robinb Posted May 30, 2015 Share #1 Posted May 30, 2015 My neighbor is a WW2 USMC Iwo Jima vet. His family is moving him to a care home and thought that I'd like to have his jar of Iwo Jima sand that he brought home from one of his Post War visits to the island. How could I say no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted May 30, 2015 Share #2 Posted May 30, 2015 how could anyone say no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted May 30, 2015 Share #3 Posted May 30, 2015 Nice A good friend gave mea small bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbtcoveralls Posted May 30, 2015 Share #4 Posted May 30, 2015 A freind of mine was a reserve Navy P-3 Orion crewman and was sent to Iwo Jima to deliver a P-3 to the Japanese Self Defense force. He brought home sand in small bottles for everybody. I had it for a while but also had a good freind who is rabidly into USMC things, I gave him the sand and he almost started crying it meant so much. I have small bags of Omaha Beach sand I brought home from my trip there in 1999 and I've shared them with freinds for many years too. Tom Bowers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panzerbait Posted May 30, 2015 Share #5 Posted May 30, 2015 That's a great souvenir! I was fortunate to know 1st flag raiser Charles Lindbergh when he was alive, and he gave me a little plastic vial of Iwo Jima sand from his trip there. It's one of the favorite things in my collection. And I'll repeat your comment... how could you say no?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backtheattack Posted May 30, 2015 Share #6 Posted May 30, 2015 Great find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZPhil Posted May 30, 2015 Share #7 Posted May 30, 2015 For anybody who is a Marine Corps collector this would be the one Must Have item. Take care of it with honor as many shed their blood on that beach. Semper Fi Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted May 30, 2015 Share #8 Posted May 30, 2015 For anybody who is a Marine Corps collector this would be the one Must Have item. Take care of it with honor as many shed their blood on that beach. Semper Fi Phil im not a big time marine collector but one day i will definitely have to find some myself for my cousin whos life was lost on Iwo Jima Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellumbill Posted May 30, 2015 Share #9 Posted May 30, 2015 I have a friend who is a TV reporter and went there recently on a story. He was kind enough to bring me back a bottle full. I was surprised how big the pieces were - I expected black, volcanic sand but not that big. Really lucky to have it - probably the closest I'll ever get to Iwo Jima. Very best, Bill K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted May 30, 2015 Share #10 Posted May 30, 2015 Awesome, even better that it's from the vet. I have 2 small vials of sand from Omaha and Utah beach. Not that it's rare but I treasure them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinb Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share #11 Posted May 31, 2015 I have a small bottle of sand from Sword and Utah. Scooped it up myself back in 1994. But I don't see myself ever going to Iwo Jima, so getting it from the vet is the next best thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james127 Posted May 31, 2015 Share #12 Posted May 31, 2015 Wow. What makes that extra special is getting it from a vet who was there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treetop Posted May 31, 2015 Share #13 Posted May 31, 2015 I HAVE A SMALL CONTAINER OF SAND FROM IWO GIMA GIVEN TO ME BY AM MARINE OFFICER. i ALSO HAVE A CHUNK OF CONCRETE TAKEN FRO THE CASEMENTS ON TOP OF POINTE DU HOC , GIVEN TO ME BY RANGER JERRY DEVLIN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plant#4 Posted June 26, 2015 Share #14 Posted June 26, 2015 I have a friend who is a TV reporter and went there recently on a story. He was kind enough to bring me back a bottle full. I was surprised how big the pieces were - I expected black, volcanic sand but not that big. Really lucky to have it - probably the closest I'll ever get to Iwo Jima. Very best, Bill K. Suprisingly, the sand is made up of two different sizes, fine grain, and almost pea size and shape farther up the beach. Of course the photos we look at that were taken during the battle, that sand has been pulverized, all over. The sand farther in looks black as well, however it all has a light grey powder (airborn dust? salt?) in the mix as well. I was there in March 2012. This is a picture of my father and my self, in front of Mount Suribachi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strawberry 9 Posted June 26, 2015 Share #15 Posted June 26, 2015 Not to hijack the thread, but how hard is it to get permission from the Japanese government to visit Iwo Jima? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumpin Jack Posted June 26, 2015 Share #16 Posted June 26, 2015 When I made the formal presentation of my Vol I of Heroes In Our Midst to former Paramarine Ozzie Eggeson, I was given a surprise gift of a Marine mug full of volcanic ash from Iwo Jima by one of his buddies. It holds a place of respect in my Marine Room. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbtcoveralls Posted June 26, 2015 Share #17 Posted June 26, 2015 Not to hijack the thread, but how hard is it to get permission from the Japanese government to visit Iwo Jima? There are tour groups that are permitted on occasion but it is not easy and there are no commercial flights to the island. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suwanneetrader Posted June 27, 2015 Share #18 Posted June 27, 2015 In the late 90's a friend gave me small containers with sand from Iwo and Guam as he knew my Dad was on both of them. I know they have little $ value but I treasure them. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plant#4 Posted June 27, 2015 Share #19 Posted June 27, 2015 Anybody can join the "Return to Honor" flight that is held once a year, in late may, that visits Iwo Jima with Military Historical Tours. An airliner is chartered and flown from Guam to Iwo Jima, and you get to spend the day walking the beaches, expolring the top of Mount Suribachi. Here is a link to a video of the 67th tour. It is an active Japanese Naval base, is why you cannot just drop in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renaissance Marine Posted October 4, 2021 Share #20 Posted October 4, 2021 we landed on iwo back in 83 on westpac. we all brought back sandbags full of sand to "share" with the sailors. i still have a good amount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now