10 year anniversary

10 years ago - yes, hard to believe but the calendar is relentless.

Digging into some of the photo archives (yes, about time) from the containers in Dad's place. Some of the more relevant ones can be shared here. Others will be shared in other ways with family.

Re-read the comments that my brother Mike made at Dad's service. Well done. Timely then and still a good reflection now. You can find them here:   https://jerrysherlockstory.blogspot.com/2012/02/mike-sherlock-remembers-lesson-from-dad.html

photo of Jerry-Rita not dated but my guess is likely in the period 1978-1982

Remembering Feb 19

February 19, 1945 ... The day Jerry landed on Iwo Jima as a young Marine and was fortunate to walk off later in March when the battle was truly won.

February 19, 2012 ... The day Jerry left us to rejoin Rita and other members of his family and friends.

February 19, 2020 ... no pun intended but hindsight is really 2020 - hard to believe that it has been eight years .. I still have the urge, from time to time, to make the mental note to 'tell Dad', or 'ask Dad', and then I remember.

Remembering Feb 19

2 new stories from Jerry (audio)

I have more time now in retirement so I can dig into the archives for the Jerry Sherlock Story. The time has come to share these two stories that Dad wouldn’t initially let me publish.

So let’s set the scene for this segment of my conversation with Dad. I was recording with him, outdoor in Smithfield, RI on Sunday, July 29, 2007.

For part of this recording session, I had some clarifications that I wanted to make on some of the stories covered thus far. One of the clarifications sparked a couple of stories he had not told ‘the kids’ (meaning my brothers and sisters).

As I processed the files for publication, Dad had me hold off on these two stories as his grandchildren were too young. Time has marched on. Dad has left us now going on 7 years and the youngest of the grandchildren is now over 21. I see no reason why we can share the stories now. I believe Dad would approve.

As time permits, I’ll continue to refresh Jerry’s Story but these were the only two stories that had been held back per his request. 

Without further ado, here is my conversation with Jerry in 2007 when he reveals two stories he had not previously shared.

https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/Hm54TQ7X




More on the differences between the K and C ration from wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-ration


The opening and closing piano clip is from Shady Dave 
https://freesound.org/people/ShadyDave/sounds/325611/

Belated birthday wishes Dad

Late to this: Jerry's birthday came and went a couple of days ago. 

Over 7 years have past since he left us and yet I still turn to make a note to tell him something. And realize it will be via the spiritual route, not in real life.

Dolores and I made a visit last weekend to Mom and Dad's grave site.  I cleaned away some of the weeds from the bronze plaque.

grave site in Pawtucket

Remembering Feb 19

Two things for today. (Stepping back to share the post from Feb 19, 2013)

One: 68 years ago, the Marines landed on Iwo Jima. Among them Jerry charged ashore as part of the 1st Joint Assault Signal Company in the 4th Division. He was lucky to walk off the island when it was all over. When asked about his time there, most of the time he said: "the real heroes did not come home."


Two: 67 years after he had landed and was lucky to walk off the island, Jerry took his last walk from us. I still think there was something about that connection.

Deep in the archives, there are recordings of Jerry talking of his life. I was fortunate to capture from his earliest memory up to the beginning of the 1950's. Unfortunately, I did not get more than that. His health problems started intervening. A couple of times when we did sit to record turned out to be TIA incidents where we rushed off to the hospital. I got a little gun shy after those incidents.

What we have we can listen to again and again. And treasure for the guidance and example he did set!

-----------

This is a brief recording where Jerry recalls his earliest memory and how there were two "Henry's".

Time: 4 minutes, 8 seconds

Jerry and Rita visit (video)

For those who couldn't be in Pawtucket to make a visit to Jerry and Rita, here is a brief video captured Saturday morning Feb 20, 2016 in the cold, breezy quiet by their gravesite.

Remembering

So glad we were able to take Dad/Jerry to Washington, DC to view the memorials there in 2007.

Bob, Steve, Jerry, Mike and Mark at the Iwo Jima Monument in Washington, DC, Dec 2007

Jerry left us on Feb 19, 2012. The anniversary of his landing on Iwo Jima!


You can view other photos from the trip here
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_sherlock/albums/72157603425059658/with/2101769159/

Remembering Iwo Jima, remembering Jerry

Feb 19 is a special day in US history. It was the day that the Battle of Iwo Jima started in 1945. The flag raising on Mt Suribachi is quite well known. That the battle fought for many days after the flag raising is less so. Jerry landed on Iwo Jima and was among the lucky ones to walk off in March. It may not be a coincidence that Jerry left his world on Feb 19, 2012.

Jerry's coffin at the funeral home in 2012

You can listen to Jerry tell of his work in the Joint Assault Signal Company
http://jerrysherlockstory.blogspot.com/2007/09/jerry-story-joint-assault-signal.html

• If you see a veteran, thank them for their service.
• If you find a World War II veteran, listen to a story if they'll tell it. We are all losing too many of those these days.

Tropical Storm Jerry

The National Weather Service got around to a tropical storm named "Jerry". Fortunately, according to the projections, the path it will take won't bring it near the USA mainland.

Tropical Storm Jerry

The image was borrowed from the National Weather Service here
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at1+shtml/083650.shtml?5-daynl?large#contents

Remembering the fun times!

Jerry would have celebrated another birthday today had he not left us to join Rita and the gang upstairs. I am sure they are having a good time. It was one thing he knew how to do.

remembering the fun times

Jerry knew how to have fun

Do you have a good fun story to share?

Graveside visit

While the Notre Dame cemetery was closed when I tried to visit on the 19th, I managed to get there during open hours on Saturday.





If you look carefully, do you see the angel sitting on their stone?




They have lots of company




The memorial mass for Jerry will be held at 10:30 today
http://jerrysherlockstory.blogspot.com/2013/02/1-yr-memorial-mass.html

23 FEB 1945 - 2 Flags on Mt Suribachi

The National Colors were raised on Mt. Suribachi  on the island of IWO JIMA not once but twice.
 There is much back story to the Flag Raising.  It is complex and confusing.

However the simple fact is that the United States Flag was planted on Japanese soil by US MARINES.

Jerry was always adamant that there were in fact two flag raising's.  As usual he was right.

Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal went ashore with General Holland "Howlin' Mad" Smith that morning and when they landed the second flag had just been raised.  It was much larger and more visible.

SECNAV Forrestal was ecstatic by all accounts upon seeing the Flag. He turned to Gen. Smith and said, "Holland, the raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next five hundred years"

68 years ago toady the marked an emotional turning point in the battle.  It didn't change the tempo of the combat.  Members of the first and second flag raisers would be killed in combat on Iwo Jima.

6,000 Americans would be killed in 38 days of what is considered one of the fiercest battles in MARINE CORPS history.

Marines today say that the benchmark has always been Iwo Jima.   MARINE Veterans of Korea, Viet Nam, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan have all pointed to the MARINES of IWO as the truly serious Gunfighters.

Hard to look at Jerry in his later years as anything but a happy go lucky guy from Pawtucket.  Who was proud of his family.   I saw the grim determination in his face and the set of his jaw in his last days.  The face of a MARINE Gunfighter who didn't have the word defeat in his vocabulary.

Tonight a special toast will be given by his friends from the MARINE CORPS and Family at the Whiskey Republic.  

Semper FI.

1st Anniversary - Feb 19, 2013

Two things for today.

One: 68 years ago, the Marines landed on Iwo Jima. Among them Jerry charged ashore as part of the 1st Joint Assault Signal Company in the 4th Division. He was lucky to walk off the island when it was all over. When asked about his time there, most of the time he said: "the real heroes did not come home."


Two: 67 years after he had landed and was lucky to walk off the island, Jerry took his last walk from us. I still think there was something about that connection.

Deep in the archives, there are recordings of Jerry talking of his life. I was fortunate to capture from his earliest memory up to the beginning of the 1950's. Unfortunately, I did not get more than that. His health problems started intervening. A couple of times when we did sit to record turned out to be TIA incidents where we rushed off to the hospital. I got a little gun shy after those incidents.

What we have we can listen to again and again. And treasure for the guidance and example he did set!

-----------

This is a brief recording where Jerry recalls his earliest memory and how there were two "Henry's".

Time: 4 minutes, 8 seconds

Iwo Jima - 68 years ago - Feb 19

On Feb 19th, it will be 68 years since the flag was raised on Iwo Jima and one year since Jerry left us. Special commemorative events will be held in CT on Sat and Sun, Feb 23, and Feb 24.



The poster for the event to commemorate this important date:




Additional information can be found on the Support our Survivors webpage http://www.sosiwojima.com/


This day will be one of prayers for those who fought with Jerry on Iwo Jima. He always said that the real heroes did not come home.


An anniversary Mass for Jerry will be held 10:30 AM on Sunday, Mar 2 at St Michael's Church in Smithfield, RI.

Merry Christmas

Last Christmas we gathered together to celebrate with Jerry. This year, Jerry and Rita are watching over us. The party upstairs is getting popular.

Jerry surrounded by his grandchildren



Jerry surrounded by his kids




Merry Christmas!

"make up for his lack of accuracy"

Jerry's son Bob recalls a conversation with him from Sep 2007. Jerry had recounted some of his Marine training in the conversation.

He is in good spirits, and told me some things about being in the Marines that I never knew - that he graduated from boot camp without having passed his marksmanship test on the M-1 Garand rifle that was the basic weapon for Marine infantrymen in WWII. He later qualified on it, on the 30 caliber machine gun, and also qualified on the carbine (a shorter weapon better suited for scouts and radiomen to carry. Papa liked it because it had a 15 round cartridge vs. the 8 rounds in the M-1, and he figured it would make up for his lack of accuracy. He also qualified on the 45 caliber pistol, because he did some assignments as a courier - bringing a briefcase of important papers from the officers on one island over to their counterparts on another island. The briefcase would be handcuffed to his left hand, and he had to be able to shoot the 45 if anyone messed with him.

Thanks for sharing this Bob.

If you have a memory or story of Jerry to share, please send it along.

Happy birthday, Jerry

It would have been Jerry's birthday today. Likely something of a gathering of families to celebrate.

He is missed but not forgotten!
.

Another tribute for Jerry

When I returned home from vacation recently, I had a stack of mail to go through and found a large envelop from the Veterans Administration. It contained the following letter on heavy parchment paper.

Thank you!

The Choice Flowers of Springtime

Jerry's daughter, Joan found this photo of Jerry and scanned it to a digital photo. It is of Jerry in the Pacific carrying his M1 Carbine. The other MARINES are carrying Carbines as well.

I began the day with the Special Forces Association in Exeter at the Veterans Cemetery. One of my fellow Pipers, Sgt. Major David Morgan of The 43rd MP Brigade played Amazing Grace as a final Salute to the Fallen.

My final stop was at Rita and Jerry's grave. Another fellow worker had wanted to place a US Flag at the grave for Jerry. It was considerably warmer then the last time I was there. The Cemetery was full of folks paying respects to family members. It was truly full of the Choicest Flowers of the Springtime. We placed a second flag to the left of the head stone.

I leave you with the part of the passage from Gen. John A. Logan's order recognizing Memorial Day.

"The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit...... 

If other eyes grow dull and other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain in us. 

Let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the Nation's gratitude,--the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan."

Gen. John A. Logan
Headquarters,
Grand Army of the Republic
Washington, D.C., May 5, 1868

Memorial Day - 2012

This day was honored in prior years with Jerry around. This is the first year where Jerry is not around and he is missed.



When you see a veteran, thank them for their service.