MILLIS MAN RESCUED MARINES AT IWO JIMA

MILLIS MAN RESCUED MARINES AT IWO JIMA.

While his friends and neighbor in Millis were coping with harsh, wintry weather, Pharmacist Mate James T. Small Jr. became a hero on Iwo Jima in February 1945.

A member of Millis High School’s Class of 1941,Jim Small enlisted in the Marines shortly after graduation. After receiving training as a medical corpsman, he was attached to Fourth Marine Division. Shortly thereafter, he was shipped with that Division to the Pacific.

More than 700 miles from Japan and only 5 miles long and at most 2 1/2 miles wide, Iwo Jima was considered strategically important because it was the best air force base between Saipan 700 miles to the south and mainland Japan. If the U.S. expected to bombard Japan and end the war, Iwo Jima had to become under the control of the U.S.

Three Marine divisions landed on Iwo Jima between February 19 and 21,1945. In anticipation of the arrival of U.S. forces, the Japanese became entrenched in the multitude of caves that dotted that island. They were able to fire at the exposed Marines while being shielded from U.S. gunfire from heavy rock formations.

The struggle for this tiny island was waged for almost a month during which 22,000 Japanese soldiers and 21,000 Marines were wounded or killed.

While the Marines were wading ashore, Small was helping to set up a field hospital that would serve as both an evacuation station and a treatment center.

At one point five Marines became injured by exploding Japanese mortars. From his position Small witnessed the explosion and heard the outcries of the Marines.

Because Small had been assigned specific medical jobs, he was under no obligation to risk his life to rescue the wounded men and had not been expected to do so. He nevertheless crawled across terrain being incessantly bombarded by Japanese fire.

Despite the continual effort of Japanese snipers to kill him, Small stayed with the five men for hours, administering first aid and plasma while gunfire pitted the ground around him.

The photo of the raising of the U.S. flag over Mt. Suribachi and achievements of the Marines

that February made Iwo Jima famous and caused it to be indelibly imprinted in the memory of all those who were alive then.

Subsequently, Small's heroic deeds there were recognized by his superiors. He was awarded the bronze star and a citation from Maj. Gen. C. B. Cate USMC in the fall of 1945.