event.

"I could barely make it through that ceremony without crying," he said. "I'm honored to be here."

Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (760) 740-5442 or ddowney@nctimes.com.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Matt Eddins Jr. — A man of uncommon valor

By E. Harold Keyes / special to The Star


— Editor’s note: This column about World War II veteran Matt Eddins Jr., was submitted by his friend, E. Harold Keyes, professor emeritus of Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus. The 62nd anniversary of the beginning of the battle of Iwo Jima, in which Eddins fought, started on Feb. 19, 1945.


“Uncommon valor was a common virtue.” These words spoken by Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander of the Pacific Fleet during World War II, describing the courage and sacrifices of the U.S. Marines and sailors during the costly battle of Iwo Jima will forever be remembered with pride and honor by the American people.
The scene of the American Flag being raised on Mt. Suribachi by those gallant warriors, displayed near Arlington Cemetery, has become an icon that reminds Americans that freedom is not free.
Movies have been made, books written, newsreel footage shown and special events held describing this battle for that small volcanic black sulfur sand island that cost the lives of nearly 7,000 Marines, sailors and airmen and the wounding of 20,000 of their comrades. Later many more would die from their wounds or be handicapped for the remainder of their lives due to disfigurement, loss of limb or with shrapnel in their bodies and other bodily injuries.
It is only appropriate that we pause and remember the great sacrifices these brave young men made in winning the battle that has been described as “The 36 days of Hell.”

The island

The enemy, composed of diehard 20,700 Japanese soldiers they faced, was led by Lt. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, who was given a mission to defend the island to the last man. He had fortified this island by building tunnels that connected all parts of the island. Each soldier had made a pledge to fight to the death to defend this small island that had two airfields. The commander had his infantry zeroed on every inch of the Island with his army well prepared with artillery, mortars, machine guns and rifles ready and waiting for the American Marines to successfully land on the beaches and kill as many Americans as possible. He fully expected that every Japanese soldier would kill at least 10 American Marines before sacrificing his life in defense of his homeland.
His soldiers were in the island instead of being on the island and were well prepared for a protracted battle to the end.
The importance of taking this island fortress cannot be minimized. The Japanese defenders had installed a radar warning system that could discover and warn their homeland of the waves of B-29 super fortress bombers as they headed on their strategic bombing missions for targets on the home Islands of the Empire of Japan. The mission of the Marines was to eliminate that station as well capturing and using the two airfields.
The Marines and sailors who gave the last full measure of devotion in the battle for Iwo Jima represented the best that our nation’s forefathers envisioned our fellow citizens would be willing to sacrifice so as to preserve and protect our country. A country that is a citadel of freedom and seeks to spread this God given right to others who live under tyranny and fear and who wish to do our nation harm.
One of those brave and gallant Marines of Company F, 28th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division, who were in the first wave of those thousands who stormed the black sand beaches of Iwo Jima on Feb. 19, 1945. was Matt Eddins Jr. Matt is the son of the late Matt Eddins Sr. He lives in the Barnett community located 4 miles south of the village of Pachuta with his loyal, faithful and dedicated wife of 57 years, Cora Mae Tillman Eddins.

The Marine

Matt Eddins Jr., along with his two younger brothers William and Wallace, attended Pachuta Elementary and High School. Matt Jr. graduated from high School at age of 17 in 1943. His brother Wallace was a classmate of mine and both he and William played on the same football and basketball teams with me.
In addition to playing on the basketball team for three years under the legendary coach at Pachuta High School at that time, A.M. McPhail, Matt also played the trumpet in the PHS band.
As soon as he became age 18 he joined the US Marine Corps. He signed up for a four year assignment. After a short stay at Camp Shelby, he was loaded on a troop train that took him and his comrades to San Diego, California for “Boot Training.”
Upon completing boot camp his ability to play the trumpet enabled him to be assigned to training as a bugler at the Marine Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.
He was then assigned to Co. F, 28th Regiment, 5th Marine Division based in Hawaii. Upon the completion of rigorous training on the Island of Hawaii at Camp Tarawa that occurred over several months, Matt and his fellow comrades were loaded onto troop ships where they would rendezvous with a large Pacific fleet armada. This awesome fleet composed of battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers and troop ships lay off the island of Iwo Jima as the battleships and aircraft from aircraft carriers unleashed their immense firepower against the Japanese garrison composed of approximately 22,000 dedicated and determined enemy soldiers embedded inside the island in tunnels and caves in preparation for the inevitable invasion force located off the shore. Of these, only 266 would survive.

The fight

Matt’s Regiment was in the first wave to hit the dark sulfur sand beaches. Initially the Japanese did not unleash their well entrenched and camouflaged soldiers’ firepower. Instead, they waited patiently until the Marines got ashore but could not get their tanks and other fighting armored vehicles to move upon landing. Then as Matt describes “all hell broke loose” as the well dug in and concealed Japanese soldiers launched every weapon at their disposal against the infantrymen. Matt Jr. was armed with a “bazooka” which is small rocket launcher.
Prior to this battle for his life with a weapon of which he had received little or no training, he nevertheless, quickly learned to use it effectively against the enemy. His loader was instantly killed with a bullet that went through his helmet. This touched Matt as he knew any minute that he could be next. After his loader was killed, Matt had to both load and fire the bazooka rocket launcher himself.
Matt, along with his comrades, despite being under constant fire, bravely continued their mission to cut the island in half. After accomplishing their mission, his regiment had to advance up the treacherous slopes of Mt. Suribachi while still under heavy enemy fire.
Conquering the enemy on Mt. Suribachi was a major achievement as it was the key to winning the battle of Iwo Jima. From that strategic position, the Japanese had a clear view of the entire island and could direct their fire at the advancing American Marines.
Finally, after several days of hard battle with no sleep and little food, this brave Marine and his comrades reached the peak of Mt. Suribachi and used his bazooka rocket launcher that he had to load and fire himself to clear out any enemy fighters still holding on.

The hero

Matt launched rockets into every cave in sight. In addition, flame throwers, hand grenades and direct rifle fire were used to kill as many Japanese soldiers still holding out, forcing the remaining fighters to go deeper inside their many tunnels.
He was on top of Mt. Suribachi and witnessed the historic occasion of the raising of the American Flag that has become a symbol of American courage, valor and determination to conquer any foe.
After taking Mt. Suribachi, Matt and his rifle company and regiment were assigned the formidable task of clearing the north end of the island. This is where some of the most horrific battles of World War II were fought and where the American Marines and sailors incurred such large numbers of killed and wounded.
While lying in a foxhole that he and his comrades had hastily dug in the pitch dark of the night in the effort to clear the island of the remaining Japanese fanatical fighters, a Japanese soldier stumbled into his foxhole and landed on his body. The Japanese soldier quickly realized what he had done and dropped a hand grenade before leaping out and running for his life which proved to be unsuccessful. The next thing Matt remembers was his attempt to alert his comrades and to get most of the upper part of the body out of the foxhole before the live grenade exploded. However, the lower part of his body was badly mangled from the grenade’s explosion.
Matt still carries shrapnel inside his body and it is a constant reminder of his service to our nation. A nation, he feels is the best hope of mankind in promoting freedom and justice for oppressed millions in our world.
Matt like me, feels very strongly that the current war in which our nation is engaged is tough but that our cause is just! We firmly believe that our county is at war against an ideological enemy that is determined to destroy our way of life. Matt, agrees and feels very strongly that this is something worth fighting for and deplores those who wish to “cut and run” when the going gets tough.
In my opinion, we need more young people like Matt Eddins Jr. who loyally served his county during a time in our nation’s history when he was only 18 years of age and felt it his duty to do so.
It is indeed an honor to claim Matt Jr. Eddins as a friend and one whom I consider to be a hero even though he does not feel that way. Matt says “he was only doing his duty to his country and does not consider himself to be a hero.” Instead, he states “that the real hero’s are those nearly 7,000 American Marines and sailors who gave their lives for our country during “The 36 Days of Hell.”

Ellie