A Day on Iwo Jima Photo Gallery by Helen Betts at pbase.com

A Day on Iwo Jima

My husband and I were invited by the commanding general of the III MEF in Okinawa to attend a ceremony on March 12, 2003 commemorating the 58th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima. It was a very moving day, visiting the sites that saw 47,000 dead or wounded on the island. I had this gallery posted on another site and when I saw there was a movie coming out this week about Iwo Jima, thought it might be appropriate to post it here as well. All shots taken with a Sony F717.

View of Iwo Jima from the air	Mt. Suribachi, where the American flag was raised	Memorial on Mt. Suribachi	Fortifications
U.S. Navy ship off Iwo Jima	Marines	Listening to a JSDF NCO	Collecting the sand of Invasion Beach
Marines on the beach	Amphibious landing	Amphibious landing	Amphibious landing
Our transportation	Convoy	Lt. Gen. Chip Gregson, our host	Color Guard, ceremony
Color Guard	Maj. Gen. Fred Haynes, Ret.	Iwo Jima vets	Iwo Jima vets
Iwo Jima vets	Laying a wreath	Closing ceremony	Bullet-riddled cave
Japanese gun	Destroyed Japanese gun emplacement	Four generals and a colonel	Suribachi memorial
A bit of color on the island	Sole palm we saw on the island	Consul General Betts and me	Japan Self-Defense Force cargo plane
Lined up and ready to go	Our C12	Control tower, Iwo Jima airport	View of Iwo Jima from the air

monty		16-Jan-2009 01:08
Nice pictures. I had the pleasure to go in March of 2005. It was incredible. I see some faces in your pics that I have in mine. I guess quite a few came back for the 60th Anniversary. My only regret was that I wish I took more pictures of the Veterans coming and going to the dinner we had in Guam. I did get them to sign a banner of mine. I had a great time talking to them all. You can read all the books you want on the subject, but THEY WERE THERE!!! Thanks for sharing. Ron USMC 85-97

Dan DeMarco		21-Apr-2007 03:04
Hello Hellen, We'd like you to take a look at pg. 14 of the Veterans Journal at www.veteransjournal.net I am not sure if know any of the Veterans at the Dinner last February here at Camp Pendleton, but you would have seen the original and seen our Veterans acknowledge this historically accurate and unusual painting. We are raising money for injured Marines with Marines helping Marines and encourage you to pass the word. Thanks, Dan DeMarco Veterans Journal 619-294-4400

Mateo Hevezi		03-Mar-2007 20:46
Hello Helen. We share a similar experience ... we both photogrphed Iwo Jima on the same day. I enjoyed you photos. Just in case you are interested here are two galleries that I posted from the same day. http://www.pbase.com/hevezimj/back_to_iwo_jima&view=slideshow http://www.pbase.com/hevezimj/iwo&view=slideshow Keep up the nice work! Matthew

Del "Abe"Jones		02-Feb-2007 19:02
THE MARINE CORPS WAR MEMORIAL (Iwo Jima) Said a Vet from Nineteen forty-five, "Men were dying by the score." An eyewitness to a famous Battle Immortalized forever more. Quartermaster on a LST "Eyewitness to a sad, horrible day." "A slaughter right there on the Beach" Is what, this Veteran had to say. Coast Guardsman Robert Resnick Was more than just a witness there He furnished the Stars and Stripes In that picture all generations share. A symbol for the Marine Corps Cast in bronze for all to see The Flag raised on that mountain top Is part of our Nation's History. One of the bloodiest Battles of the War Fought for thirty-six days and nights More than twenty two thousand Japanese In one of the Marines fiercest fights. The first part of Japan we invaded And as Resnick's ship sat on the beach Marine Gagnon asked him for a Flag And a long pipe to raise it's reach. They lost their sight of the Marine As he headed to that Mountain top Amidst the gun's bullets flying That never, ever seemed to stop. As they began to leave the Beach A tremendous cheer went all around And, "Every ship tooted it's horn." As they raised the Flag that he had found. For years another was credited Until the year, Two thousand-one When at a Fifth Marine Convention The Marines learned he really was the one. A big, old Marine bellowed out, "Do you really mean to tell me, That you never realized that you Won that Battle, single-handedly?" The President of the Fifth Marines Made him an honorary member And as they did some tears were shed As they all began to remember About that day sixty years ago Up there on Mount Surabachi When the Stars and Stripes were raised high Was still a vivid, cherished, memory. Del "Abe" Jones 02-20-2005 abeabe@bellsouth.net

Guest		26-Nov-2006 23:02
I was TDY to Iwo Jima in early 1968. At that time, there was an Air Force communication unit there. The commander wasa Major J.J. Jenkins. I assume the unit was deactivated or relocated after the island was returned to Japan later that year. If anyone has information on that unit or history of Iwo Jima since that time, I would appreciate hearing from them. Bud Foster USAF Retired Fort Walton Beach, Florida Email: DISagt@aol.com

Denise		18-Oct-2006 16:10
Wow, Helen, this is a very moving gallery with wonderful images. The photos of the Veteran's are priceless. Thanks for sharing this special time!!

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