This 3-day weekend is in celebration of the American Memorial Day. We will probably go out and enjoy the holiday like everyone else, but I wanted to make my tribute to at least one member of our Armed Forces and Veterans here.

This is Part 2.

You may want to read Part 1 first.

After spending the night on top of the conquered Mount Suribachi, E and F Companies of the 28^th Battalion of the Fifth Division of the United States Marine Corps, along with their Navy corpsmen, rejoined the battle for the rest of Iwo Jima, pushing up on the left flank.

A few days later my father went forward to treat two wounded Americans in a foxhole 300-400 yards at the advance of the American line. One was a Lieutenant with an arm injury, the other was a Marine gunner who had been shot in the chest. Upon reaching the shell hole, my father was also shot, in the hip. Now there were three casualties in that foxhole, along with another gunner. Lassiter, a corpsman who had trained and shipped with my father, crept forward to their position.

Lassiter treated the wounded, and two litter bearers came forward to gather up the GI with a chest wound and headed for the American line. Before leaving, the corpsman advised the officer, gunner and my father that they would have to get themselves back.

No one else would be coming to get them.

And they all knew the foxhole they were in would probably be held by the Japanese after dark.

So Lassiter left with his charge, and the injured officer and healthy gunner followed after.

Dad stripped off his canteen, aid packs, Colt .45 and gunbelt and began to crawl.

He made it a hundred yards to the shelter of a rock, but could go no further. With two to three hundred yards across land open to enemy fire to get to safety. Over 50 years later, I could still hear the despair he had felt.

And then came Lassiter again. He crossed the open field and draped one of my Dad's arms and legs over each shoulder and carried him on his back, sideways, back to the American line.

While in hospital, Dad was told his Colt .45 and aid packs were recovered from the body of a Japanese soldier the next day. That ground had been taken by the enemy.

While my father and I have not talked that many times about his experiences on Iwo Jima, I believe he has mentioned Lassiter, his fellow corpsman, nearly every time. On the occasion that he told me about his escape from that foxhole, it was easy to see that my Dad credits Lassiter with saving his life.

And in so doing, Lassiter was responsible for my entire existence. Of everything I have ever done, of the lives I have affected, and the lives I have created.

All of it.

And so, for all that I am,

And all that I ever will be,

I would like to express my gratitude to

Grayson Blackwell Lassiter,

Pharmacist's Mate 3^rd Class, United States Navy

Killed in Action

Iwo Jima, March 1945.