| Recently, I read a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It | | | | to rush into their launch boats. |
| was especially interesting to me due to the fact that | | | | There were heavy casualties that first day. The |
| my dad, Norman Sprague, had been at Iwo Jima | | | | marines were allowed to land on the beach before a |
| when the battle began. He had also fought on | | | | shot was fired, in order to cause them the most |
| Bougainville and the Solomon Islands as a marine | | | | damage by their adversaries. It had been an ambush |
| during the World War II conflict in the Pacific | | | | in many ways but the marines knew there were at |
| Theater. The novel takes you back in time and | | | | least some defenses there. When the battle began, |
| unpacks the episodes of this past conflict in a vivid | | | | the marines were like sitting ducks. The bullets and |
| way. For me, it was one of those hard to put down | | | | mortars were delivered from many different hidden |
| books. | | | | places around the island and from the mountain in |
| My dad was not one of the flag raisers but he was | | | | front of them. Many died and didn't have much of a |
| there observing from a nearby field and his position | | | | chance to defend themselves. |
| as a member of the 3rd marine division, that day. As | | | | Heroes must have been made that day as marines |
| you may recall, James Bradley's father was John | | | | against all odds, stormed the mountain in front of |
| Bradley who was a Navy Corpsman with the 5th | | | | them. After over a month of fierce fighting, they |
| marine division who was also on Iwo Jima. Another | | | | took over the island of Iwo Jima. My dad was one |
| division of marines was also there that day. They | | | | lucky guy to come home from there and so was |
| were the 4th marine division. | | | | John Bradley. Dad was more of a hero than I had |
| All together, 7,000 marines went ashore that day at | | | | realized growing up. He seemed to push it out of his |
| Iwo Jima. They went onshore not realizing that | | | | memory for most of his life. It had been a nightmare |
| 22,000 Japanese soldiers awaited them. The | | | | of unimaginable horror and he didn't wish to |
| defending soldiers had the island heavily fortified and | | | | remember. |
| were nearly invisible since they had built tunnels | | | | So you see, I felt a personal attachment and |
| underground as well as protective bunkers. The | | | | reflective sense in reading this novel but I'm sure you |
| marines were very vulnerable landing on that island | | | | would enjoy the historical aspect of it and how it |
| beach. The marines were taking on nearly impossible | | | | was told by this fine author. I have since read his |
| odds that day. If they had known how well prepared | | | | novel "Flyboys" which is also very well written. |
| the Japanese were, they may have been less likely | | | | |