The Battle - Epilogue

Dear Mr.Bradley
My Dad Cpt.Patrick Donlan fought on Iwo Jima. Many books tell how he lost his leg on Hill382 known as the Meatgrinder. He enjoyed the copy of your book I gave to him. He is still alive.His mind goes back to Kawajalien,Marshall Islands, Sapian, and Tinian , Mariana Islands and Iwo Jima, Volcanic Islands. His company took Hill 382and for all purposes died there. He thinks about the boys he fought with that died all the time. He lost his leg below the knee on Hill 382 the rest was cut off on the hospital ship due to gas gangrene. Major [now Col.{Ridlon came to our homestead to ask my DAd to take part in the formal return of the Island to the Japense Gov't. My Dad couldn't because it was the last place he walked on two legs and his men in Company E 4th Marine Divison Second Battalion 24th Marine Regiment died on that Hill called the Meatgrinder. I grew up knowing about the first flag raising, the windtalkers {Nav.radiomen} and things most people still don't know about. Because my Mom was an Army nurse on the hospital ship Thistle for the invasion of Italy, Sicily and North Africa my parents who were high school sweethearts exchanged war experiences at the supper table when I was little. Unlike your Dad my Dad relived his experiences over and over because he rose in rank from 2nd Lt. to Captain due to Battle field promotions and questioned over and over in his mind his decisions that may have caused the life of the soldiers under him and his failure to stand up to Officers above him when they made poor choices. It has haunted him his whole life. He felt he had to live a good life for the boys he fought with that did not have a life and tried to conduct himself in a way that would honor the men he fought with and who died. He just celebrated his 90th birthday last month. His mind goes back to those Islands and he relives the deaths of the young men he served with over and over. He lives with ghosts.

That speeks to me. Boy am I sorry for them. (*_*)