The terrible price of war

There were six boys who raised the American flag at Iwo Jima during World War II. It was a final victory for only the south part of the island, they battle had just begun.

Only two of them would walk off the island. One was carried off with shrapnel embedded up and down his left side. Three were killed in the battle for the north part of the island and were buried there.

It was a terrible battle, two out of every three were either killed or wounded. 

One of the survivors was Ira Hayes who said when raising the flag, his hands couldn’t quite reach the pole as it swung upright.

Ira was a Native American. When back home he was heralded as a hero. But he didn’t see it that way. He said, “How can I feel like a hero when I hit the beach with 250 buddies and only 27 of us walked out alive?”

Iwo Jima haunted him and he tried to escape the memories in the bottle. He died 10 years later almost to the day that the world famous photo was taken.

For the readers, can you grasp, that only 27 of 250 lived? It is hard to even imagine in today’s world, but that is war. Older people make the wars, the young fight them.

Roger Gregory is a Vietnam veteran, serving in the 1st Infantry Division, and is a business owner in Priest River.