February 19th marked the 74th anniversary of the start of the battle of Iwo Jima. YHC’s grandfather was there to fight the battle with the 4th Marine Division. His role in the fighting went with him to the grave as he never said a word about his experiences there other than the fact he was there when Old Glory was raised on Mount Suribachi. As YHC told the pax this morning, YHC was lucky enough to go to Washington DC on an honor flight with him and when the group got to the Marine Memorial he quietly got up and locked himself in the bathroom until the bus left. Semper Fi Marine!
Weather: 44ish, misty, damp, pretty perfect for a beatdown.
Disclaimer/Prayer
YHC asked our war baby Enlisted to carry Old Glory with us and plant it where we went. This was a nod to the flag raising on Mt Suribachi. Enlisted is going to Marine Corp boot camp on March 17th, so it only seemed appropriate that he carried the flag.
The Thang: Mosey around the inner loop and back to the soccer fields.
Circle up:
Side Straddle Hop – 15ic
LBAC – 10 forward, 10 back
Flutter Kicks – 74ic for the 74th anniversary
Mosey to the block pile. Line up on the field facing the small hill. This hill was selected because when the Marines landed on the beach at Iwo the Japanese allowed then to get tightly packed in between the beach and a 15 foot embankment. Our hill represented the embankment.
YHC gave a little perspective for the pax. The battle lasted for 36 days. About 70,000 Americans fought at Iwo Jima. 6,821 were killed there, almost 10% of all soldiers that fought. 19,217 were wounded, meaning that not quite 1/3 of all those that served there became casualties. On the first day of fighting the 25th Marines, 3rd Battalion landed with 900 men. By nightfall only 150 were still able to fight. That is an 83.3% casualty rate. As for the Japanese, all but about 200 were killed out of the roughly 18,000 defenders. The last Japanese on the island surrendered in 1949.
YHC selected the number 382 for the rep count. The 382 is for Hill 382, which was part of what was known as the Meatgrinder, which was taken by the 4th Marine Division after 6 days of fighting. This was the nerve center for the Japanese communications and defense and fiercely defended. Reps would be 19 at the bottom of the hill, and 19 at the top for 10 rounds. I asked the pax to carry their block up and down the hill to remember the burden that not just these Marines that survived carried through the battle and through their remaining years, but also to remember the 22 vets that commit suicide every day in this country. Wars never end for those who fight them.
Round 1: Staggered Merkins
Round 2: Squats
Round 3: Curls for the girls
Round 4: Overhead press
Round 5: Mountain Climbers
Round 6: Hello Dollys
Round 7: Should to shoulder
Round 8: Merkin block drags
Round 9: BBSU
Round 10: Monkey Humpers
2 man makers = 382 reps
The pax completed the pain by doing 27 burpees for the 27 Medal of Honor recipients at Iwo Jima, the most awarded in a single battle in American History.
Return the blocks and mosey back to the shed…then YHC has double cramps in both calves. With the help of Dr Lovin and Coon Dog, YHC made it back to the flag.
Announcements:
March 2nd 5 year convergence at Graveyard
March 16th Race for Hunger
March 22-23rd P200
Prayers:
Maggie and the Capps Family
Wells family and all those that have recently lost loved ones
Buzzsaw’s SIL and her continued chemo treatments
YHC would like to thank the Pax for working hard. As the survivors of WWII are leaving us at an extremely rapid rate, it is up to us and men like us to carry on their legacy and remember those who gave everything so we can meet in the gloom.