Jack Thurman Recalls First Marine Wave Landing on Iwo Jima

Announcer
00:01 – 00:15
American war heroes from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. They selflessly served and these are their stories. America’s Veteran Stories with your host, Kim Monson.

Kim Monson
00:16 – 00:55
Welcome to America’s Veteran Stories with Kim Monson. Be sure and check out my website, americasveteranstories.com. We have the recaps of these shows there. And I am just so thrilled and honored to get to talk with Jack Thurman. He was a young Marine in 1945 who fought at the Battle of Iwo Jima, which was a pivotal battle in World War II. It was a battle for airfields that would get our bombers an airfield where they could actually go on bombing raids to Japan. And so it was a very important battle. Jack Thurman, welcome to the show.

Kim Monson
00:55 – 01:26
How are you today? Well, you’re a pretty famous guy, Jack Thurman, because you have been very active this last year. This was the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima. And you had a couple of really cool things that happened. One of them is you are in the special National Geographic edition regarding World War Two. So congratulations. And tell us a little bit about that, Jack.

Jack Thurman
01:27 – 01:52
Oh, I felt very proud of what was going on with the kid rally. And the reason I’m saying that is because that’s something that I grew up with in the family. And Dad just loved it. And so that was special for me. And I would love to go into detail with you.

Kim Monson
01:53 – 02:25
That would be great. What happened? Because, yes, almost every family has National Geographics at home. And this one, this recent edition with you in it, you have your red cap on there. It’s really a cool honor. So, yes, please tell us about that, Jack Thurman. about when the interviewer came out where he interviewed you for National Geographic and took your picture. Tell us about that.

Jack Thurman
02:27 – 02:54
So how old are you, Jack Thurman? I don’t tell everybody, but I’m 94.

Kim Monson
02:55 – 03:15
Your secret is safe with me and all the people that are listening. OK, so you’ll be 95 this September. Oh, my gosh. And that other voice that we hear from time to time is Jack’s daughter, Karen Thurman. And Karen, thank you so much for arranging this interview. We greatly appreciate that.

Speaker 11
03:16 – 03:40
Well we appreciate you taking the time. It’s important to get these stories out. I remember him talking about when National Geographic came. It was a surprise to him and he just couldn’t believe that he was being interviewed and even considered for a picture or an article with National Geographic because like he said he grew up with I’m

Jack Thurman
04:01 – 04:01
Correct.

Kim Monson
04:02 – 04:10
Okay. And that was for the 75th anniversary of Iwo Jima. So when, what happened, what did you do when you were in Washington, D.C.?

Jack Thurman
04:11 – 04:48
Well, I enjoyed being there in D.C. and it was just a real thrill for me to be able to see the famous spots that are in the area. And the one that I liked the most was George Washington. And I enjoyed that. But anyway, it was an honor to be able to participate in all the events. And the people were just wonderful. Do

Speaker 11
04:48 – 04:51
you remember who you met? Do you remember some of the people you met?

Jack Thurman
04:54 – 04:56
He got to

Speaker 11
05:02 – 05:30
meet the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, and the Joint Chief of Staff who gave him a coin. Nice. Remember who was yelling in the crowd at you when we were going out to look at the Arlington When they did they did Kim they did a really nice ceremony there. I hope you don’t mind if I speak for him

Kim Monson
05:30 – 05:36
No, I I think that works. Okay, Karen, so My words in his voice. I’m pretty much

Speaker 11
05:36 – 06:17
speaking For him. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, we did a tremendous tremendous event out there we flew out on the 26th and then came back on the 26th of February came back on the first of March. And that’s when the epidemic was starting. So we were a little bit nervous about going. But I remember asking dad the day before we left. All arrangements were already in place, but I made sure, and I asked him, you know, educated about the pandemic and if he was to get sick on this trip and pass away because of it, because it sounded so serious, would it be worth it to him?

Speaker 11
06:17 – 06:48
And he said, yes. So that was his choice. And we went ahead and went. We wore masks the whole time. Wow. Okay. American Airlines flew us out there. And we had police escort from Virginia and D.C. the entire time, wherever we went. And do you remember some of the places we went to? For all the planes? Oh, yeah. Tell her about some of the planes you saw at the National Airplane Museum.

Jack Thurman
06:49 – 06:53
That was something else. Unbelievable.

Kim Monson
06:54 – 07:03
And then you also, what, you met the president as well. Now, was that there or was that someplace else? That was before.

Speaker 11
07:06 – 07:42
Long story short, we were, we were trying, I was working out trying to get some of the Iwo Jima veterans recognized. And of course, especially my father, I’m a little biased. The reply we got back was, oh, this is, yes, let’s do this from the White House. Let’s have you guys fly out on the 18th, and I’ll introduce a couple of the Iwo Jima veterans, and Dad was invited. And I thought, boy, oh, boy, we’ve got a bunch of 90-year-olds, and you want us to fly out there on the 18th to D.C. and back in one day, maybe two.

Speaker 11
07:43 – 07:57
And then go to, I’d heard, Wendell, his route back, which is a whole day trip, and then get back on a plane on the 26th to D.C. again. I said, it’s just too much. It’s too much for me. That is a lot,

Kim Monson
07:58 – 07:58
sure.

Speaker 11
07:58 – 08:47
So that’s 18th, and we ended up driving up to Colorado Springs on the 20th, and he was introduced at the rally there, along with two other Iwo Jima veterans. Let’s see, Bob Whipple, Don Whipple, excuse me. and Jim Blaine maybe? Jim Blaine and Al Jennings had to cancel last minute. And then they had a bunch of the Wounded Warriors and some veterans there and then of course me being a veteran myself was also recognized as a woman veteran commander in the Navy so that was nice but they only introduced Dad and the other two veterans for Iwo Jima.

Speaker 11
08:48 – 09:04
It’s quite an honor to hear my dad’s name coming out of President Trump’s mouth, out of his mind. It was pretty overwhelming and awestruck that President Trump mentioned your name.

Jack Thurman
09:06 – 09:17
What I liked about him, he just seemed to be an average person. That’s what I liked about him. Yeah, I enjoy talking to him.

Kim Monson
09:18 – 09:26
Well, it’s not every day you get to talk to the president either, Jack Thurman. Let me correct that. That’s why

Speaker 11
09:26 – 09:48
I’m here. and Yeah, he did get to meet him, had his picture, got his book to him. Both

Kim Monson
09:48 – 10:04
of them, actually. Okay. Well, and what happened 75 years ago? Let’s go to that. We’ve got a few minutes in this segment, but Jack Thurman, tell us, where did you grow up when you were a kid? Where did you grow up?

Jack Thurman
10:06 – 10:07
In good old South Dakota.

Kim Monson
10:09 – 10:13
And how did you end up becoming a Marine?

Jack Thurman
10:15 – 10:40
Well, the one thing that I wanted to remember was my uncle was in the First World War as a Marine. And so I kind of wanted to be, you know, following in his footsteps and so on. And that was my big desire to do that. What was his name? of

Kim Monson
10:59 – 11:02
I have a strong feeling that when Uncle

Jack Thurman
11:03 – 11:49
Walter was killed in the swamp that they brought him out of there on a war horse. And that’s something that I always think about, how that must have been. Wow. Yeah, it was around, if I remember correctly, there was around 1,100 horses killed, wounded and dead out of that swamp. It was called the War Horse, and they had a movie on it.

Kim Monson
11:49 – 11:56
I’m going to have to take a look at that. And warhorses, they had to be specially trained, didn’t they Jack? Yeah,

Jack Thurman
11:56 – 12:27
they were special. They were a very smart horse. They knew what they were doing and they knew what they were involved in. Wow. And so your uncle was killed at… I feel that they were proud to do that. They knew the danger. And it had to be a proud moment for them to carry a body out of that swamp.

Kim Monson
12:29 – 12:30
Wow. I’m

Speaker 3
12:30 – 12:31
just kind of taking

Kim Monson
12:31 – 12:54
my breath away. I hadn’t really thought about that, Jack. So here your uncle was killed at Belleau Wood in World War I, and then World War II comes along and you decide you’re going to be a Marine, a kid from South Dakota. So what was basic training like after you decided to become a Marine?

Jack Thurman
12:57 – 13:30
infantry training really, and I enjoyed San Diego. and Kent Matthews and Paul Hill was with the Fire and Range and so on. So I really learned a lot more about weapons and the BAR was one of them. I got real good training there in San Diego and I was proud of it to be a part of the group and all of us guys worked together. We were all buddies.

Speaker 11
13:31 – 13:33
What were you being trained for?

Jack Thurman
13:34 – 13:40
Infantry fighting. What were you called? Oh, Carlton Raiders, yes. You were called

Speaker 11
13:40 – 13:40
what?

Jack Thurman
13:40 – 13:43
I was a Carlton Raiders.

Speaker 11
13:44 – 14:21
Okay. It was a very elite group, and they were the first ones, they were being trained and called the Carlson Raiders for World War II. When they were done with their training, the different divisions broke up and went off to where they were needing to go. And that was the development, my understanding is that was the development of the Navy SEALs, the recon, the leaping frogs. And they broke up the Carlson Raiders at that point, but my understanding now is that the Marine Corps is starting to come back with a new group called the Carlson Raiders in recognition of these guys.

Kim Monson
14:22 – 14:33
Wow. Okay. So, Jack Thurman, was Iwo Jima your first battle, or where had you been prior to Iwo Jima?

Jack Thurman
14:34 – 14:36
Well that was my first battle, yes. Well I was 19. When I was

Kim Monson
14:37 – 14:38
on Iwo Jima I was 19 years old.

Jack Thurman
14:52 – 14:52
Let’s go to break.

Kim Monson
14:54 – 15:47
When we come back, we’ll continue this story. This is Kim Monson. This is America’s Veteran Stories. and I’m talking with World War II veteran Jack Thurman, his daughter, Karen Thurman, who is also a veteran is helping us out as well. And before we do that, though, one of my valued partners is Hooters restaurants. They have five Colorado locations. They are accepting to go orders. You can place those orders at order dot Hooters dot com or you can call the store. They have curbside service option and they’re actually now you can dine in as well. I was over there the other evening and had some great It’s time for more of America’s veteran stories with your host, Kim Monson.

Kim Monson
16:02 – 16:15
I’m thrilled to be talking with my friend and valued sponsor, and that is Karen Levine, award winning realtor with REMAX Alliance. You are a valued sponsor. And why do you why do you partner with me on America’s Veterans Stories?

Speaker 10
16:15 – 16:47
Well, I think what you’re doing, Kim, is amazing and awesome and something that any American could benefit from. But hearing the stories of our veterans and how they have served our nation and how they have kept us The home of the free and the brave, as we say, is something that we all need to, one, know about and appreciate. So I think the work you’re doing here is marvelous. And the part that I love is I have some students in my community Bible study who actually utilize your show as part of their history course.

Kim Monson
16:48 – 17:03
That is so cool. Just just gave me the chills. I just I just love that. And, and Karen, I mean, you have been in the the real estate business for many years. We’ve been friends for many, many years. Have you helped a lot of veterans find their homes?

Speaker 10
17:03 – 17:50
I have, and in the market that we’ve been experiencing over these last three to five years, it’s been challenging for our veterans because there’s a perception out there that the financing that veterans can obtain, which is a VA loan, is not easy to obtain and that there are hurdles, and that is a misnomer. That is, people have received misinformation, and so sellers have shied away from wanting to take a VA buyer, as we refer to them as. And I’m an advocate for the veteran, and I can explain to the other agent. the seller’s agent why it is a benefit, not only to their seller to take this offer from a veteran, but the benefit to both the buyer and the seller and get a veteran into a home.

Speaker 10
17:50 – 18:08
And it’s an exciting journey to be able to do that for our veterans. Having the knowledge and the education to be able to navigate that for them is something that I really pleasure in doing and look forward to those opportunities when they come my way. Well, and you know, we’ve been friends for so

Kim Monson
18:08 – 18:26
long. I have your phone number memorized. is 303-877-7516. 303-877-7516. And I know that you can help anybody that is buying or selling a home, but I know you really do have a heart for these veterans. Thank you so much, Karen Levine.

Speaker 10
18:26 – 18:32
Thanks for having me in studio today, and I look forward to helping any veteran out there that’s looking to buy or sell. And again, that’s 303-877-7516.

Speaker 6
18:35 – 19:07
REMAX Realtor Karen Levine helps bring to life the individual stories of our servicemen and women. With her sponsorship of America’s Veteran Stories with Kim Monson, Karen honors the sacrifices of our military and is grateful for our freedom. As a member of the National Association of Realtors Board of Directors, Karen works to protect private property rights for all of us. Karen has a heart for our active duty military and veterans and is honored to help you buy or sell your home. Call Karen Levine at 303-877-7516 to help you navigate buying or selling your home. That’s 303-877-7516.

Speaker 5
19:16 – 19:35
All of Kim’s sponsors are an inclusive partnership with Kim and are not affiliated with or in partnership with KLZ or Crawford Broadcasting. If you would like to support the work of The Kim Monson Show and grow your business, contact Kim at her website, KimMonson.com. That’s Kim Monson, M-O-N-S-O-N dot com.

Kim Monson
19:45 – 20:30
Welcome back to America’s Veteran Stories with Kim Monson. I am Kim Monson. Be sure to check out our website. That’s americasveteranstories.com. The show recaps are there. This show precipitated from a trip that I took in 2016 with a group that took or accompanied four D-Day veterans to Normandy, France in celebration of the D-Day liberation of the European continent. We return back to the states realizing how important these stories are to be told and to capture them, and that’s the reason that we do this show. And I’ve had the great honor to interview over 130 World War II veterans, and thrilled on the line with me is World War II veteran Jack Thurman.

Kim Monson
20:30 – 20:59
He fought at the Battle of Iwo Jima, which was a very important battle in the Pacific Theater in World War II. He was just a young kid. He was 19 when the battle started on February 19, 1945. He was a kid from South Dakota, a long way from home. And Jack Thurman, let’s talk about this battle. Now, where were you before you headed to Iwo Jima? Were you in Hawaii or where were you exactly?

Jack Thurman
21:03 – 21:09
Well, I was still, I think if I understand you correctly, I was still in camp.

Kim Monson
21:10 – 21:22
Okay, and then how did you, how did you get to the battle then? You know, when did you get your orders? What did that all look like?

Jack Thurman
21:24 – 22:06
Well, I think I see what you mean. Well, we were, we left for Hawaii and headed for the campaign and it was something that it’s hard to believe that you could be involved in something that’s so ugly and it was an honor for me to be in the battle and I could probably go on and on. I don’t know what you want me to do. Okay, well,

Kim Monson
22:06 – 22:14
so you’ve left Hawaii and now you had to get off the ship into landing craft to make the landing, correct?

Jack Thurman
22:15 – 22:16
Correct.

Kim Monson
22:16 – 22:24
Okay, and can you remember what was going through your mind at that time? Were you afraid or what were you thinking? No,

Jack Thurman
22:26 – 22:41
I really wasn’t afraid. I knew that we were going into something that had to be done and I had no fears at all. I was ready.

Kim Monson
22:43 – 22:47
Did you feel that you had ample training for that day?

Jack Thurman
22:47 – 23:08
Oh yes. I felt very comfortable about everything. When I was in the Carlton Raiders, I also went below sea. I was in submarines, also training. And so I had those trainings, really. I was almost ready, really.

Kim Monson
23:09 – 24:03
Okay. And to set this up, I would encourage people to go and try to find on the internet the island of Iwo Jima. It is stark. Mt. Suribachi is, what, about 543 feet above the water level, and it’s daunting. and the Japanese had actually dug caves. They had caves and tunnels. And we thought that we had softened the island up. And you guys were surprised. The resistance was much stronger than we realized. My understanding, Jack, is that the Japanese let the first wave of Marines get onto the beach, and they held their fire, and it wasn’t until the second wave was coming on that they really opened fire, and you guys were surprised.

Kim Monson
24:03 – 24:05
Am I recalling that correctly?

Jack Thurman
24:08 – 24:43
Well, what I saw was artillery fire that was just littered the sky with Japanese artillery. And we were really surprised. We weren’t expecting that at all. And so that’s one thing that I’ll note for you. The Japanese were prepared. and we felt that this was something that had to be taken care of and so we just hung in there and took our lickings along with the others.

Speaker 11
24:44 – 25:20
So I think her question was, and I think this is a good thing to clear up. She’s saying the first wave that came in, which was you, that there was no artillery fire until the second wave came in. Or limited. Limited. And I remember you talking about how you couldn’t even see the island. It was just so bombarded with artillery fire and smoke. And when you couldn’t even hit the beach, both Amtraks on each side of you were hit and some were killed. So I’d say the artillery fire was pretty significant

Kim Monson
25:20 – 25:40
even with the first wave. With the first wave. Okay. Okay, so let’s talk about that, Jack Thurman. First wave Iwo Jima. Landing craft is coming up to this beach, which is volcanic sand or ash. There’s not much, very many places to hide. What happened when you hit the beach? Well,

Jack Thurman
25:41 – 26:41
first of all, we were surprised at the resistance that we were getting, and it was The whole thing about trying to get on the beach was very difficult. And the Japanese had artillery fire that just wouldn’t quit. I mean, it was just unbelievable. We weren’t expecting all that. But we went on in and did what we had to do. And I got in right in behind Yeah. And so I heard there were kind of berms or something, or how did you get your foothold there? Well my first, the way we got on the beach was, I don’t know, Amtrak.

Speaker 3
26:42 – 26:42
Okay,

Jack Thurman
26:42 – 27:45
okay. And the Amtrak was something that we respected. It was a good unit and it helped us to get in, really. And it spun around and dropped? Yeah, LST, yeah. Okay, okay. Talk about that. Oh, okay. I can talk about the landing with the LSTs. And they opened up the way for us to begin grooving. And it was… everything was happening so fast that we just couldn’t… I’ll put it this way. The beach was something that we didn’t expect all the resistance. that we were getting from the Japanese. They were there waiting for us. And there was a…

Jack Thurman
27:45 – 27:48
I think I’ve covered what you want.

Speaker 11
27:48 – 27:54
Okay. So what happened when you hit the beach? Remember you were talking about the sand and going up the hill? Yeah. Tell her about

Jack Thurman
27:54 – 28:26
that. Oh, okay. So when I got on the beach, I moved in to where I was on the inside of the attack. And the way I hit the beach was something that I’ll never forget. What was it like?

Kim Monson
28:26 – 28:36
What is it you won’t forget? Jack, what was it like once you got onto the beach? What was the sand like? Was it hot? It was hot.

Jack Thurman
28:36 – 29:41
I’ll tell you what, it was hot all the way across Iwo Jima. The whole island was nothing but lava beds. I was It was warm in that foxhole, and it was hot all the time. And the idea of trying to move to the black sand, which I found out, why black sand? You know, and I found out that the volcano was so hot and cold. fire that had burnt the yellow sand. And that’s where the black sands come from, burnt by Monserrat Bashi. And so I was in this kind of a heat system all the way, all the way across Iwo Jima.

Jack Thurman
29:42 – 30:05
And I have a feeling that the idea of trying to wipe out the hot sand and so on was difficult. But we didn’t get a good start. We were alone holding on to airfield number one for the whole day.

Speaker 3
30:05 – 30:05
We

Jack Thurman
30:06 – 31:02
were there. We couldn’t move out. And we battled for a good solid week or more. along Moldeham, the airfield number one. And that is where we got into heavy battle. And the thing that really caught my attention was the equipment that the Japanese used to reach us and to pin us down on Monson. Difficult for us to handle. A cosmic suicide plane came in and I saw it coming, and I was firing away at the nose of that plane. I could see the pilot sitting up in his cockpit, and I was firing away, and when he got to where I was at, he dropped down right in the middle of us, all of us, killing all of the Marines that were there.

Jack Thurman
31:03 – 31:50
I was in my foxhole when that happened, and I jumped into my foxhole, and when that plane dropped down, I was covered head to foot and I thought for sure that this is where I was going to be because of the exploding fire. And the battle went on and on to where it was difficult to But I got out of there, thank God. Two guys jumped over me when they were running past me. And one of the guys said, hey, there’s a guy down here. And they dug me out. I really feel, if he hadn’t have seen me, I’d probably still be there today.

Jack Thurman
31:50 – 32:44
Because I was literally buried in black sand. So I was able to get out of there, moved out of there. The thing that really got me was we were there a good part of the day, working, fighting, and so on. We couldn’t get out of there at all. The Japanese were so powerful, unbelievable. And it was, I finally got out, I dug myself out, and I got out of there. And the thing that really got me was the suicide plan. Well, I probably shouldn’t have said that, but anyway, that’s what it was. And I can go on and on in that part of the department if you want.

Kim Monson
32:44 – 32:48
Yeah. Tell us some more about that, Jack. Pardon? Tell us some more.

Jack Thurman
32:53 – 33:24
Okay. I shouldn’t be laughing, but you sound kind of funny. Okay. He wants to know more. Yeah. You know, we were on that beach, oh, a good week and a half. In that area, we couldn’t get out of that, Motoyama Airfield No. 1. When that caused me, a plane dropped down and cleared out of the way.

Speaker 3
33:24 – 33:24
I

Jack Thurman
33:25 – 34:16
heard a guy holler, I need help over here. And I jumped in, and here he was on Motoyama Airfield No. 1 is where he was at. And so he needed help, so what I did, I jumped over on the far side of Motoyama Airfield No. 1 to get coverage behind the Japanese planes that were in wreckage. But when I got clear to run over to where he was at, I couldn’t believe what was happening. I was getting bullets in the sand there, one after another. I don’t know how in the world I got through, but I got through.

Jack Thurman
34:16 – 35:10
I needed to get over to him because he was needing some help. And I finally got over there to him. and dropped in behind him in his Vauxhall, and he says, okay, you take cover here. I’m going down to the end of Moriame Airfield No. 1. He said, there are three B-29s coming in, and they’re going to be landing here. And I saw those B-29s flying over the beachhead when we were making our landing. They were flying real low. And the thrill of seeing those B-29s heading for Tokyo is where they were going. And so what happened was when he told me what he wanted me to do was he took off.

Jack Thurman
35:11 – 36:25
Well, all right. So the thing was, I thought, well, okay. I got to the point to coming back. They were there for the landing, and then they were coming back. And two of them crash landed out in the ocean. And I saw the guys running down the wing of their B-29s, trying to get out of the water. And what got me was the guy that was in that foxhole, Let’s see, what was that? Okay, getting back to where the B-29s landed in the water, and I thought, oh boy, you guys, I hope you guys can swim, because they were running down the wings of the B-29 and trying to get out of the water.

Jack Thurman
36:27 – 37:39
And so they made it and whatever, but it was really hectic there. And one of the guys, so one B-29 got in, and the rest of them crashed out there in the water. And so not one B-29 got in. What I did was to run out into the area and try to give help to this guy that wanted me to come in the first place. And I took over the position. And so from this B-29 that crash landed, He was running away from the B-29. was headed for me. And he got to me, and the thing that I had to do was to try to cover him.

Jack Thurman
37:46 – 38:47
He got to me and he says, I need to get some coverage. I need to get out of here. And he tried to take over the run, but I helped him out by being there for him. He was this bomber that crashed. And so he ran over towards me and he says, I need some help. This is kind of funny here, what happened. got to me and he says, well, he says, what, there was a

Speaker 3
38:47 – 38:48
Japanese,

Jack Thurman
38:49 – 38:50
and there were Japanese all over the place.

Kim Monson
39:05 – 39:21
Okay, on that note, Jack and Karen, let’s go to break, and when we come back, we’ll do our final segment with World War II veteran Jack Thurman. Hey, before we go to break, I am thrilled to be talking with one of my valued sponsors, and that is Lorne Levy with Polygon Financial. Lorne, it’s so great to talk with you.

Speaker 2
39:21 – 39:23
Oh, you as well. Thank you, Kim.

Kim Monson
39:23 – 39:29
You’re a valued partner, and this is a really special show, but why have you decided to be my partner on this?

Speaker 2
39:29 – 39:41
These veterans have earned the right to have our respect, and I recognize that. They also need to know about certain benefits that are available to them based on their service, and I have some benefits that I can offer, I feel.

Kim Monson
39:42 – 39:57
Okay, and you’re a real specialist in helping people in finding just the right individual mortgage for them. And as you mentioned, there’s some very special things as we were preparing for this, you said, this is something that we probably have gotten right. And I love that. So explain.

Speaker 2
39:58 – 40:21
Exactly. I think a lot of people, when they hear that the government is getting involved with something, think it’s going to be a huge mess and maybe go sideways. But I really think when it comes to home lending, the VA loan is something that the government did well. It really affords these veterans some benefits that are not available to the regular homebuyer or homeowner. And if they don’t know about it or aren’t aware of it, they need to learn about it.

Kim Monson
40:21 – 40:24
So what would some of those benefits be, Lorne Levy?

Speaker 2
40:24 – 40:45
Okay, so with eligibility, a veteran is entitled to, let’s say, purchase a home with 0% down. Oh, that’s a big help. With no mortgage insurance added on. Someone looking to refinance, if they just wanted to take advantage of a lower rate, there’s a VA EARL program, which is like a streamlined, low document. Refinance doesn’t require an appraisal or income proof.

Kim Monson
40:47 – 40:48
People could lock in a much lower rate.

Speaker 2
40:48 – 41:00
Absolutely. Okay. And they could, if they wanted to pay off some debts, some bills, they can take cash out of their home all the way up to a hundred percent of the value. These are all things that aren’t available to a normal non-veteran home buyer or homeowner.

Kim Monson
41:01 – 41:16
It seems like it’s a great way for we as Americans to say thank you to these men and women who have stepped up and have been willing to put it all on the line to protect us and protect our freedoms. And so, yeah, I’m glad to hear that it looks like that probably we got this right.

Speaker 2
41:16 – 41:28
Exactly. I think when these guys come home from wherever they’re coming back from, it’s hard to step right back into society and have a big down payment saved up like most people that work

Speaker 1
41:28 – 41:28
a nine

Speaker 2
41:28 – 41:45
to five job do. So these guys are entitled to come back and have zero down and still own a home because while they’re off doing their thing, they oftentimes have wives and kids or husbands and kids here that need a roof over their head and need to be able to pay that mortgage and without a huge down payment.

Kim Monson
41:45 – 41:52
Okay, so if people want more information, Lorne Levy, with Polygon Financial, what’s the best way for people to reach out to you?

Speaker 2
41:52 – 42:16
So the best way is to just call us at 303-880-8881. You can always go to our website at www.polyphigroup.com. There’s information there, but to call is the easiest way. You’re going to get me most of the time, and I’m glad to talk this over, and I know all the information, and all we need to know is if someone’s eligible for it through their military service. It really is a great program for these guys and gals.

Kim Monson
42:16 – 42:26
Okay, so Lorne Levy, again, your number is 303-880-8881. So again, 303-880-8881. That’s correct. And thank you so much for being a partner.

Speaker 2
42:26 – 42:27
Absolutely. Thank you.

Kim Monson
42:27 – 42:30
Well, this is Kim Monson. We’re going to go to break. We’ll be right back.

Speaker 1
42:30 – 43:07
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Speaker 7
43:16 – 43:39
High inflation and increasing property taxes are making it more challenging for seniors to make ends meet. If you’re 62 or older, a reverse mortgage may be the solution for what’s keeping you up at night. It is essential that you understand the process and work with a trusted professional. Mortgage expert Lauren Levy will help you craft solutions for your unique circumstances, whether a mortgage, a second mortgage, or a reverse mortgage. If you’d like to explore what a reverse mortgage can do for you, call Lauren Levy at 303-880-8881. That’s 303-880-8881. Call now.

Announcer
43:46 – 43:51
It’s time for more of America’s Veteran Stories with your host, Kim Monson.

Kim Monson
43:51 – 44:40
Welcome back to America’s Veteran Stories with Kim Monson. Be sure and check out the website americasveteranstories.com. That’s where these shows are archived. The podcasts are there. On the line with me today is Jack Thurman. a World War II veteran. He’ll be 95 this year. He turned 20 during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Also on the line is his daughter Karen. She herself is a military veteran as well. So first of all, thank you to both of you for your service. We’ve got this last segment, Jack Thurman, and you were involved in the picture of the flag raising or near the flag raising, which is the photograph that actually served as the kind of the model or the inspiration for the Marine Memorial.

Kim Monson
44:40 – 44:56
and we all know what that is, is these Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi. Tell us about how did you meet Ira Hayes and tell our listeners about Ira Hayes if they don’t know him. So tell us about that, Jack Thurman.

Jack Thurman
44:57 – 46:43
Okay, you’re asking me to talk about Ira Hayes? Yes, please. Okay. What we met was in Hawaii, and I knew that he was a code talker. He was a very famous code talker. And so I was sitting there watching him work on his switchboard, which was mounted on his jeep. And I thought, you know, I’d kind of like to get over there and meet him. So I did. and I I he I made a good remark, and I said to him, I said, you are one brave American Indian. And I don’t think he ever forgot that, because he never got encouragement from anybody.

Jack Thurman
46:44 – 47:01
He was always a bad guy, bad guy. And so Ira and myself became real good buddies, real good friends. And I really felt strong about that. He was a brave American Indian.

Kim Monson
47:01 – 47:06
Tell us about that, you going up Mount Suribachi with Ira Hayes. What was that like?

Jack Thurman
47:14 – 48:36
very and helped them raise that flag. Because the wind was blowing so strong up there, those guys were just all over the place trying to keep that flag erect. And so Ira and I, this is how we got involved. And we took off and we both went up to the mountain together. And as we got close to the, the flag was being, swaying all over the place, the wind was so strong up there. and that was typical in the South Pacific at that point. And so what we did was, excuse me, we jumped into the, well I’m not saying that right now, I’ll put it this way, that I couldn’t figure out how in the world to get past.

Kim Monson
48:38 – 48:39
How to get past the Japanese?

Jack Thurman
48:41 – 48:42
Yes.

Kim Monson
48:42 – 48:48
Okay. So how did you do that? Were you sneaking around or how did you do that, Jack?

Jack Thurman
48:50 – 49:14
Well, how I did it was I had to get more or less kind of get command of where I was at. And that was one of them, was to get rid of that Japanese sniper that was right in front of me there. So that took some ingenuity to get that taken care of.

Kim Monson
49:17 – 49:24
Okay, so as you’re going up the mountain, you ran into a bunker, is that right?

Jack Thurman
49:25 – 50:08
Yes, what happened was, this happened, like I say, in a Japanese bunker. I was directing a tank, a Sherman tank. The Sherman tank was going in the wrong direction. There was so much commotion going on, it was just unbelievable. And the Sherman tank was going in the wrong direction to start with. Now I ran out in front of this Sherman tank and directed them. I knew how to do this because I was trained in the Carlton Raider, knowing how to do this. And so I got the Sherman tank out of the way and the bunker was right there beside me, right in front of me.

Jack Thurman
50:09 – 51:06
And so the Sherman tank pulled away. And then what I did, I went on and around behind this bunker. What happened was that there was another area in there that I could jump into safely, which I did. and I did that and so then when that was cleared I came in with my rifle and I caught this one sniper and I cleared him out of the way and then I moved as I got him out of the way I moved on down to the other end of the bunker I thought there would be a place for me to get in And so I did.

Jack Thurman
51:06 – 52:11
And what happened was that I dropped in behind. I thought to myself, there had to be a door or some sort of way to get into that bunker. And so I did. And I raced on down. And I got where I was safe. And what happened was then I had to get into that bunker. And so I fired my rifle and so on and I got into this bunker and here were five Japanese. They had committed, had taken their life and they were lined up along the wall and they were over each other in that area with They were towed, a big tow, stuck in the trigger of their rifle.

Jack Thurman
52:12 – 52:44
And they were head to toe, head to toe, head to toe, head to toe. They were swept. There were five of them. And I fired. And here it was. They were lined up. There was nothing more that I needed to do. And of course we had to eliminate him as fast as we could. So that’s what I did. Okay.

Kim Monson
52:44 – 52:53
So Jack Thurman, we only have a few minutes left. Tell us about you and Ira Hayes when you got to the top of Mount Suribachi. What happened there?

Jack Thurman
52:53 – 53:54
Okay. Beautiful. What happened there was Ira Hayes, he wanted to grab ahold of the flagpole that was about a foot and a half, extend it out. And he says to me, he says, I think I’ll run up there and grab ahold of the end of that flagpole and get us more support. And I said, OK, go for it. I’ll cover you. And so that’s what he did. He went up there, grabbed a hold of that flagpole, and gave it a shove upward. And that is what started our being able to take over. And the thing of it was that I had clear my way somehow.

Jack Thurman
53:56 – 55:09
And it was a touching moment again. And so what happened was when I moved out of the area so that, okay, I gotta say something here real quick. The B-29 that flew over the beach when we were making our landing, heading for Tokyo, They came back. They landed there. They came back. Wow. We had the B-29s at our disposal. And that was a real thrill to see those B-29s flying around. Sure. Yeah. So the thing that I had to do was to get out of the area, and which I did. And the thing that bothered me the most was Ira had to get a hold of the base of that flight pool, which was about a foot and a half.

Jack Thurman
55:10 – 56:27
And he grabbed a hold of it, and he gave it a shove upward. to give the guys on the flag raising, were all over the place. The wind was so strong up there, they couldn’t keep control of that flag. But I managed to… So what happened was, Ira and I, We were, it was so, everything was happening so fast there, it was just unbelievable. And so the flag raising was started with Ira, and he helped the rest of his buddies that were having problems hanging in there because of the wind. And so I, So I moved in and the thing that got me was how everything was, like I said, happening so fast that it was difficult to get organized.

Jack Thurman
56:28 – 56:36
The thing that I lost was trying to cover the area that I was after.

Speaker 11
56:49 – 56:58
How did you get pulled in after they did the flag raising? They did another, a second photo called the gung-ho photo. How did you end up getting pulled into that?

Jack Thurman
57:01 – 57:24
Well, I already gave the orders. And that’s how I got involved in the gung-ho picture. And the reason he was on me is because I was helping him on that fight. And it was a proud moment for me.

Kim Monson
57:25 – 57:53
Well, Jack Thurman, we are out of time. But my friends, you have just heard from Jack Thurman, World War II veteran, a piece of history when he was giving cover for Ira Hayes and the other guys to be raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima, which really gave the Americans heart for that battle. Jack and Karen Thurman, thank you so much for this interview today. I so appreciate it.

Speaker 11
57:54 – 57:55
Thank you.

Kim Monson
57:55 – 58:02
It’s an honor. Thank you. God bless America. Yes, so God bless you and God bless America. This is Kim Monson signing off.

Announcer
58:02 – 58:10
Join us next time for America’s veteran stories with your host, Kim Monson. Until then, keep saluting our vets.

Speaker 4
58:13 – 58:26
The views and opinions expressed on KLZ 560 are those of the speaker, commentators, hosts, their guests, and callers. They are not necessarily the views and opinions of Crawford Broadcasting or KLZ Management, employees, associates, or advertisers. KLZ 560 is a Crawford Broadcasting God and

Speaker 3
58:26 – 58:26
country

Speaker 4
58:26 – 58:27
station.