How Much Damage Could a Flamethrower Deliver in Combat?

Have you ever heard stories from a Marine who operated a flamethrower during combat? Don Graves, an Iwo Jima survivor, shares the details about the flamethrower and what it was like to operate it in a real combat scenario.

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[drhughjass]

In 2002, I was a Marine on a Pacific deployment. We stopped off at Iwo Jima. A road wraps around Mount Suribachi (where the flag was raised). My platoon marched up that road. Upon reaching the top, an old man with a “Iwo Jima Veteran” hat shook hands with all of us. I thought to myself “This man had to get up this mountain the hard way, while I had it easy.” Shaking his hand was one of the proudest moments of my life.

[jesusfreakster]

As a vet and a physical therapist I’m doubly in awe of this man- despite his shoulders being toast - to be expected - he’s alive and he’s mentally sharp.
I miss treating that generation. God bless him!!

[wchamp]

Makes me sick that this man has seen what this country has turned to after all he and his generation gave for us

[daveb.]

I heard a Flamethrower operator say that the thing that gave him the worst P.T.S.D. was dead silence. He would remember that in battle, his objective, probably a Japanese pill box, made all manner of noise of shooting and screaming until he filled it with fire than dead silence. He said he could never feel comfortable unless some kind of background noise, ie. Traffic, radio, talking was going on around him.😔

[cherylb]

This man is a very tough man.
Sharp and he expresses himself so well.
Very interesting. Good to see this documented.
This man is just incredible.

[billhickman]

Please do more interviews with veterans from WW2, and Korean wars before they are all gone.

[gg]

TY for your bravery as a Marine flamethrower in Iwo Jima war! God bless you Brother in arms🇺🇲🔥♥️

[reggierico]

Shawn, Thank you so much for having Don on the show. He is amazing! I had a WW2 Marine veteran as a neighbor when I lived in Florida. He had b been in the First Division and served on Guadalcanal et. al.. He was wounded twice there and had a bullet hit his hand and another pierce his side and hit his ribs. luckily his internal injuries were minimal. We are fast losing the ability to record and talk to these amazing vets and your interview will be forever preserved. Never forget what these brave men did..

[doggerJC]

Great interview. It’s so important to record these stories so they can live on long after they’re gone so people can hear them for generations. What an honor to hear his stories.

[quirkybirdrecords]

My grandpa was a Marine who operated a flamethrower on Iwo Jima. He was my best friend until he passed when I was 18. He never said a word about his service. Not one word. But I could see it in his eyes. I miss that man.

[JMRxYM]

Just recently lost my grandpa at the end of July and man this just teleported me back to listening to his stories of the Navy when I was a kid. Didn’t expect to cry at lunch today 🥺❤️

[JD-dmuj]

I loved his correction on the B-29, vice 52, this Marine has a steel trap for a mind!

[sfc_kazoo]

Loved this interview. You are the only person that allows your guest to speak without interrupting them. Keep up the awesome work.

[hellhoundactual]

I cant fathom the absolute balls it would take to be a Flamethrowerman.

You got a 4 minute life expectancy, if those tanks rupture you'll get immediately incinerated.

You deal death in literally the most gruesome and horrible way possible.

[joshuabrigden]

4:21 As someone who had always had a sense for dark humour to make light of a dim situation, I seriously respect the mood change at the stone cold stoicism of "until we got in it.". You can see Mr. Graves eyes change the moment he said it. i have no words other than respect to these men and women that have actually given blood, sweat and tears in result of conflict.

ps: i refer to my dark humour only meaning, that i really dont have a true understanding of true world horror and pain

[julius]

Legendary 👍🏾 This man was once a young punk like us back in the day. Tough as nails this guy.

[Packman]

Much respect to this man for his service!

[paulisaaksohn]

This interview is why we all love and support SRS. Awe-inspiring, humbling, mind-boggling account by a 95-y.o.marine flame-thrower-wielding WW2 vet is something we all need to put some things in perspective. Shawn's channel is soon to climb to the top!

[faithless]

It is really astonishing how sharp this man is for his age. I know people half his age who can't construct simple sentence let alone have such vivid memory and positive after hell he been through

[SnackPack]

US WW2 vets are universally loved. They gave so much to this country and this entire world