With a little help from his friends – revisiting Iwo Jima

Thanks to the Nam Knights, Edwin Hunsberger of Allentown, PA., in March will revisit Iwo Jima 72 years after he fought there.

The organization recently donated $3,000 towards the trip.

The photo of the raising of the U.S. flag by six Marines in 1945 on Mount Suribachi at the Battle of Iwo Jima is one of the most iconic images of WW2. Hunsberger was there to witness the event.

He watched when the first flag went up, a small one that he said no one could see, so it was replaced with the larger version that everyone sees today.

Hunsberger said the fighting grew more extreme after the flag was raised and many of his friends were killed as a result.

It was very, very bad. There was no safe refuge on the island, he disclosed.

Now the veteran has the opportunity to revisit the island.

The Nam Knights resolved to help him get back there, this time in peace so that he can stroll around and relive it once more, says Timothy Parsons with the Lehigh Valley Chapter, WFMZ reported.

Due to advancing age, this may be the last opportunity for Hunsberger to revisit this part of his life.

He is going to experience a lot of memories.  It may be more difficult than people would think for him to see and do that, Parsons explained, but Hunsberger has to do it for himself.

The objective is to raise a total of $11,000, and he is only a few thousand dollars shy of his goal.

Ian Harvey

Ian Harvey is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE