Iwo jima memorial

This morning we went to church here at the campground. We were tired yesterday evening and didn't feel like driving all the way to Alamo to church. Was not to bad of a service. Pretty short. He had a good message. We then went into town for breakfast. And then left for Harlingin. We went to see the Iwo Jima memorial.

This is the original one that Dr Felix W deWeldon sculptured. He mad this one and they a cast was made of it  to do the on in DC It is located on the Marine Military Academy here in Harlingin. This is a private school grades 8-12 Cost about 30,000 a year but that includes everything the lady said. I though yea it ought to at that price.  The soldier at the front of the monument that has his hand closest to the ground on the flag pole is CPL Harlon H Block He was born in Weslaco, TX  He was killed in action at Iwo Jima on March 1 1945. He was buried first in Weslaco and later was brought here and buried here

Here is a photo of his likeness. They used a picture to do the faces of the ones that died at Iwo Jima. Of the six 3 were killed before the action was over.

The figures are 32 feet high and the flagpole is 78 feet tall. It really is something to see. I stood there for quite a while just looking at it.  Here is another of the whole thing

One last one for tonight This is his grave marker Had a chain around it and was a little hard to get a good one of it.

We watched a 35 minute video of the taking of Iwo Jima It was very interesting as how the Japs built tunnels under the ground. The area had been used to mine sulphur and so a lot of it was there already. They lost so many Marines in taking that island. Some companies lost their whole company. I had heard of Iwo Jima and seen pictures of the Monument Now we have seen it in person. They at first put up a smaller flag but the big boys wanted a larger one so that is the one they put up. Joe Rosenthol was there when they put up the second one and shot the photo that was seen around the world. That's about it for tonight. We had a great day. Eli says his wasn't so good. But he is happy now Thelma is holding him in the lazy boy. Later all Ron Thelma and Eli