It is special to me because my dad, Frank Robert Anderson, was a Marine infantry member of the 4th Marine Division which landed on Iwo Jima on that D-day. He turned 21 on March 16, 1945 on the island and received a donut and a clean pair of socks from an officer to celebrate.
The greatest gift was life though. Over 6,000 mainly Marines gave their lives on Iwo during the course of several months. Dad received just a scratch on his hand I believe. Although he had been shot in the right arm on the island of Saipan the year earlier.
He always said that teaching history was the best way to honor the memory of the men who died and the men who were, survivors, he called them. True enough. Any heroes are dead he said to me.
Dad died 6 and 1/2 years ago,at age 79, after having had a stroke and heart attack that left him bed ridden the last year and a half of his life. I took care of him during that time. It was my honor to do so. Thanks dad, I miss you still. Semper Fi! Your son, Russell.
photo of Frank R. Anderson after the end of the war, November 1945.
P.S. I'll give you all one guess what my dads favorite airplane was? It was one of the first aircraft I ever learned and set the stage for me to be the aviation history buff I am today!
