A Lapse

I'm finding it much harder to write the July 5th entry than I thought it would be. I'm backdated as it is, but doing that one for Phil himself... it'll come.

I have a free weekend coming up, and historically there's a brief span of time between the end of Saipan and the beginning of Tinian, so hopefully that'll be time enough to catch up.

Meanwhile, I just sent a letter to Phil's sister Gretchen mentioning this project (and passing on a message from George as well). I asked her to write in to the Marine Corps archives for Phil's service records. Complete records are only available to veterans and their next of kin, and I'm not close enough to qualify.

Also plucked up the nerve to send George the link to the project - so George, if you're reading this, I hope you'll find it fitting!

Currently reading "The Last Lieutenant" by John Shively; his uncle Jim Shively was a second lieutenant in L/3/24, and joined the regiment just prior to Iwo Jima. Also noticed another book on Iwo Jima by Larry Smith that contains three interviews with other members of the 24th Marines (Cpl. Glen Buzzard, PFC Pete Santoro, PFC Dominick Tutalo), one of whom spent some time shuttling around First Battalion - not sure of the specifics, I was just glancing through, but that's the next one on the list.