It’s sad to see the last of my dad’s heros go. Not only was Woody brave, he had a generous heart and a sense of duty that made him an example to all of us…not just his fellow Iwo Marines. My dad was also an Iwo Marine who survived all 36 days of that horrific battle. I remember sitting on his lap in the early 1950s while he told stories about Woody and the others who fought and died on that smelly little island. As an adult, I spent time with five other Iwo Marines learning about what they saw, smelled, felt…did. Inevitably, each told me about the 27 Medals of Honor —22 Marines and 5 Navy Corpsman—received by Iwo Jima veterans.
My dad died in 1975. Now most of his fellow Iwo Marines are gone now…and all of the Medal of Honor Recipients from that battle. May they rest in peace. 🇺🇸💔🇺🇸❤️