Cpl. Don Graves, USMC, WWII, Iwo Jima, Part 2

Last week, we followed Don Graves and his story of service as a U.S. Marine from basic training to the invasion of Iwo Jima to seeing the raising of the U.S. flag atop Mount Suribachi. Now we focus on his actions and reflections over the rest of the six-week battle on Iwo Jima.

In this edition of “Veterans Chronicles,” we’ll hear Graves describe his memories of the Japanese sinking the carrier escort USS Bismarck Sea while he was fighting in the mountains of Iwo Jima. He will also share details of the intense fight for Hill 362 A, losing many officers there, and using his flamethrower to help force the Japanese to retreat.

Now 99 years old, Graves also tells us about the damage inflicted by Japanese mortars and how he was able to help take out a critical mortar battery, the regular threat of Japanese banzai attacks, and the brief scare that the Japanese might be using poison gas. He even has an anecdote about a lighthearted moment with the enemy.

But his most powerful reflections center on the price of freedom, in terms of the total losses in the battle, the large number of his friends who died there, and one young Marine whose death still haunts him. And you’ll hear his thoughts on the legacy of the Greatest Generation.

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Veterans Chronicles