this happened back in the 80`s when i was on a antelope hunt in Wyoming and staying with friends at Owen Heins wild game processing place that i also help skin,cape and cut up plenty wild game too. one night after working in the butcher shop with his brothers ,nephews and the ladies ,after supper and few beers with Owen`s brothers and nephews who were all Marines either in World War 2 or Viet Nam Vets they talked about what they did and seen in the war. now some of these brothers told of the jobs they did in the war except one brother he just sat there listening to them,the rest all said how hard they had it. then all of a sudden the quiet brother Jed spoke and said none of you guys seen hard times, Jed was 1st wave, the marines that were 1st to hit the island at Iwo Jima . i asked Jed this : did you get to see them raise the flag ? Jed said yes i did i was there 3 feet away doing the shooting to protect them . the other brothers of Jed were quiet about the war after that they knew what Jed had been through . nephews David and Doug who also were Marines and seen hard times in Viet Nam one was with Carlos Hathcock many times the other brother David a Marine was with the rock soldiers in the front lines they were quiet the whole time that night, these 2 Viet Nam Vets seen some horrible times also. after seeing the movie about the flag of honor i wished i could have talked to Jed some more about Iwo Jima and the raising the flag too but he had passed away already as have all these great World War 2 soldiers i knew have. Bless All the soldiers in America !
Last edited by pete53; 01/17/21.
