D+35 Iwo Jima

My brother-in-law, Frank Moody left the comment below on the VA Home posting that really deserves to get full space here:



D+35 Iwo Jima: Marines are in the last stages of eliminating Japanese resistance. Combat is winding down and the Island will be declared secure in another day. Planes are landing on the airstrip. Heavy Bombers are set to strike at the heart of the Imperial Empire. PFC. Sherlock will take a hike up Suribachi "to see what the big deal is all about." In typical Marine fashion he gave a quick look and went back down to the beach. " I had to see it." He gives that Sherlock chuckle, a quick shrug of the shoulders and says " I wasn't really sure what the big deal was!"



In Europe, Jerry's brother Jack is somewhere in the ETO with the US ARMY fighting against the Germans.


Operation Varsity was launched yesterday. The British 6th Airborne and US 17th Airborne have jumped into Germany securing two Bridges across the Rhine. It is the last large scale Paratrooper Assault of the ETO.


Members of the 82 and 101st Airborne are preparing to push forward and then prepare for the BIG DROP. TARGET: TOKYO.



Jerry is concerned about the next assault int othe Japnese Home Islands. However events on Iwo and Okinawa will change the overall plan of the WAR.

It was pleasure eating with Martina Higgins and Jerry today at the VA Home. Steve Sherlock as well. Jerry made a point to buy lunch for Steve Cileli and myself.



I must give Steve Cileli a great amount of credit. Steve took the time to create the video to accompany Jerry's talk at the Vet Home today. Steve is a Marine Infantryman as well as my partner. We screened the video for Jerry this week and Jerry gave signal operating instruction (SOI) to add some things about Parris Island and the campaigns of Saipan and Tinian.

Each time I listen to Jerry I learn alittle more about the events on Iwo.

Again I must thank Steve Cileli for the great work he put in to the project. Steve Sherlock has done a great job putting this site together. It tells the journey of a truly extraordinary man who just considers himself a simple guy. Far from it folks. A certain President said of the Marines "Some people spend a life time wondering if they made a difference. But Marines don't have to worry about that problem!"



Semper Fi PFC Gerald F. Sherlock
1st. Joint Assault Signal CO.
25th Marines 4th MARDIV and to your fellow Marines