Locals remember the landing on Iwo Jima
Credit: 41 Action News
Duration: 02:06s
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"From 1914 to 1945... the worldwasengaged in two of the biggestwarsthat have ever been fought inhumanity... but they fought forsomething... and they fought forabetter peace"TODAY MARKS 75 YEARSSINCE THE BATTLE OF IWOJIMA.REMEMBRANCES WEREHELD ACROSS THECOUNTRY TODAY --INCLUDING THIS ONE INOUR NATION'S CAPITAL.SOME RETIRED MARINESIN THE METRO WERE PARTOF THE LANDING ON IWOJIMA.41 ACTION NEWSPHOTOJOURNALIST JOHNBATTEN SPOKE TO ONE OFTHOSE MEN TODAY."SIDE STEP, MARCH.I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENTOF SILENCE TO RECOGNIZE ALLTHE MARINES AND VETERANSTHAT HAVE GONE BEFORE US.
AMOMENT OF SILENCE PLEASE."THE MEETING ROOM INTHIS OVERLAND PARKRETIREMENT COMMUNITYGREW SILENT AS THEPEOPLE THEREREMEMBERED THESACRIFICES OF SEVENTYFIVE YEARS AGO.
THREEOF THEM REMEMBEREDBECAUSE THEY WERETHERE.JERRY INGRAMIWO JIMA SURVIVOR"I'M SURE THE GOOD LORD KEPTME AROUND ONLY TOREPRESENT THOSE THAT HAVEGONE BEFORE US AND HAVEGIVEN THEIR LIVES AND TIMEAND SACRIFICE SO THATAMERICA CAN BE FREE."AND THERE WAS NOSHORTAGE OF SACRIFICE.THE TINY PACIFIC ISLANDOF IWO JIMA WAS SEEN ASA VITAL STAGING AREA FORAN INVASION OF JAPAN.AFTER AERIAL AND NAVALBOMBARDMENT, IT WASTHOUGHT THE ISLANDCOULD BE CAPTURED IN AFEW DAYS.
THE BATTLERAGED FOR OVER AMONTH.JERRY INGRAMIWO JIMA SURVIVOR"WELL FOR ME IT WAS JUST ONEMORE BATTLE WE ALWAYS WERECONCERNED THAT WEWOULDN'T MAKE IT, THROUGHYOU KNOW EACH ONE THAT WEWENT THROUGH."JERRY INGRAM WAS ATANK COMMANDER AT THEAGE OF SIXTEEN - HE LIEDABOUT HIS AGE TO SIGNUP IN THE MARINES.MORE THAN TWENTYTHOUSAND JAPANESESOLDIERS DEFENDED THEISLAND, MOST OF THEMNOT INTERESTED INSURRENDER.
MORE THANSIX THOUSAND U-SSERVICE MEMBERS DIEDTHERE, MAKING IT ONE OFTHE BLOODIEST BATTLESOF THE WAR.JERRY INGRAMIWO JIMA SURVIVOR"IT WAS JUST HELL ON EARTH,THAT'S ALL IT IS, THERE'S NONICE WAY TO DESCRIBE PEOPLEKILLING PEOPLE."THE MEN HERE WHO LIVEDTHROUGH IT ALL SAY THEYAPPRECIATE THERECOGNITION, BUT THEGREATEST HONOR FORTHEM IS TO HAVE BEENABLE TO SERVE CORPSAND COUNTRY.JERRY INGRAMIWO JIMA SURVIVOR"I FOUGHT SO THAT MYCHILDREN'S CHILDREN COULDBE FREE AND THEY ARE FREE."AND THEY ALL AGREE THEYWOULD