This is an interview with WWII veteran Carl Berghofer who fought and was wounded on Iwo Jima. He talks about many close encounters with the enemy. Take the time to watch this powerful testimony and consider writing him a thank you for your service letter which you can address with the following:
Heroes of the Second World War
C/o Carl Berghofer
1940 Fountain View Dr # 3142
Houston Texas 77057
VIDEO HERE (33 minutes)
I knew a Marine who won a silver star on Pelilu and a second Silver Star on Iwo Jima. He left Iwo Jima with a blown up knee, a discharge and his second Purple Heart. He was 17 at the time, and lied about his age to join up.
ReplyDeleteCame home, raised five kids and became a very successful commercial real estate guy her in Chicago. He just passed on last month.
Those guys deserve our lasting respect.
I also knew someone who was on Iwo Jima, it was his 4th landing in the Pacific. I'm not sure how he lived as long as he did after the war (I knew him in the early 80's) because his nightmares were contant and terrible.
DeleteAmazing interview, well worth the time to watch.
ReplyDeleteA lovely tribute... with words of wisdom
ReplyDeleteHELL ON EARTH, Sure sounds like it.
ReplyDeleteWatched up to the 1st Google commercial - what a testimony...
ReplyDeleteI have 2nd hand from an Iwo ... hmm..survivor...he as there...hero
He was the only one in his group that knew how to crew the F4U and was called to ramp up the munitions...
While he was taking care of that - his hooch was hit - when he got back every single bunk mate was dead - his bag was full of holes
My GF to this day attributes her her existence to the F4U and her dad's job
And I got to meet him
ooo fckn rah
Several years ago wife & I went to a dinner & music show; at show's end all veterans were invited up on stage. Found myself standing next to a WWII Marine vet of Iwo Jima. - all these years later and I still can't put together the words to these were our heroes in Boot Camp
ReplyDeleteOng Bing
One of the best men I’ve ever known was an Iwo veteran. After the war, he stayed in the Corps, married and began a family. In 1950 he was on the boat to Korea. There he humped out of Chosin Reservoir. He and a son served in Vietnam at the same time.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad was in the 3rd Marines in WW2. Seen action in the Solomon Islands. Was in the first wave to hit the beach at Empress Augusta Bay on Bougainville Island. He was severely wounded in the Battle of Piva forks. Was hit by a Jap machine gun, a mortor round landing close by and killed all the marines by him. He was actually laying on top of the bodies when after the battle the corpsman looked in the hole and said "There all dead"! May dad yelled and they took him to an underground field hospital. he lost an eye, both legs broken bullet and shrapnel wounds. He had to learn to walk again after two years, kicked the morphine he was given for the pain......Dad said that was worse than getting blowed up.
ReplyDeleteI was his first son out of 7 kids. He never really talked about the battles. We didnt understand what he went through till we were young adults. On occasion he would tell us the funny stuff that would happen on the Islands, like earthquakes and watching the volcano erupt.
We as kids grew up and accepted our father as he was. He never complained about his injury's or asked anyone for anything. He was a tuff father but a good man.
As he got in his late 60s he would open up on the horror's he went through. We couldn't really comprehend it. We could never have truly grasped what he and millions of other men went through in that war or any war. My Dad passed away in 1999, 75 years old. He taught me a lot and I miss him.
Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMy Old Man was a heavy machine gun crewman with the 3d Marine division, severely wounded on the Island of Guam.
ReplyDeleteThough I pestered him repeatedly, he was reluctant to talk about his combat experiences.
But one day he told me he never expected to reach my age. (I was in my early 20's at the time.) He counted every day as a blessing.
He never complained about anything. He just buckled down and got it done.
When he passed in 2003, I purchased a commemorative brick at the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation in his honor. It seems a somewhat inadequate tribute to the debt I owe him...
RIP, Dad.
What Service did he provide? Japan was not a legitimate threat to the USA, they were just pissed off at the USA for double crossing them on trade agreements in the middle of a war and the traitor in chief let them, because he couldn't otherwise start a big war that had nothing to do with US interests. And start it on the side of the communists no less.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, I am also a combat vet from an illegitimate war that did nothing for my countrymen. I too saw a lot of action.
Pretty sure the United States declaring war on Japan wasn't because of any 'threat' but as paybacks for Pearl Harbor.
DeleteGuy, you really are Looney Tunes.
DeleteJapan was a threat to the entire Pacific Ocean. And every country on the Pacific Rim.
ReplyDeleteYou can look it up.
Prayers to all mentioned here and those of you who had relatives who gave us the freedom we have left. May we rise in there sacred honor and do the same when the time comes.
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