Marine MACHINE GUNNER on IWO JIMA Combat | Harry Martin

Harry Martin was a USMC Light Machine Gunner who was in the first wave of the Battle of Iwo Jima. Watch as he tells his remarkable story of service and sacrifice.

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Timecodes
0:00 Introduction
0:50 Martin's upbringing in Michigan
3:30 Marine Corps training
4:27 Deployment to the Pacific Theater
7:55 Going to shore at Iwo Jima
14:33 Describing the Japanese soliders' mentality
17:00 End of Iwo Jima Battle

[ryandonahue]

Instead of looking up to celebrity's and athletes and putting them on a high horse. We should be looking up to the real heros !

[robertmullins]

Ninety-five years old and memory sharp as a tack. Still remembers the terminology from seventy-five years ago! Semper Fi, Mr Martin.

[SandMDOTCOM]

I put a furnace in for a Marine in 1995. He saw the Marine tattoo on my arm and broke out a box containing pictures of his tour on Iwo Jima. I have fought in Iraq and I cannot imagine doing what these men went through. They don't build them like that anymore.

[NutshellLayne]

“No, I didn’t see anybody raise no flag, that was behind us!” What an absolute badass. Thank you sir!

[Master.blaster]

I guarantee you this is one of the toughest men you will ever see in your lifetime. I’ve got nothing but respect and gratitude for this gentleman.

[jello]

We need to cherish these men while they're still with us.

[weehrs]

You just don't get any tougher than this man.

[gibsoneb]

No tough talk, just action. A true professional.

[golfdoc]

I’m a doctor and I had a patient who served in the 4th Marine Division on Saipan Tinian and Iwo. He was a kind gentle guy who raised roses after he retired from the railroad. He needed a new car and I suggested a Honda. He told me flat out, no way would he ever buy a Japanese car. He had been a captain and saw lots of bad things.

[nickbloom]

"I was born in a trappers cabin" - Right here is where this man got his toughness. I guarantee it

[BMF]

I served 21 years in the Marines. My first assignment was as a platoon commander in Vietnam 1968-1969. This Old Corps Marine was accurate. At least in my experience in Vietnam with firefights and snipers, you rarely see the enemy unless they are up and moving around or they were dead. We would try to suppress fire by targeting what looked like might be a fighting position while others moved forward.

That was a hard year: firefights, snipers, mortars, accidents, friendly fire, rice paddies, jungle, and mountains. But the worst in my opinion were the mines and booby-traps. The months we operated in the low lands, the mines and booby-traps could be anywhere. I lost a lot of good Marines to the mines.

The fighting in the areas I was in were nothing as intense as Saipan, Tinian, and certainly nothing like Iwo Jima. But our time in combat was one year with only a one week R&R outside of Vietnam. And a firefight is a firefight regardless of what war you are in.

My dad was a B-17 pilot in WW II, shot down on 23 July 1943 and was a POW for 2 years.

At tip of the hat to the Greatest Generation that fought in WW II.

[TXMEDRGR]

"Coming ashore we had a bad experience..." Wow, what a wonderfully humble understatement. God bless this Marine.

[Betterifitsfree]

After being raised hard scrabble to survive on just the essentials, after being shunted for his 1st attempt to join up, after nearly being killed on the beach with just "50 round being fired", he still feels compassion for his enemies. He deserves all the salutes he gets.

[seanfrashier]

He's very sharp for a 95 year old man. I'd love to sit down and have a conversation with him

[MurfFJ]

My Father was a Marine Sgt. in WW2, Part of the original USMC "Raiders". He fought His last Battle against the Japanese on Iwo. He was skilled in the operation of the Flamethrower so despite being wounded twice, remained on the Island still fighting for 31 days till carried off, with a Purple Heart with two Oak Leaf clusters, leaving part of his right Hand and Arm behind on "Bloody Iwo". His wounds never stopped Him from Hugging His Kids though. Which I am proud to be one of. Semper Fi.

[Turkmm]

My grandfather passed away last year at 95. He enlisted before the war, fought through the south pacific and downplayed his heroism his entire life. The greatest generation. He then went on to fight in Korea and raised a wonderful family. Thank you Harry, and all men and women who have fought, currently fight, and will fight for our country.

[TX.RigWelder]

I love how he is so giggly about hardship the things these guys lived through from the time of birth to the end I dont think any of us could even comprehend.

[poncho_x]

When he said, "of course we handled that." I got chills.

[paulmysliborski]

They do not make men like this anymore.

To call them "The Greatest Generation" might be one of the biggest understatements ever.

My grandfather was on Iwo Jima (USMC), and I could listen to his stories and look at all of his uniforms & medals for as long as he could stand it back in the early 70'S.

I really appreciate all of these vids. Sincerely.

[Hisslave]

"The Lord had to be the director". No doubt. A true hero.