Photo By Ben Farone | IWO TO, Japan (Aug. 16, 2017) Naval Air Facility Atsugi’s Chief Petty Officer...... read more read more
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The group took the trek as a chance to see firsthand the site of one of fiercest battles of WWII. During the 36-day battle, more than 27,000 Marines were killed or wounded as they fought to secure the island's airstrip to support U.S. B-29 bombers.
The grandson of one of those Marines who were part of the initial invasion force, Chief Master-at-Arms Levi Woodley, from Houston, made the trip to walk in his grandfather's footsteps.
"It was especially satisfying for me, because my grandfather came out here when he was in the [Marine] Corps," said Woodley.
While Woodley felt a personal connection to the history of the island, he also noted the overall role of the chief petty officer in preserving the past.
"In the Navy, the chiefs are the gatekeepers of history. We hold fast the history and traditions and make sure the Navy as a whole is steadfast and doesn't overlook anything or let the traditions go by the wayside," Woodley added.
Learning the history of the Feb. 19, 1945 battle and following the actual path to the summit of Mt. Suribachi where five Marines and a Navy Corpsman planted the American flag are two different experiences, according to Claxton, Ga., native Yeoman 1st Class Akaiya Miller.
"I thought it was awesome. After doing all the research, of course I saw all the movies, but it doesn't really do it justice. It's really somber when you get here and go up [Mt. Suribachi] and feel what actually transpired," said Miller.
The day's events held a similar gravity for Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Stephanie Breault, from Dracut, Mass.
"Totally blown away. It's just so mind blowing to think of how the thousands of Marines and Japanese forces walked these same paths with all their gear, being shot at, all while being scared and away from their home. It's really inspiring. It was really a great honor to come here," said Breault. "We were all very excited for this trip. I think that we all just want to get where were going and we all want to get there and reflect at the top together."
Miller echoed those feelings, saying his biggest lesson for the day was the importance of unit cohesion within the ranks.
"The biggest take away from this experience is that it's all about being in one [CPO] Mess, where we're all brothers and sisters pushing for one common goal, supporting each other. That's what we had to do for all of us to get up there," Miller said.
| Date Taken: | 08.16.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 12.21.2017 01:46 |
| Story ID: | 259772 |
| Location: | ATSUGI, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 66 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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