Eight World War II veterans returned last week to Iwo Jima (now Iwo To) and Okinawa to revisit two battlefields in the Pacific they fought on eight decades ago.
The trip also marked the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima. The Eagle Society and the Iwo Jima Association joined together to bring the veterans on the journey.
“The Pacific Theater is often overlooked compared to the European front. Many people think of Pearl Harbor, a flag raised on an island they can’t pronounce, and then the bombs being dropped. It’s a wildly reductive narrative,” said Eagle Society’s founder, Michael Davidson. “The Pacific War was long, brutal, and had far-reaching consequences that still shape the world today.
"This trip is about understanding those events and applying their lessons — whether it’s how we steward our values as a society, navigate rising geopolitical conflicts, or embody the spirit of the Greatest Generation in our own lives."
Veterans who made the trip include Army Command Sgt. Major Delmar D. Beard of Glendale, Arizona; Marine veteran Joe Caminiti of Bristol, Connecticut; Marine Capt. Ed Cavallini of Seaside, California; Navy veteran Charles Cram of San Diego, California; Marine veteran Nils Mockler Putnam Valley, New York; Marine veteran Frank Wright of Lodi, California; Naval Reserve Lt. j.g. Patrick Zilliacus of from Playa Del Rey, California; and Marine veteran Walter LaSota of Reading, Pennsylvania.
On March 29, the veterans were on Iwo To to participate in a ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the battle alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“Iwo Jima embodies our shared warrior ethos, our shared devotion to nation and duty, our shared reverence for the men of valor who preceded us,” he said.
More than 18,500 Japanese and 6,800 American lives were lost in the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Okinawa, the final and bloodiest battle of the war, saw more than 12,000 American and 100,000 Japanese and Okinawan lives lost. LaSota, 99, fought there during the war.
The Scranton, Pennsylvania native wanted to enlist in the military when he turned 16 in 1942, but his father refused to give him permission. He left school and went to work for a pharmaceutical glass manufacturer until he was drafted in 1944. He was given the option of picking what service branch he wanted to join and selected the Marine Corps.
Following boot camp in Camp Pendleton, he shipped out to Guadalcanal, where he became part of the 6th Marine Division, the only Marine division formed outside the United States and received further training.
LaSota was then shipped out to Okinawa, landing on he west coast of the island on April 1, 1945. He recalled facing fierce Japanese resistance.
“I really don’t know why I wanted to go back,” he said. “I really just wanted to see the hill and the place where I was blown out of the foxhole.”
After being blown out of the foxhole, two corpsmen told LaSota to get up.
“I told them I could not get up,” he said. “I told them I could not get up on my legs. So, they came over and lifted me off and took me back to the aid station.”
There were only eight members remaining for LaSota’s original company of 286 men at the end of the war. Following his honorable discharge in March of 1946, he met and married Dorothy Nowotarski. The couple were married for 70 years and had four children, six grandchildren and 1l great-grandchildren. They owned and operated two successful businesses for 50 years.
Davidson said the trip also meant a lot to him.
“I want my kids to see their dad engaging deeply with ideas, American history, and values like duty, honor, and country, and doing whatever I can to make a difference,” he siad. “This experience helps bring that to life for them and for the people around me. Personally, I’m seeking to understand, to be moved, and to be fueled to make a difference, whether that’s helping prevent future wars or contributing meaningfully to our country in any way I can.”
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Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvet.com.