Survivors of Iwo Jima are receiving heroes
Children express their gratitude to veterans of the battle.
James Linn, a veteran of the U.S. Navy in World War II, waited 18 years to attend an annual meeting of the Association of Survivors of Iwo Jima .
He said he had no money to go, but finally managed to raise the money to go to this year's event, which marks the 66th anniversary capture the Japanese island.
Linn was among the first soldiers to set foot on the island in February 1945. He was a radio operator Company singnalmen Assault . "I had to communicate what was happening on the beaches to the ships at sea " he remembered. "I could see bullets whizzing and colleagues being met. There was nothing good. A remarkable experience .
Linn was one of 59 survivors of Iwo Jima who attended with their families to 21 th Annual Meeting of the Association. As part of the event, the group visited a kindergarten , where they were greeted by a double line of children carrying national flags - they went through, smiling and waving.
When they sat down to lunch in the school library, students handed thank you cards - which they did - to the veterans.
" That means a lot to me ," said Linn, who was a professor after the war. " Children are great. What a wonderful school they have here. " While filming season were shown on TV, the veterans told stories and had discussions with students.
Attending the sixth time, the Navy veteran Kimel Brent came with his wife and three grandchildren. He said he came to think or want to attend meetings to not bring back horrid memories of the war.
" I wanted to forget everything and almost got ," said Brent. " But one day my grandchildren asked me to write a story about what happened. I did, I had 13 pages. Then I became more comfortable to speak and attend meetings .
He said he served at Iwo Jima for a year, with the dangerous mission of supporting tanks as they moved across the island. Revealed that although many terrible things had happened, he likes to share good memories with other veterans who had similar experiences.
At the end of the visit to the school, scouts, veterans presented him with the American flag , and 22 students sang "American Tears " in chorus.
" You have shown valor and courage that day ," said one student. " Until this day you are our heroes. "
Survivor of Iwo Jima and the Medal of Honor winner, Hershel Woodrow "Woody" Williams thanked the students and teachers, and then the group boarded a bus.
During this year's meeting was a tribute to survivors of the cruiser USS Indianapolis, sunk on July 30, 1945, and a reenactment of flag raising on Mount Suribachi.
Source: Times Record News, February 19, 2011.
James Linn, a veteran of the U.S. Navy in World War II, waited 18 years to attend an annual meeting of the Association of Survivors of Iwo Jima .
He said he had no money to go, but finally managed to raise the money to go to this year's event, which marks the 66th anniversary capture the Japanese island.
Linn was among the first soldiers to set foot on the island in February 1945. He was a radio operator Company singnalmen Assault . "I had to communicate what was happening on the beaches to the ships at sea " he remembered. "I could see bullets whizzing and colleagues being met. There was nothing good. A remarkable experience .
Linn was one of 59 survivors of Iwo Jima who attended with their families to 21 th Annual Meeting of the Association. As part of the event, the group visited a kindergarten , where they were greeted by a double line of children carrying national flags - they went through, smiling and waving.
When they sat down to lunch in the school library, students handed thank you cards - which they did - to the veterans.
" That means a lot to me ," said Linn, who was a professor after the war. " Children are great. What a wonderful school they have here. " While filming season were shown on TV, the veterans told stories and had discussions with students.
Attending the sixth time, the Navy veteran Kimel Brent came with his wife and three grandchildren. He said he came to think or want to attend meetings to not bring back horrid memories of the war.
" I wanted to forget everything and almost got ," said Brent. " But one day my grandchildren asked me to write a story about what happened. I did, I had 13 pages. Then I became more comfortable to speak and attend meetings .
He said he served at Iwo Jima for a year, with the dangerous mission of supporting tanks as they moved across the island. Revealed that although many terrible things had happened, he likes to share good memories with other veterans who had similar experiences.
At the end of the visit to the school, scouts, veterans presented him with the American flag , and 22 students sang "American Tears " in chorus.
" You have shown valor and courage that day ," said one student. " Until this day you are our heroes. "
Survivor of Iwo Jima and the Medal of Honor winner, Hershel Woodrow "Woody" Williams thanked the students and teachers, and then the group boarded a bus.
During this year's meeting was a tribute to survivors of the cruiser USS Indianapolis, sunk on July 30, 1945, and a reenactment of flag raising on Mount Suribachi.
Source: Times Record News, February 19, 2011.
See also:
>> Veterans are emotional pilgrimage to Iwo Jima
>> 5 things you did not know about Iwo Jima
>> Death Note: Jack Lucas
>> HBO series focuses on the Pacific War
>> Death Note: Charles W. Lindberg
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