Let Us Not Forget

  Battle of Iwo Jima - Tuesday, February 23rd was the 65th Anniversary (I was only eight years old) of the raising of the American flag at the Battle of Iwo Jima. Everyone knows the famous image of the soldiers raising the flag in Iwo Jima, but did you know that when this historic event actually happened, the flag you see in the iconic photo was actually the second flag they raised on that day because the first one was too small?

The photograph, taken at the top of Mt. Suribachi after the American Marines had fought their way to controlling the mountain, beating back the fierce Japanese fighters. The Marines planted a flag to commemorate the courage and bravery and achievement of their fellow troops.

But two hours later, it was decided that the flag they planted was not big enough to really capture the moment, so they went back and planted another, setting up the most famous photo-op perhaps in American history. You can read more about this historic battle by clicking here.

The Marine Corps War Memorial (also called the Iwo Jima Memorial) is a military memorial statue outside the walls of the Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia.The memorial is dedicated to all personnel of the United States Marine Corps who have died in the defense of our country since 1775.

About three years ago while in the RGV with friends Mark and Dortha with Rving with Poppa, we drove over to Harlingen, TX and visited the the original plaster working model of the statue at the Marine Military Academy, a private Marine Corps-inspired youth military academy. The Academy is also the final resting place of Corporal Block (one of the flag raisers from this area), who was killed in action on Iwo Jima. So….Let’s not forget this day in our history.

The snow predicted for Tuesday night never materialized. After Tuesday night our weather turned to sunshine and a little warmer temperatures for Wednesday and Thursday. Our crowd wasn’t to bad Thursday in fact our sales for about a two hour period were better than all four days last month. Go figure.  Today we are colder with overcast skies and a little rain throughout the day. Our high today was 47F which occurred this morning at 10am.  The weather I guess is keeping our crowds at bay as we hardly have no one in the Pavilion and the parking lot is no where near full. Tomorrow the weather man is calling for plenty sunshine and a little warmer temperature. We are hoping there is a lot of people out there that has cabin fever and will want to get out tomorrow.

Until next time…MtnAire Travlers.