Here are some flags that I pulled from a .50 caliber US ammo can a while back. There were five flags in the can along with a few other items. The flags were being stored in the ammo can. There are two IJA rayed battle flags and three meatball flags. all are unsigned and appear to have slight battle damage and / or staining. Two have what appears to be schrapnel holes. The interesting part is that one of the flags has a tag tied to it with W.K. Miller, Iwo Island written on one side of the tag, and W.K.Miller Feb. 1945 on the other. There was also a loose tag that has W.K.Miller , Iwo Island written one side only. It appears that the tag was attatched to one of the other flags tie strings but has broken loose. There was no mention of the tags when I bought the ammo can with the flags, and was surprised to see it on the flag when I pulled them all from the can. Wartime? Post war, to remember where they came from? The whole can came cheap (relatively speaking), so it was not a ploy to earn extra money. These were found at a local yard sale with only the mention that the ammo can and items used to belong to an uncle in law who was a US Marine in WW2, and fought on Iwo Jima. (I know how the story goes, every Marine fought on Iwo Jima, according to their families) I ran a quick search, and came up with a possible match. I found a PFC. William K. Miller, 1st section, 81mm mortar platoon, H.Q. company 1/28, 5th marine division, who fought on Iwo Jima. I think the 1/28 means 1st battalion, 28th Marine regiment, 5th marine division. I found a company photo taken at camp Pendleton in early 1944 online, as well as a picture of some members aboard the USS Dickens while en route to Iwo Jima, february 1945. There was also a listing of all the men in the company who were wounded or killed in action, with details of each. This was the only W.K. Miller. USMC that I could find, but I am not that great at research, and only have limited means to work with. This may be a stretch, but as far as I can tell, this is the same Marine as I found information on. here is the webpage where I found some information on Miller: http://www.ww2gyrene.org/Photoalbum_17.htm
Looks like Miller was part of an 81mm mortar platoon. HQ Co. 1/28, 5th marine Division.
All comments are welcome. Any additional information on this marine would be appreciated as well.
PG-
Looks like Miller was part of an 81mm mortar platoon. HQ Co. 1/28, 5th marine Division.
All comments are welcome. Any additional information on this marine would be appreciated as well.
PG-
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