A Confederate Flag at the Battle of Okinawa

[Jim Baker]

Stuart,

 

Thanks so much for sharing that incredible story. You have every right to be proud of your grandfather. I spent a great deal of my youth in the south, and I do understand your grandfather's sentiments.

 

Thanks again, and welcome to the forum.

[Greg Robinson]

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

 

Being from Alabama, Eugene Sledge would have immediately recognized it.

[Bluehawk]

Croix de Guerre, thank you.

[Croix de Guerre]

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.

 

 

I love storys like this! Thank you for the great history on your grandpa! You sure have a right to be proud! You mentioned USMC Gen. Buckner's granddaddy Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner. I always like Gen Buckner and his affiliation with the famous Kentucky Orphan Brigade! Here is a picture of both General Buckners. Sorry fellas I don't mean to steal the thread but some old familar feelings are startin' to stir! "I'm a good ol' Rebel,,, now that's just what I am"!,,,,,

[Croix de Guerre]

Croix de Guerre, thank you.

 

 

You are very welcome Bluehawk and thank you for your service!

 

God Bless

[Zuni]

If I may add my 2 cents in as a new member, the two Buckners were father and son. Sr. was the Confederate General, he died in 1914. Jr. was the U.S. Army General who was killed in the Pacific.

[Croix de Guerre]

If I may add my 2 cents in as a new member, the two Buckners were father and son. Sr. was the Confederate General, he died in 1914. Jr. was the U.S. Army General who was killed in the Pacific.

 

 

Oops,,sorry my bad! There goes my street cred!

[6th marine]

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.

The Confederate Battle Flag is NOT called the stars and bars. Many people that do not know the history of the Confederate flags call the Confederate Battle Flag the stars and bars but it is not that. The Stars and Bars flag is actually the Confederate First National Flag. It has 7 white stars in a circle on a blue background. Then it has blue and white and red stripes. These stripes are wider than the stripes on the American flag of today. This is the flag that is really the stars and bars. The Confederate Battle Flag has the stars but it has no bars. The Stars and Bars flag on the battlefield at a distance was mistaken for the American flag causing confusion on the battlefield because at a distance they looked alike. That is why the Confederate Battle flag was made so it could be seen and not confused with the American Flag. Just so you will know.

[Bluehawk]

And, the Confederate Battle Flag is based on the St. Andrews Cross, which can also be seen in the national flag of Scotland... the Bonnie Blue.

[6th marine]

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.

The Marine running across no mans land with full gear and M1 Garand is Paul Ison. This picture is in all the books and has been identified in these books as Paul. My father knew him.