Santa Maria Sun / Letter To The Editor

Here's my take on remembering veterans

Roy Berger

Veteran’s Day, I will remember the Marines who unnecessarily lost their lives on Iwo Jima. That battle was unnecessary to win the war. The Admirals sent in the Marines to be butchered because they were seeking revenge for Peal Harbor and trying to regain the American public respect. The war's end was near; it was only a matter of several months.

MacArthur didn't send his soldiers into Japanese strongholds. He sent troops in areas lightly defended and cut the Japanese supply lines from Japan. I know; I was there. We landed in WeWak and Holandia and starved out the enemy, rather than engaging them in bloody battles.

The Admirals could have used the same tactic in Iwo Jima, but their egos had been badly bruised by Pearl Harbor and they sought vengeance.

To the Navy, the Marines are their expendable fighters and looked down on by many Navy personnel.

I saw hundreds of Marines jogging many miles up and down mountains in 110-degree New Guinea, preparing for Iwo, and I felt sorry for them. They were duped into believing they were special and get great respect from the Navy, when in fact they were just to be gun fodder.