Springtime---time for new birth

With the new season, I'm turning over a new leaf and am resurrecting my blog---FOR REAL---this time. If you have checked in anytime in the past 3 ½ years, I apologize for disappearing. After trying to spread myself too thin, I made a decision to focus on finishing the manuscript for my book before I tried to consistently post to a blog and not do either well. My book is at a place that I feel confident in trying to find a publisher, so I’m back. 

    My 1^st post has to congratulate my 2^nd alma mater on the terrific game against the Jayhawks. A long anticipated match-up against the Hawks who didn’t want to compete against the Shocks was so exciting and the outcome was PERFECT.   No matter which university a Kansan was supporting, the game could not help but make us all proud.

    

On a note more in line with the topic of this blog---a reminder that 70 years + 1 month ago the flag was raised on Mt. Suribachi on the island of Iwo Jima. . .”would be the first Japanese homeland soil to be captured by the Americans, and it was a matter of honor for the Japanese to prevent its capture.^[5] Tactically, the top of Suribachi is one of the most important locations on the island. From that vantage point, the Japanese defenders were able to spot artillery accurately onto the Americans – particularly the landing beaches.” (wikipedia.org)

Iwo Jima was the only Marine battle where the American casualties, 26,000, exceeded the Japanese -- most of the 22,000 defending the island. The 6,800 American servicemen killed doubled the deaths of the Twin-Towers of 9/11. (www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,NI_Iwo_Jima2,00.html)

Looking at a photo of the peaceful island today,  I am in awe that our troops were ever able to raise a flag on that mountain. It is also a testament to the valor of our soldiers who paid an enormous sacrifice  (American casualties were one third of all Marine Corps casualties in the war.)(www.military.com/NewContent])        for such a small piece of land, only 4 miles long and les than 2 miles wide in places,  which was tactically and psychologically so important.

Seventy years ago this THURSDAY, the 26^th of March, let's all remember the price that was paid to preserve the freedom that we so often take for granted.