[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 11, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1700-S1701]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO HERCHEL WOODY WILLIAMS

  Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, I rise today in honor of one of my 
constituents, an American hero, Medal of Honor recipient Herchel Woody 
Williams and all of the magnificent men who fought and died in the 
Battle of Iwo Jima on this the 75th anniversary. Iwo Jima was one of 
the most bloodiest and costly battles of WWII which saved thousands of 
lives in the future. Mr. Williams is the last Medal of Honor recipient 
living from that battle of 27 who received this honor.

                                  IWO

                       (By Albert Carey Caswell)

     In . . .
     In every heart of every Marine . . .
     There are but some battles seen . . .
     From which such magnificent reflections can be gleaned . . .
     All in what it so means, but to be a United States Marine . . 
           .
     All in those most magnificent shades of green . . .
     Semper Fidelis,
     and oh what a brilliant shadow you so cast . . . this sheen . 
           . .
     As you marched off to war as a United States Marine . . .
     Hoo . . . Raaah Jar Head . . .
     As throughout the centuries,
     all for God and Country you have died and bled . . .
     And all in that battle that we call lwo Jima in what was said 
           . . .
     As a time when their fine blood ran red . . .
     Now, all etched in their creed as said . . .
     Of what it really all so means,
     but to be a United States Marine . . .
     For from out of all of their grave sacrifice and loss,
     but comes such reverence all in this their grave cost . . .
     All in what their great valor and courage to us has taught . 
           . .
     As why still to this very day,
     such homage we now must pay . . .
     All in this battle and victory,
     all in what it means To Be A United States Marine . . .
     All in those magnificent shades of green . . .
     But, there are some things men do not talk about . . .
     Of such things surely there is no doubt . . .
     Of which they'd much rather live without . . .
     All in those times of war that which bring about . . .
     As now buried deep down inside all their fine souls 
           throughout . . .
     Of which we all devoutly talk about . . .
     Such things that which make them awake . . .
     All in the middle of night as such deep breath's they take . 
           . .
     As they so re-fight this fight that which they can not escape 
           . . .
     To be carried with them as they grow old . . .
     As with each new step they make in these hearts of gold . . .
     Of the evils that men do,
     that which now leads their fine hearts to such heartache . . 
           .
     And yet too,
     such great warmth from within them emanates . . .
     All because of the brilliance their most gallant hearts would 
           create . . .
     And whenever they think of their Brothers In Arms their fine 
           hearts so ache . . .
     For the ones who so heroically for each other fine lives so 
           gave . . .
     That such splendor neither time nor distance can away so take 
           . . .
     Such horrific memories only death can this pain forsake . . .
     As now all of those visions of horror they carry deep,
     as all in the middle of the night they awake and weep . . .
     Until, up in Heaven rejoined with their Brothers once more 
           they meet . . .
     When, no longer all these nightmares their fine souls will 
           keep . . .
     Oh yes, there are such things that men do not talk about . . 
           .
     That which come to mind within ones soul no doubt . . .
     Who once upon a battlefield of honor so stood.
     for what was right and what was good gallantly all throughout 
           . . .
     For their courage and valor to this day we still talk about . 
           . .
     As all of this we must now tout . . .
     For War is Hell, and Hell is War . . .
     And all of this young children must be told about . . .
     As it was to be the of War of War's . . .
     The Big One so all for sure . . .
     To Save The World, as was their monumental mission for sure . 
           . .
     As a time when every battle but meant the most . . .
     As upon an Island named Iwo Jima,
     where to such new heights their most heroic hearts rose . . .
     Where each new step was but life or death,
     all in hand to hand combat as death stood close . . .
     As somehow, someway . . .
     all of them to the occasion rose in those days . . .
     Rose to such new heights of heroism did they . . .
     With 26,000 casualties,
     as 6,800 United States Marines most precious lives they gave 
           . . .
     And upon a hill in Arlington this day,
     tears come to your eyes whenever you look upon that memorial 
           and that flag they raised . . .

[[Page S1701]]

     Because, to the top of Mount Suribachi a pilgrimage,
     every Marine dreams in their lifetime to take . . .
     As it was 35 nights and days of Hell on earth as all so 
           showed their fine worth . . .
     As it was 70,000 United States Marines,
     who dug in deep against an enemy which could not be seen . . 
           .
     As so quickly boys had to become men as their fine red blood 
           ran green . . .
     All in what it so means,
     to be a United States Marine . . .
     As all around them death lie replete,
     with the smell of death upon their feet . . .
     Such scenes of hell and carnage that would make the Angels 
           weep . . .
     At the evils that men do all in one's soul to keep . . .
     And so too,
     all in what new magnificence heights a heroic heart can reach 
           . . .
     With some of the fiercest fighting of the war as each new 
           horrific day would repeat . . .
     With the greatest number of Medal of Honors presented in any 
           battle this feat . . .
     As it all began as they reached the beach . . .
     After a bombardment looking like it would never cease . . .
     As an eerie quiet calmness upon their souls beseeched . . .
     As step by step into the island they left from that beach,
     until finally all hell broke loose as they were all in deep . 
           . .
     Walking into an ambush as out of tunnels and caves the enemy 
           would creep . . .
     With years to plan such strategy to succeed . . .
     As these Marines climbed and fought for every inch of real 
           estate so steep . . .
     Through inhospitable terrain of volcanic ash as death for 
           them would meet . . .
     As all of these dark scenes from hell so came to pass . . .
     While, in the cover of darkness from out of caves such a 
           grave toll the enemy amassed . . .
     As a new weapon came into play,
     the Zippo Tank a flame thrower helped win the day . . .
     Helping these heroes through such hell to so make their way . 
           . .
     Because, that airfield they could not concede . . .
     As why 6,821 American Fine Heroes would die and bleed . . .
     or War Is Hell and Hell Is War,
     is that but not what heaven is for?
     And in the coming years how many more would have died?
     If it were but not for all of their most heroic battle cries!
     For only the number our Lord knows up on high . . .
     Fighting to the death hand to hand,
     as perhaps each one a Medal of Honor could command . . .
     Flamethrowers . . . tunnel by tunnel . . . cave by cave . . .
     Tunnel rats crawling into death so very brave . . .
     And how did they all get through each new dark day?
     As the enemy made them to such hell to pay . . .
     But, in the end there is nothing that has ever been made,
     which can stop a United States Marine to this day . . .
     As such a heavy toll these Marines made the enemy pay . . .
     21,844 would die, the ones who now lie in that dark ground 
           cold graves . . .
     As it was on the 5th day,
     when 5 Marines and a Navy Corpsman portrayed . . .
     Out into the future such an iconic moment made . . .
     Now, all etched in stone to be imprinted on every Marines 
           heart they say . . .
     As all part of their very DNA . . .
     Whether at the top of Mount Suribachi,
     or when we see that photo or memorial tears come to our eyes 
           do they . . .
     Making us all so proud to be American's the rest of our lives 
           each day . . .
     For this battle is and will always be,
     one of our Nation's most decisive of all victories . . .
     With only 216 of enemy so left,
     to tell their children's children all about that battle 
           against America's Best. . .
     Yea, there are some things that men do not talk about . . .
     Who for all of their courage and valor Heaven so awaits them 
           no doubt . . .
     And all throughout the history of The United States Marines,
     Iwo Jima will now be always seen . . .
     As the embodiment of what it all so means,
     but to be a United States Marine . . .
     And to what new heights a heroes heart can achieve . . .
     Can so climb too all in those magnificent shades of green . . 
           .
     As Iwo Jima, is and will always be,
     Semper Fidelis of what faith and courage is all about. . .
     Iwo . . . Hoo . . . Rah . . . no doubt . . .

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