European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 17, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday March 17 2007 stars pages photos by Megan and stripes Lett Seaman Joshua Langland holds a fistful of Sand from invasion Beach on two Jima Langlands Grandfather was a part of the attack right two Jima Veteran Maurice Richardson stands during a moment of silence for japanese and american service members who died during the Battle vets service members meet history by Megan Mccloskey stars and stripes iwo Jima Japan he scooped up a fistful of the Black Sand and squeezed it tight before slowly letting the dark grains pass through his fingers this is the one time i get to be with him Seaman Joshua Lang land said with his feet sunk a few inches into invasion Beach where his Grandfather stormed the Shore of iwo Jima 62 years ago Hes got to be out Here some where you know Hes got to be watching me the anniversary of the fateful world War ii Battle which claimed 22000 japanese lives and killed or wounded More than 26000 us troops was commemorated wednesday in a ceremony on the Small Island off the Eastern coast of Japan Langland assigned to uss harpers ferry out of Casebo naval base Japan knows of his grandfathers feats in that 36day Campaign Only from what his dad has told him my Grandfather died when i was very Young not Long after i was born he said i never heard firsthand stories the 22yearold Sailor stood atop mount Suribachi where the american Flag was famously raised on feb 231945 As the Bat the raged and squinting through the midday Sun tried to imagine what his Grandfather went through As one of the first marines to hit the Beach in the bloodiest Battle in the corps history this is so much to handle at once he said the Best i can do is follow in his footsteps and try to see what he saw veterans from both countries attended the ceremony Many of them were on the Island for the first time since the War Ive thought of Many things that i Haven thought of in Many years said 83yearold George Alden who was a 20yearold ser Geant with the 27th marines at iwo Jima this has been very emotional for me he was injured on the Beach and taken to a ship a corpsman came in one Day and told him look out the port Hole above your bed and Tell me what you see Alden said they had just raised the Flag on iwo Jima it Gen Joseph Weber shakes hands with world War ii Veteran James Ware after the ceremony on iwo Jana on wednesday the retired air Force Lieuten ant colonel said that after Many years of holding Back he just started to share those types of stories with his 57yearold son who was at the ceremony with him Veteran Maurice Richardson who earned his first Stripe on iwo Jima said it was hard to believe this was the Island where every Rock id wonder what was behind it taking out a photograph of him self As a 19yearold standing on a Rock Quarry 62 years ago he smiled and tapped the image i went Back there today he said Hurb Thompson who still has shrapnel in his body from the Bat the As a 19yearold private first class got a Little tear eyed talk ing about being Back on the is land he came alone to the ceremony but he said he wished he had family with him to share the moment of seeing the Rock Quarry where he set up his machine gun or the place on the Beach where he was wounded i wish they could see what in seeing Thompson said Treyve seen it in the movies and Treyve seen it on the history Channel but to see the actual thing its a whole different Ball game it can get to you for Langland exploring the is land where his Grandfather fought and was wounded need ing a Cane for the rest of his life was a life changer he said this is one of the stories ill later pass on to the next Genera Tion email Megan Mccloskey at run High Inlow Jima visit two Jima the Devil dogs of Marine Wing support Squadron 172 being involved in the 62nd anniversary commemoration for me Bat he of iwo Jima is Tike Christ Mas the s commanding officer said  est Battle it col Tracy King said to get to stand where All those heroes sacrificed on bom sides is something to really sure will ground them to the of the Marine the Okinawa based marines embarked from uss of Aiters ferry on saturday to travel to the Small Island off japans Eastern coast King said the last year has been a Long sprint for his Maritess with nonstop deploy ments around the Pacific to places such As Thailand the Phillip Ines Cambodia and South Korea some of them More than once so when the Opportunity arose for the unit to two Jima King jumped at it i definitely see it As a re Ward he said the marines spent most of their time on the Island Ping for the ceremony but they also had a Chance to do a Little exploring its an Honor to set foot on that Black Sand said Lance Cpl Jenzen Espanto who helped teach a japanese ser Vic member How to perform his Rote in the color guard presentation at the ceremony Cpl Josh outran a fifth Gen ration Marine whose Grandfather lost a leg in the Battle wanted to see As much of the is land As he could his Grandfather died in 1998 and haunt shared much about Bis experience at iwo Jima he said along with Many of the marines placing dog tags and chevrons at the memorial atop mount Suribachi staff sgt Matthew Frisvold planned to raise an american Flag he brought with him i get a Little chill he said about contemplating the Marine corps history on the is land for Jonathan Genic who is still working on his first Stripe and is just a few months out of Boot Camp the commemoration was is first official color guard ceremony when i found out it was going to be at iwo Jima i  believe the 20yearold said its so exit