“And Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation any one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”
Acts 10:34-35 (RSV)
War is never good, but it can help reveal and shine a light on the virtue and goodness of a person, against the backdrop of prejudice and injustice. The Marine branch of the military used to be restricted only for Caucasian recruits. Black men could serve in the Navy and the Army but were not accepted in the Marines until FDR changed that in 1941, when civil rights activists brought the issue to the forefront.
The World War II conflict on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima, began on February 19th and ended on March 16th, 1945. It was a short one, lasting only one month until the island was secured, but only after a loss of 6,800 American lives. Kamikaze suicide bombers were something the U.S. never dealt with before.
There were 900 black marines in Iwo Jima during World War II, and one of them was Thomas McPhatter. He once jumped into a foxhole, and found a white marine who was bleeding to death after being fatally wounded. The soldier was still alive, holding onto a photo of his loved ones, and McPhatter prayed with the dying man, staying with him in the foxhole, until he passed away.
On February 23, 1945, a group of six Marines on that same island were carrying an American flag and heading for Mount Suribachi, to proclaim victory. McPhatter was there and knew what the men were trying to do, but he noticed they needed a flag pole to hoist the flag. He quickly rummaged through a nearby scrap pile to find a suitable pipe or pole and gave it to the six flag bearing Marines. As the flag was raised high on Mount Suribachi, it also raised the morale of the many soldiers who witnessed it that day.
I know of one marine who was there that day, and was inspired by seeing the raising of the flag, because he was my uncle. He wrote about it in a letter to his mother, who is my grandmother, who saved all his letters. My uncle John died in March of 1945, while saving a friend. He was awarded a Purple Heart, and though I never met him, I heard all about him from my grandmother and the letters she saved.
McPhatter and my uncle were both Marines, close to the same age, both were stationed on the same island in 1945. They both witnessed the flag raising on Mount Suribachi. Outside of skin color, they had a lot in common, and I often wondered if they ever crossed paths. McPhatter survived the war, and came home. He rightfully received awards and medals, and lived a full life to the age of 87.
I’m thankful that the government desegregated the Marine branch of the military, so that men like McPhatter could be recognized and rewarded for their service, just as my uncle John was.
The photo of the Marines raising the flag is iconic and the photographer, Joe Rosenthal, was recognized for it and won a Pulitzer Prize. It became the most famous combat image of World War II. Unfortunately, most history books make little mention of how that flagpole was found by Thomas McPhatter.
While it’s easier to change laws than men’s hearts regarding prejudice, God is continually in the process of changing people’s hearts. Some hearts change just by witnessing the virtue and sacrifice that a man will make for his country and for others.
Lord, thank you for the good men and women of all branches of military, who left us their stories of sacrifice, which continue to inspire and change hearts. Bless all those who gave their time, their life, or their limbs for this country, as we celebrate freedom today. Amen
Happy Fourth of July!🇺🇸
