Iwo Jima Day

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima.  It is a day to commemorate all those lost in the battle.

What can we say about the battle?

Iwo Jima (now known as Iwo To) was a remote island of Japan.  

The battle was waged after the attack at Pearl Harbor and the goal was to have a launch and land location for potential strategic military tasks.

It was from 2/19/45 to 3/26/45, 36 days and 35 nights.  The Marines were the ones tasked with the job.

The battle is known as one of the bloodiest battles of World War II.  Casualties on both sides were great.

Americans had over 19,000 wounded and 6,800 lost in battle.  The Japanese lost 18,000 men.

This was the first time that our fighting had happened on Japanese soil.

There are not many veterans left from this war.  At last count was only about three or four.  One survivor is named Don Graves, 99 years old.

He would have been 19 at the time of the battle.  Of his Marine Company D, 335 men went on the mission.  Only 18 survived.

This story can be told of many of the Marine companies who fought that battle.

World War II was a long war fighting evil that was spreading in the world.  The battle of Iwo Jima is just one of those battles but one that should be remembered for eternity.

Private Home Health Care honors and remembers those brave men who served in Iwo Jima, those who returned and those who did not.  On this day let us all take time to remember and commemorate.