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