SAN ANTONIO — Nearly eight decades after U.S. Marines raised the flag at Iwo Jima, one of the bloodiest battles of World War II, five of them reunited at San Antonio's Menger Hotel to reconnect and keep their stories alive.
Joining them were several Vietnam War veterans who also deployed with the U.S. Marines, and who said the Battle of Iwo Jima – which led to one of the most iconic military photographs in history – was part of Marine Corps lore.
"We wanted to be like the guys at Iwo Jima. To us, they were badass," said Jose Luis Reyes Jr., a Mexican-born man brought to the U.S. as a 12-year-old before serving in Vietnam.
According to the National World War II Museum, less than 1% of the U.S. forces who fought in the conflict are still alive.
Sporting a hat reading "Iwo Jima Survivor," one of those Marines that Reyes said he was inspired by talked about driving tanks on the small Pacific island that American military members stormed on Feb. 19, 1945. Over the course of the next 35 days, about 29,000 would be killed—including 6,800 U.S. Marines and 22,000 Japanese forces.
He said the carnage was impossible to forget.
"The first thing that comes to mind is all the dead bodies," the Marine veteran said. "Iwo Jima was a bloody place."
The Thursday event marked the 74th annual reunion of the Fifth Marine Division, specifically honoring "those who fought and died in the Battle of Iwo Jima."
Another veteran recalled having his backpack radio blown off at Iwo Jima, before quickly adding he "never got a scratch out of it." He also talked about picking up an M1 carbine rifle off a dead officer so he would be armed.
Theodore Rizo, a former U.S. Marines staff sergeant who served in Vietnam after enlisting with his best friend, became visibly emotional when recounting his experiences.
It was a conflict his friend wouldn't return from alive.
"A lot of us have issues, whether they be medical or other things," Rizo said. "We help each other. It's a time to reflect and look at what you've done—it's a brotherhood. We don't talk to other people regarding our experiences much, but we do talk to each other."