#69 Don Graves - World War II Marine Survives Iwo Jima with Flamethrower, Grenades, and Pistol | SRS #69

"Yesterday, December 7, 1941 a date which will live in infamy the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan....with confidence in our armed forces with the unbounding determination of our people we will gain the inevitable triumph so help us God." - Franklin D. Roosevelt These were the words that would change the course of history forever. These words would also give way to the Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the most costly campaigns of World War II. Of the 7,000 killed and nearly 20,000 wounded, Don Graves, a Marine would survive amongst them. Graves shouldered one of the most feared responsibilities in the Marine Corps–wielding a flamethrower in the caves and pill boxes that littered the island. In this episode, Graves recounts his experience in those 36 days of fighting and lends his perspective on where the country is headed now. Graves, now 98 years of age, has a wise view and a wealth of knowledge to share with the American people. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://hvmn.com - USE CODE "SHAWN" https://helixsleep.com/srs https://1stphorm.com/srs https://ziprecruiter.com/srs https://betterhelp.com/shawn Don Graves Links: Foundation - https://airpowerfoundation.org Support Veterans - https://roll-call.org Gary Sinise Foundation - https://www.garysinisefoundation.org Please leave us a review on Apple & Spotify Podcasts. Vigilance Elite/Shawn Ryan Links: Website | Patreon | TikTok | Instagram | Download Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices