In honor of the ultimate sacrifice

 

Memorial Day is the most solemn and important of America’s patriotic holidays. Begun in 1868 as “Decoration Day” when people were encouraged to go to cemeteries where war dead slept to decorate their graves and honor their sacrifice.

In 1968, the federal government designated the last Monday in May as Memorial Day to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. We remember those who went to war, never came home, and will be forever young.

Marine Corps Jr. ROTC color guard

On May 27, Goochland American Legion Post 215 marked this solemn day on our venerable Courthouse green. Despite threatening skies, a good number of folks came out for ritual that included presentation of the colors by the Goochland High School Marine Corps Jr. ROTC; playing the Star-Spangled Banner; saluting the empty chair reserved for those missing in action whose fate remains unknown; placement of wreath by the Post 215 Auxiliary; and prayer and poems to acknowledge the sacrifice of the fallen and ask that they rest in eternal peace.

Chair reserved for missing in action

Former Goochland Sheriff James L. Agnew, a Coast Guard veteran, and Vice Commander of Post 215, was master of ceremonies. He reminded the assembly that Memorial Day honors those who fought for our freedoms but never came home to enjoy them.

The keynote address was delivered by Bill Parrish, Colonel USMC retired, and a Maidens resident since 2005. Agnew outlined Parrish’s lengthy distinguished career of service, which began in 1971, included multiple assignments in anti-terrorism security. Among his accomplishment s after retiring from the Marine Corps, Parrish worked with US Customs in anti-terrorism to protect the American public from terrorists and weapons of mass destruction entering the country. In 2003, he was asked to join the staff of the newly created department of Homeland Security, serving as a senior advisor to Sec. Tom Ridge. He was instrumental in establishing one of the nation’s first undergraduate majors in homeland security and emergency management at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at VCU.

Parrish began his remarks by thanking Post 215 for holding the annual event to honor those who gave their lives for this great country. He also extended heartfelt appreciation and thanks to Goochland County’s public safety officials and their departments, Sheriff Steven Creasey and Chief of Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services Eddie Ferguson.

Chief Ferguson and Colonel Parrish

He also extended appreciation to Gold Star Families, those who lost a family member in service to our country. During World War I, Parrish explained, families with a member in military service displayed flags with a blue star. When a service member died in combat, a gold star was placed over the blue star. “We pray for you this day and every day for your sacrifices,” he said.

Unsurprisingly, Parrish spoke about a Marine, not just any Marine, Goochland native Earl Henley.  Earl, and his brother Howard, were Goochland icons. They were instrumental in the creation of the Goochland Volunteer Fire-Rescue Association, and both served as its chiefs and made other important contributions to the community. In their youth, these good country boys enlisted in the Marine Corps during World War II, seeing action in the Pacific.

“I got more out of the Marine Corps than the Marine Corps got out of me,” Parrish recalled Earl Henley saying. Parrish disagreed with that sentiment. “The quality of this man’s honesty, integrity, dedication to serving others, faith in God, and compassion for mankind had to have been contagious to many of those Marines that he sailed with on the USS Independence heading to harm’s way on a small insignificant island in the Pacific known as Iwo Jima.”

Parrish believed that Earl Henley inspired Marines he met on the ship, on the beaches of Iwo Jima, and in battles that ensued with his character. When Earl Henley passed away in 2008, Parrish and his son, also a Marine, wrote a tribute to Earl Henley that resulted in Earl’s widow sharing her husband’s journal of Iwo Jima with Parrish.

To honor Earl, those Marines that lost their lives on that strategically important little island, and all who gave their lives for our great country Parrish shared the recollections of Earl Henley.  Iwo Jima was very special in the hearts and minds of Marines. Three divisions, 23,000 men, landed on that island, seven thousand died there.

“Place yourself in the mind of 24-year-old Earl Henley getting ready to land on a remote island, which he had probably never heard of getting ready to confront a devasting, powerful enemy force.”

In the early hours of February 18, 1944, while Earl was on gun watch aboard ship, he saw heavy bombardment of the island, which was not yet in sight, begin.  He described the massive fortifications on Mount Suribachi and the black sand and volcanic ash beach that looked deep and hard for vehicles, or people to travel in. As battle loomed, Earl prayed.

“I have never felt so close to God before, he was the only one who could help me, and I put all my faith and trust in him.”

Earl’s unit did not land on D-day, but he recalled that D-day plus was not much better. He was so busy checking to make sure that equipment was operating properly that he did not have time to think about what awaited on shore as his unit prepared to land on the beach as Japanese artillery fell around them.

His first sight of the black sand was unpleasant, something he never forgot. A break in the shelling let them move to the relative safety of a fox hole, near the bodies of four dead Marines. Earl did not eat or sleep for two days. The sound of other wounded Marines calling for corpsmen would haunt him for the rest of his life.

On February 22 he saw the flag being raised on Mt. Suribachi, but the fighting went on for days. The island was secured on March 17, 1944, at 6 p.m. On March 18 Earl was back aboard ship where he had a hot shower and slept for 13 hours.

Parrish referenced a speech made by General P.X. Kelly, 28th Commandant of the Marine Corps, about the historic flag raising on Mount Suribachi, which has been depicted in photographs and statuary and what that meant to all Americans. “By looking closely, you will see the last man in the queue, a native American named Ira Hays. As Marines, as military service members that is what we have done, we reach beyond dour grasp to make the world a better and safer place for mankind.”

 

Parrish read from the Navy Cross citation posthumously awarded to his high school classmate Corporal Thomas Lee Blevins, Jr., for his heroic actions in Viet Nam on May 31, 1969. Blevins saved the lives of three Marines under battle conditions and was mortally wounded in the process.  “His heroic actions and selfless concern for his fellow men inspired all who observed him his aggressive fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty, Cpl. Blevins upheld the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps and United States Naval Services.”

A gun salute rendered by members of Post 215 and playing of Taps concluded the observance.