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A Confederate Flag at the Battle of Okinawa


Charlie Flick
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Charlie Flick

Gentlemen:

 

I have read quite a bit on the battle of Okinawa, but had never run across this interesting story before. I thought it might be of some interest to Forum members as well. This was taken from the 11/3/06 issue of the "Okinawa Marine", which is published by the Consolidated Public Affairs Office of Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler. It was written by Navy Lt. Cmdr. Joe D. Haines.

 

Charlie Flick

 

 

How the Confederate Stars and Bars Made its Way to Okinawa

 

Only the Normandy D-Day invasion surpassed Okinawa in its scope, preparation and forces employed. More than 548,000 Americans participated in the Okinawa invasion. American service members were surprised to find virtually no resistance as they stormed the beaches on Easter 1945. They soon discovered that the Japanese Imperial Army

and Navy had literally gone underground having spent a year forcing Okinawan slaves to dig their underground defenses. It required 83 days of combat to defeat the Japanese.

 

The invasion of Okinawa was by the newly organized American 10th Army. The 10th, commanded by Lt. Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner, was composed of the XXIV Corps, made up of veteran Army units including the 7th, 27th, 77th, and 96th Infantry divisions, and the III Amphibious Corps, with three battle-hardened Marine divisions, the 1st, 2nd, and

6th.

 

One of the most significant milestones in the Okinawan campaign was the taking of Shuri Castle, the underground headquarters of the Japanese Imperial Army. After two months of fighting the Japanese, the 6th Marines and

the Army’s 7th Division were moving south, nearing Shuri Castle. The 6th Marines were commanded by Maj. Gen. Pedro del Valle. Following a hard fight at Dakeshi Town, del Valle’s Marines engaged in a bloody battle at Wana Draw.

 

Wana Draw stretched 800 yards and was covered by Japanese guns from its 400-yard entrance to its narrow exit. The exit provided the key to Shuri Castle. The Japanese were holed up in caves the entire length of the gully, and had to be eradicated in man-to-man combat.

 

While the Marines battled through the mud and blood up the draw, the Army’s 77th Division was approaching Shuri from the east. To the west, the 6th Marines were pushing into the capital city of Naha. Faced with this overwhelming force, Japanese Gen. Ushijima’s army retreated to the south. On May 29, 1945, A Company, Red Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, commanded by Capt. Julius Dusenberg, approached to within 800 yards of Shuri Castle. The castle lay within the zone of the 77th Infantry Division, known as the Statue of Liberty Boys. However, Gen. Ushijima’s rear guard had stalled the 77th’s advance.

 

Impatient, Maj. Gen. del Valle ordered Capt. Dusenberg to “take that damned place if you can. I’ll make the explanations.”

 

Dusenberg radioed back, “Will do!”

 

Dusenberg’s Marines stormed the stone fortress, quickly dispatching a detachment of Japanese soldiers who had remained behind. Once the castle had been taken, Dusenberg took off his helmet and removed a flag he had been carrying for just such a special occasion. He raised the flag at the highest point of the castle and let loose with a rebel yell. The flag waving overhead was not the Stars and Stripes, but the Confederate Stars and Bars. Most of the Marines joined in the yell, but a disapproving New Englander supposedly remarked, “What does he want now? Should we sing ‘Dixie’?”

 

Maj. Gen. Andrew Bruce, the commanding general of the 77th Division, protested to the 10th Army that the Marines had stolen his prize. But Lt. Gen. Buckner only mildly chided Gen. del Valle, saying, “How can I be sore at him? My father fought under that flag!” Gen. Buckner’s father was the Confederate Gen. Buckner who had surrendered Fort Donelson to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in 1862. The flag flew only two days over Shuri Castle when it was formally raised on May 31, 1945. Dusenberg’s flag was first lowered and presented to Gen. Buckner as a souvenir. Gen. Buckner remarked, “OK! Now, let’s get on with the war!” Tragically, just days before Okinawa fell, Gen. Buckner was killed by an enemy shell on June 18, 1945, on Mezido Ridge while observing a Marine attack.

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Interesting story.

I recently watched a documentary on Okinawa on the History Channel here.

Very gruesome fightings to get the Japanese out of there.

 

Erwin

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  • 3 weeks later...
... wonder were the flag is now?

I was thinking the same thing.

 

That was a really great story. I've read up on the battle of Okinawa because my great uncle was killed there, but I've never come across this story before. Thank you for posting it thumbsup.gif

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  • 3 months later...

Do you really think the the Yankees wanted to admit that a Detachment of Johnny Rebs were attached to thier unit?

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Here is what I found by Googling Shuri Castle, Marines, Flag, etc...

 

post-467-1210544571.jpg

 

US Flag raised over Shuri castle on Okinawa. Braving Japanese sniper fire, US Marine Lieutenant Colonel R.P. Ross, Jr. places on American flag on a parapet of Shuri castle on May 29, 1945. The castle is a former enemy stronghold in southern Okinawa in the Ryukyu (Loochoo chain), situated 375 miles from Japan.

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market garden

A friend of mine who fought in the Korean War has photos of there bunker in Korea with a Confederate flag raised high above it. He told me

 

the communist Chinies could not figure out what country they were from. Told by a prisoner who was captured.. Ill see if I can get

 

a copy of the photo. It is interesting.

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  • 4 months later...

Here is a picture of a Confederate flag my father carried with him and flew over his infantry platoon CP with the 82nd Airborne outside Hue, South Vietnam in the summer of 1968. He later replaced it with a Georgia flag when it wore out. He has told me that a lot of guys carried flags from their home states and when they stopped for breaks in the field they would attach them to a pole or antenna so that guys from different platoons who didn't necessarily know each other that well would congregate with other guys from their home states.

post-1761-1221327821.jpg

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Here is a picture of a Confederate flag my father carried with him and flew over his infantry platoon CP with the 82nd Airborne outside Hue, South Vietnam in the summer of 1968. He later replaced it with a Georgia flag when it wore out. He has told me that a lot of guys carried flags from their home states and when they stopped for breaks in the field they would attach them to a pole or antenna so that guys from different platoons who didn't necessarily know each other that well would congregate with other guys from their home states.

When it comes to that flag, those days are gone for good I'm afraid... too bad.

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When it comes to that flag, those days are gone for good I'm afraid... too bad.

 

You rebbie boys are as bad as the demmicrats in the 2000 election - you lost, get over it.

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Croix de Guerre
You rebbie boys are as bad as the demmicrats in the 2000 election - you lost, get over it.

 

 

Go easy now,,,,as the saying goes,,"It's a Southern thing, ya'll wouldn't understand",,

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You rebbie boys are as bad as the demmicrats in the 2000 election - you lost, get over it.

 

 

did you mean democrats? military trader compaired us to the v.c. looks like the south is on the rise again. and its rebel!!!!!

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Here is what I found by Googling Shuri Castle, Marines, Flag, etc...

 

post-467-1210544571.jpg

 

US Flag raised over Shuri castle on Okinawa. Braving Japanese sniper fire, US Marine Lieutenant Colonel R.P. Ross, Jr. places on American flag on a parapet of Shuri castle on May 29, 1945. The castle is a former enemy stronghold in southern Okinawa in the Ryukyu (Loochoo chain), situated 375 miles from Japan.

 

I have a uniform from a Marine that was in the Battle of Shuri Castle.

In the thread there is also a pic of him with Ernie Pyle and a news paper clipping of his part in the battle.

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...c=15139&hl=

He was 1 of only 16 from his company to survive the battle uninjured!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Gentlemen:

 

I have read quite a bit on the battle of Okinawa, but had never run across this interesting story before. I thought it might be of some interest to Forum members as well. This was taken from the 11/3/06 issue of the "Okinawa Marine", which is published by the Consolidated Public Affairs Office of Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler. It was written by Navy Lt. Cmdr. Joe D. Haines.

 

Charlie Flick

How the Confederate Stars and Bars Made its Way to Okinawa

 

Only the Normandy D-Day invasion surpassed Okinawa in its scope, preparation and forces employed. More than 548,000 Americans participated in the Okinawa invasion. American service members were surprised to find virtually no resistance as they stormed the beaches on Easter 1945. They soon discovered that the Japanese Imperial Army

and Navy had literally gone underground having spent a year forcing Okinawan slaves to dig their underground defenses. It required 83 days of combat to defeat the Japanese.

 

The invasion of Okinawa was by the newly organized American 10th Army. The 10th, commanded by Lt. Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner, was composed of the XXIV Corps, made up of veteran Army units including the 7th, 27th, 77th, and 96th Infantry divisions, and the III Amphibious Corps, with three battle-hardened Marine divisions, the 1st, 2nd, and

6th.

 

One of the most significant milestones in the Okinawan campaign was the taking of Shuri Castle, the underground headquarters of the Japanese Imperial Army. After two months of fighting the Japanese, the 6th Marines and

the Army’s 7th Division were moving south, nearing Shuri Castle. The 6th Marines were commanded by Maj. Gen. Pedro del Valle. Following a hard fight at Dakeshi Town, del Valle’s Marines engaged in a bloody battle at Wana Draw.

 

Wana Draw stretched 800 yards and was covered by Japanese guns from its 400-yard entrance to its narrow exit. The exit provided the key to Shuri Castle. The Japanese were holed up in caves the entire length of the gully, and had to be eradicated in man-to-man combat.

 

While the Marines battled through the mud and blood up the draw, the Army’s 77th Division was approaching Shuri from the east. To the west, the 6th Marines were pushing into the capital city of Naha. Faced with this overwhelming force, Japanese Gen. Ushijima’s army retreated to the south. On May 29, 1945, A Company, Red Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, commanded by Capt. Julius Dusenberg, approached to within 800 yards of Shuri Castle. The castle lay within the zone of the 77th Infantry Division, known as the Statue of Liberty Boys. However, Gen. Ushijima’s rear guard had stalled the 77th’s advance.

 

Impatient, Maj. Gen. del Valle ordered Capt. Dusenberg to “take that damned place if you can. I’ll make the explanations.”

 

Dusenberg radioed back, “Will do!”

 

Dusenberg’s Marines stormed the stone fortress, quickly dispatching a detachment of Japanese soldiers who had remained behind. Once the castle had been taken, Dusenberg took off his helmet and removed a flag he had been carrying for just such a special occasion. He raised the flag at the highest point of the castle and let loose with a rebel yell. The flag waving overhead was not the Stars and Stripes, but the Confederate Stars and Bars. Most of the Marines joined in the yell, but a disapproving New Englander supposedly remarked, “What does he want now? Should we sing ‘Dixie’?”

 

Maj. Gen. Andrew Bruce, the commanding general of the 77th Division, protested to the 10th Army that the Marines had stolen his prize. But Lt. Gen. Buckner only mildly chided Gen. del Valle, saying, “How can I be sore at him? My father fought under that flag!” Gen. Buckner’s father was the Confederate Gen. Buckner who had surrendered Fort Donelson to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in 1862. The flag flew only two days over Shuri Castle when it was formally raised on May 31, 1945. Dusenberg’s flag was first lowered and presented to Gen. Buckner as a souvenir. Gen. Buckner remarked, “OK! Now, let’s get on with the war!” Tragically, just days before Okinawa fell, Gen. Buckner was killed by an enemy shell on June 18, 1945, on Mezido Ridge while observing a Marine attack.

My dad was at Okinawa as a radio man in Headquarters company of the 6th Marine Division. I remember him telling me that he saw the Confederate flag on Okinawa. Dad died last weekend. He was 85.

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My dad was at Okinawa as a radio man in Headquarters company of the 6th Marine Division. I remember him telling me that he saw the Confederate flag on Okinawa. Dad died last weekend. He was 85.

Salute...

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My dad was at Okinawa as a radio man in Headquarters company of the 6th Marine Division. I remember him telling me that he saw the Confederate flag on Okinawa. Dad died last weekend. He was 85.

 

6th Marine. May he Rest In Peace. I am sorry to hear of the loss of your Father. He was part of a generation that will never be replicated nor forgotten.

 

Regards,

 

Jake Powers

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  • 2 weeks later...

E.B.Sledg's book WITH THE OLD BREED AT PELLAU AND OKINAWI he tells of seing the Confederate flag raised on Okinawi

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  • 2 months later...
Guest smokeystu

I'd like to clear up a few things about this story. I feel that I'm qualified because I am the Grandson of Capt. Julian DusenBURY. The author was mistaken in naming him Dusenburg. My grandfather was a native of Clausen, SC. He attended Clemson University, at the time a military college, and was XO for the Corps of Cadets. I'm quite proud to mention that I followed in my grandfathers' footsteps attending Clemson University and enrolling in ROTC. My grandfather led the student body en masse to the University President's house to make it known in Dec. of 1941 that they were planning on resigning so as to enlist. The college's president convinced them to say as he knew the war would be long and that the US would need fine officers from Clemson. Julian was one of only two cadets not to join the army and instead took a commission with the USMC. He received a silver star and purple heart for his actions on Peleliu. As Captain of Company A 1st Bn 1st Marine Division my grandfather had the honor of hosting war correspondent Ernie Pyle on Okinawa for a brief time. He is mentioned in Pyle's book, The Last Chapter.

At Okinawa, after weeks of bloody vicious fighting, he led the final assault that captured Shuri castle, the last major Japanese stronghold on the island. This is an amazing feat in itself as Capt. Dusenbury's company had been cut off from the the battalion the day before, was surrounded, and practically out of ammo. The night prior to the assault on Shuri Julian crawled through mud, over bodies, and sneaked past Japanese sentries 9 times to drag back boxes of ammunition through enemy lines to his men. The next morning they were able to break through the Japanese lines and take the castle. During the wiping up process a Japanese sniper shot my grandfather, severing part of his spine and destroying his spleen. Captain Dusenbury was confined to a wheelchair his remaining 30 years. But here is where the story differs. My grandfather was not even at the Confederate flag raising for which he is credited. After he was evacuated his men found the Confederate flag he kept in his helmet, a custom that has been practiced by many southern born soldiers in every major US war since WWI. As they had no formal US colors to fly from Shuri, they flew my grandfathers', in part to show their victory but also to show their love and respect for their "skipper". Mr. Pyle commented in his book about the loyalty, love, and respect CO A felt for their captain. His 1st Sgt. a very decent man by the name of Martin "Birddog" Clayton told me "it was hard not to like Julian, as a C.O. or as a friend." He was a bold leader, brave in combat, exceptional with command, and yet easygoing with his men. He preferred the company of his noncoms to many of his fellow officers. My grandfather was put up for the Medal of Honor for his actions at Okinawa, but even in 1945 political correctness reared its ugly head and because of the Confederate Flag incident he received, instead, the Navy Cross, an action he never bemoaned or regretted. In fact while my grandfather was recovering, General Buckner (before he was shot) intervened in a court marshal threat against my grandfather. Apparently the rebel banner infuriated a superior Marine officer who blamed Julian. Ironically General Buckner was the descendant of a Confederate General, and kept the court marshal from proceeding. However, I cannot substantiate the court marshal threat or General Buckner's response.

My grandfather returned home to SC where he was elected to the state legislature and was very popular in state politics. He died in 1976 and is buried in Florence, SC. Although he was attributed with the controversial flag raising, an event for which he was not even present, and denied the Medal of Honor, he went to his grave saying he preferred being known for flying the Confederate banner, to winning our nation's highest military Honor.

 

"Semper Fi Skipper"

 

-Stuart Moore

 

Although the attached picture is a fairly famous one, often entitled "unknown Marine", my father swears its Julian Dusenbury. He swears the face in the picture is that of Julian. He also notes the M1 rifle. Julian Dusenbury always preferred carrying the M1. I see no rank on the man's uniform and i'm not familiar enough with Marine gear of the era to know if his kit is what a Marine officer would carry. Regardless, I post it here with this clarification.

post-5126-1230879959.jpg

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Croix de Guerre

Wonderful! Fantastic story!

 

For those of you reading this who are not Southerners, it may be hard to truly understand the significance of "The Flag". We could start a long and heated discussion about the Confederate Battle Flag and in the end not come to any conclusions. However, the thing you have to understand is that for most of us,,The Flag represents regional pride and stands for the thousands of brave AMERICAN soldiers who fought so nobly in our terrible Civil War. The Flag has been hijacked and dragged in the mud but to the vast majority it stands for American courage, valor and honor in the face of insurmountable odds. All inherent American values.

 

 

Also, the "Stars and Bars" actually refers to the 1st National Flag of the Confederacy. The flag in the photo and the one most people are familar with is the Confederate Battle Flag.

 

1st National aka - "Stars and Bars"

post-3356-1230907651.gif

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