Dick Dashiell’s Marine division landed on Iwo Jima on February 21, 1945, the third day of the five-week battle for the island.

Later, he wrote this letter to his parents.

“Dear Mother and Dad,

As you know, the scrap continues.

The japs are resisting here at Iwo Jima just as frantically as they did first day.

What a horrible, horrible thing it all is.

Death, filth, torn bodies, mortars, rockets, snipers, caves, pillboxes, tunnels, everything.

The mental tension is terrific.

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