On the 70th anniversary of Iwo Jima in WWII, an event honors three Marines

Article and Photos by Mary Alice Murphy

On Feb. 19, 2015, 70 years after the Battle of Iwo Jima in the South Pacific, three local veteran Marines, who took part in the battle, were honored by the Marine Corps League Detachment 1328 at a luncheon. At the head table were Curtis Maxwell, Felipe Ortego and Gene Lewis. Also at the table were soldier Dan McBride and Marine Leonard Pritikin, who also served in World War II.

"We're grateful to these Marines and this soldier who are here, for their service to our country," Marine Corps League Detachment 1328 Commandant Frank Donohue said.

Dean Bearup, who served as moderator, said: "Today is Thursday, February 19, 2015. Seventy years ago today on Thursday, February 19, 1945, in the South Pacific occurred an event that has been memorialized in a monument in Washington D.C.-the raising of the American flag on the island of Iwo Jima. Three of the men seated here are living legends, Curtis Maxwell, Eugene Lewis and Felipe Ortego. They each joined the Marine Corps, went through basic training and were shipped over there. These are our history, our Marine Corps legacy. They were young privates, aged 17-19. Thank you to those here for taking the time to honor them."

He also recognized Marine Leonard Pritikin for his service on Guadalcanal and Dan McBride for jumping into Normandy on D-Day.

Pritikin said he enlisted 75 years ago in 1940 at the age of 19.

"Seventy years ago, we started the Seabees," Bearup said. "This gentleman, Ralph Hensley came into Iwo Jima a couple of weeks after we took it. He also was a chaplain for the Marines in Vietnam."

Bearup held up a tiny vial, which he said contained sand from Iwo Jima. He passed it around, so people could see the dark coarse sand of the island.

He cited the statistics of the Battle for Iwo Jima. More than 6,800 Marines were killed, 26,000 Allied troops were wounded, and 22,000 of the enemy died during the battle.

Each Marine was asked to speak. Maxwell: "It was rough, and I didn't like to talk about it."

Ortego said until he was 40, he thought his name was Phillip, because his name Felipe was Americanized at school. "I was in the 1st Marine Air Wing at Iwo Jima. I was a machinist on a tender, so I was not in the assault force. I was 18 years old by then. I am happy I survived and am here. I was sent to China in August, 1945, after the bombs were dropped on Japan."

Gene Lewis said: "I was already experienced, as I had fought on Saipan. I was 19 and gung ho and ready to go. I was one of the first to hit the beach and survived. I, too, am happy to be here."

Joe Martinez of Congressman Steve Pearce's Las Cruces Office said he found it very meaningful to be at the event. "Congressman Pearce asked me to bring you Marines a Congressional recognition for your service. While you were on Iwo Jima, my two uncles were prisoners of war as members of the 200th Coast Artillery at Bataan. My uncles told me to thank all Marines, because they wouldn't have made it out without them."

Gabe Vasquez from Sen. Martin Heinrich's Las Cruces Office said: "It is an honor to be here among you veterans, who have kept us free. If not for those who continue to serve, we couldn't do what we can do today."

Bearup then read a proclamation from the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services, signed by Secretary-Designate Jack Fox.

"This is the first time, the Marine Corps League has put on an event for a single campaign," Bearup said. "We put on each year the Marine Corps Ball, to which all of you are invited, and we participate in too many funerals."

He also recognized Gold Star Mother Mary Cowan, who had to leave early.

Bearup presented each Marine with a copy of the proclamations and a photo of the Iwo Jima Memorial, taken at night by Marine Larry Himes.

After the function, three toasts were made: "To whose who have answered the call and gone before us, we salute you; to those who have answered the call and are charged with carrying on the tradition, we honor you; and to those who will answer the call, we respect you."