"strange inheritance." and remember -- you can't take it with you. [ gunfire ] ♪ >> 725 years ago this remote island of iwo jima, southern outpost of japan to be fought an japanese soil with the marines at their door the japanese fought to defend iwo with all they had. today it is a quiet sacred place. it's past as dark as the thick black sand of its beaches. here our men thought and nearly 7,000 of them died over 36 days to rest the crucial airfield on route to mainland japan. some were held as heros, others

showed small acts of bravery and brotherhood known only to those with whom they fought and served. this is the story of their unknown valor. ♪ ♪ >> i'm martha macallum, growing up, my mother told us the story of her cousin harry grey. in the summer of 1944 at age 18 he left after high school graduation to join the marines and serve in the pacific. i was always intrigued and i knew harry's death there left a deep grief in my mother's

family. a few years ago struck me to tell the story. the guys who get hit on the beach or in the villages just trying to carry out the mission, they are the extras in the movie, but for some families, somewhere they are their harry grey. the line on the family tree that just ends. a young man who never got to have a life, get married, grow old. to learn about harry and what happened to him on march 13th, 1945i started with a trip to new york to visit his sister, my aunt nancy. she told me about their lives growing up with their mom, migrant aunt anne and her dad harry grey senior. look how cute. blonde. >> we were a very close family. martha: was he protective of

you? >> i didn't have an opportunity to see very much of that. martha: just weeks before christmas in 1938 tragedy struck the family, harry senior died suddenly of heart failure making harry grey, jr. the man of the house. >> my life totally changed after that and my brother's totally changed too. we didn't have any money because my father had only paid into social security for 2 years and we had to pay in for 3 years before you could collect so my mother went to work. martha: it was with harry's letters home as well as those of his pal george colbu, in that i began. i realized that the story of iwo jima begins at pearl harbor. ♪ >> 1941 a date which will live

in infamous, the united states of america was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the empire of japan. >> we are confident in our armed forces with the unbounding determination of our people. we will gain the inevitable triumph so help us god.

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martha: on september 1st, 1939 hitler's invasion of poland triggered world war ii. it was a fight america wanted nothing to do with. after devastating losses of world war i but after japan's vicious surprise attack at pearl harbor, the united states was at war. young men across the country lined up to enlist and join the fight. boys like harry grey in arlington and george colbert who played football with harry and whose mother's was friendly with harry's mom. dominic in new york, herman

grader of dayton, ohio, woody williams of quietdale west virginia and rondo of chicago. they joined thousands of other who is were championing at the bit to fight the japanese. >> you know, it was generation back then. your country was at war. you wanted to do something to help. martha: nancy remembers it well. >> so many of the boys at that time, they were all so patriotic and they thought it was their duty to save the country. >> i said i'm joining the marines because i like the uniform. [inaudible] >> after my 18 birthday i told mom, i'm going into the marine corps. i didn't know the difference between a marine and army guy. marine had an attractive uniform

and that could get the girls that appeals. martha: they were to paris island and they would train and become marines. >> i remember my mother did not want him to become a marine. she would prefer to have him in the navy because then he would have a bed to sleep in instead of a fox hole. martha: harry graduated high school, kissed his girlfriend good-bye and vowed to marry her when he got home. he was off to paris island for training. he wrote to uncle frank, my grandfather who was like a father to him after his dad died. >> we try to keep going. yesterday we drilled in the sun at 120-degrees wearing full combat gear. 3 fellows collapsed. one fellow tried to commit suicide by cutting throat, just by chance they found him before

he died. martha: charles remembers well how tough it was. >> if i would have a gun i would have did the same thing. it was tough but they made a marine out of you. martha: while researching on unknown valori discovered my friend uncle was killed and his name was dominic gracy of lockport, new york, high school and football star turned down an effort to play for the new york giants to fight for his country. >> that was his dream, he wanted to play football and the war started and he joined the military and he said i really want to play football and i will play when i get home. >> he came home one day and started talking about the marines and, of course,ic my mom and dad were both surprised

about that because he was still going to college, but they give him their blessings and he did, he joined the marines. >> gracy quickly recognized as a leader during officer training in virginia, he became a second lieutenant in the marine. the training complete, newly- minted marines were assigned to 34th replacement draft and stop in california and then on to the pacific. lieutenant grossi was eager to get to the battle. >> i'm so glad i'm starting, i think i will enjoy the coming adventure. ♪ ♪

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♪ ♪ ♪ martha: february 1945 world war ii had been raging for nearly 6 years as allied forces fought the nazis in europe, america was virtually alone in the battle against the japanese in the pacific.

u.s. forces battled across the steppingstone island securing one by one killing enemy fighters and regaining the pivotal airfields on each from solomons to gilberts and marshal islands to marianas and closer to mainland japan. >> i have now stood iwo jima, fortified island in the world, very deep unground with 20,000 of toughest fighting men waited for us to make the first move. >> most of us couldn't figure out why they were taking the place and why we needed so many marines to do it. martha: u.s. bomber battleships had been pummeling the island attempting to cripple japanese defenses. the objective to secure the island and two airstrips as necessary stop-over for battle damage b29 on the way to and from bombing runs to mainland

japan but there was only so much bombardment could achieve. the 22,000 japanese fighters weren't on the island, they were in the island. the imperial army had spent months digging into the hard surface and building an underground city complete with hospitals, command centers and sleeping quarters. it was the plan of general, bayashi was man in the world, he had lived and worked in the united states for years and he knew the ingenuity and tenacity of the americans and he also knew that victory given japan's battered navy and air power was impossible, but he would make sure that the u.s. paid a heavy price for iwo. his laws of battle for his men commanded each to kill at least 10 americans before they died in combat or their final act of

sacrifice, suicide. on the brink of battle he watched from command post waiting for his attack. beyond the sights, general holland smith and his naval armada were approaching. >> d day, beginning of the toughest day in marine corps history. when this flag drops our landing craft will head for the beach. martha: marines descended on iwo jima. >> they lead the way to the island that guard's japan front door. they are going on the toughest assignment of marine corps history. first wave of troops have gotten to the shore. >> the guys are coming down and

dropping and we head in there and full throttle and we started getting closer. >> this is historic film record of the first boats pushing on shore in iwo jima. >> 500 landing crafts and 3,000 yards of beach. >> the troops are united states marines and they're on their way to pages of leather neck heroism. martha: leading them to believe the bombing campaign had been a success, but then a 36-day hell that would become iwo jima began. general corobashi held the fire waiting for beaches to become congested with marines and he

began unleashing on the fourth and fifth divisions on enemy territories. once out of them the men straggled in the struggle of ashy volcanic sand and sucked in their boots and backs heavy with gear. >> there was no protection, dropped bombs, artillery or whatever. 24 hours after the battle began, more than 500 americans were dead and nearly 2,000 wounded. thousands more bounced around on the choppy sea waiting to be sent in to battle. >> we sat out there for several days waiting to see if they were going to use us and finally got us over before noon on the 20th. we had to cross the first

airfield, we lost a tremendous number of marines. martha: charlie remembers. >> it was a pile of hats -- jap s&p -- japs. [laughter] martha: on iwo jima the volcano mount and u.s. forces fought their way to the top. ♪ >> gives the order to cease fire. our guns are quiet.

>> we wait for a sign. martha: the moment immorallized in iconic photo symbolized that while coming to an end was far from over. on iwo jima in one of the most vicious battle of the 5-week struggle. they were fighting to beat back japanese resistance in ridge in secondary field. >> february 24th, 1945 they were assigned to get airstrip number 2. the first two attempts weren't successful and many men fell but they got to the top of the hill and the japanese were waiting for them. par mar he survived the battle and awarded the navy cross for his valor one of only ten he sippians on iwo jima, citation read second lieutenant grossi let his unit with courage slashing right and left with

bayonet and dropping them behind rocks, sweeping aside the enemy, holding desperately and fighting furiously in hand to hand engagements as he smashed through a sector swarmed with japanese to gain a 50-foot ridge on the opposite side of the airstrip. >> trying to take that airfield, they have all to do hand to hand combat fighting. >> it was really so brave. that's the day he really got the navy cross for. martha: after that battle he sent a letter but mention neither his wounds nor his heroism. >> dearest mother, i've been doing little movement lately and that's the reason i haven't written. i know you're word but everything is all right. i'm iwo jima and it's a hot spot. it's just about secure and we will move to gumma in a day or two.

i just finished bacon and egg sandwich, first hot stuff in about 5 days. give me love to daddy and the children, your son dom. martha: not far from the ridge was the flame-thrower operator from west virginia. he was considered too short for the marines when he first tried to enlist, woody williams. >> we had been there for 2 days, lost so many people. officer asked me as the only flame thrower operator left, could i do something about some of these -- so he told me to pick 4 marines to help me and i just said you and you and you. it was just marines. two of those marines that day sacrificed their lives protecting mine. never knew who they were.

that impacted but lost lives for exactly the same platform. martha: last surviving iwo jamima gold -- medal recipient. >> sadly tried to take the airfield, it's when he was shot down, and we do know he was shot in the head and it was a quick death and we are thankful for that but he could have come home but says a lot to the character of him and his patriotism and love of country, dedication, very dedicated man. >> truly he was a big hero. it was all the rest of his men too.

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no. still half bike/half man, just the opposite. oh, so the legs on the bottom and motorcycle on the top? yeah. yeah, i could see that. for those who were born to ride, there's progressive. yeah, i could see that. she asked her stitch fix stylist for jeans that fit just right. and these feel like they were made just for her. let us find your perfect fit at stitchfix.com well, you see here... there's a photo of you and there's a photo of your mommy and then there's a picture of me. but before our story it goes way, way, way back with your great, great, great grandparents. see this handsome man, his name is william. william fell in love with rose and they had a kid. his name was charles and charles met martha...

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particular mari knew in order to write unknown valor i would have to see iwo jima for myself. the japanese regained control of the island in 1968 but once a year during the anniversary of the battle, they allow a small number of americans to visit for a few short hours. they are there to attend the reunion of honor, gathering of american and japanese veterans and dignitaries. both sides remember those they lost. more than 720 years after his death i would see where harry grey and so many others fought and died. we boarded an early morning flight from guam, about an hour later iwo jima came slowly into

view. passengers craned their necks to get a look at mount and black sand beaches, upon landing as veterans descended the stairs and set foot on the island once again, they were greeted by the marine corps all saluted and shook hands, then we set off for the 2-mile track to sirabachi. ♪ ♪ martha: from the top we look down at the landing beaches. we saw the spot where the flag was raised. it's now just a sought off pipe surrounded by cement and the u.s. memorial where veterans and families pay their respects as they remember the nearly 7,000 marines who gave their lives to secure this island.

♪ martha: further down on the island we saw what's left of the airstrip that is provided a pivotal stopover for b29 bombers on the way to japanese mainland. i walked with ron, vietnam veteran, historian and my coauthor for this book, ron had been to iwo jima multiple times as guide for tours and he knows the battle well. he pointed out the beach where harry, george, charlie and the rest of the 34th replacement draft landed back in 1945. >> the approach is up an incline, up second incline so by the time you get there, you don't have much left. martha: then ron took me to another spot, the place where the mortars hit and this is where japanese held out for weeks long after the flag raised, marines were still being killed as fighters fighting with

a vengeance before meeting their own death. i walked the field where harry died and thought about the young men and i knew from letters what had happened here, all those years ago, he had written to them after harry was killed. ♪ >> this is about the fifth letter. i can't seem to put into writing just what i want to say. harry and i were great buddies. i was out in iwo jima where it happened, i'm sure he was killed instantly and there was no pain. he was wearing his rosary on his neck when it happened as the nation's doctor,

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martha: when i returned from iwo jimai got a call and he asked for picture of harry grey to show his friend charlie, we knew he was in 34th replacement draft and had been wounded on march

13th. >> replacement draft and they would use us where they needed us and my job was picking up the dead and taking off tags and -- martha: but it wasn't until charlie saw the picture of harry that it all came back. he knew harry well. they shared a fox hole and he was there when the mortars hit. martha: in the 34th replacement draft. is this somebody that you recognize? >> oh, yeah, that was my buddy, grey, i think his name was grey. martha: he was my uncle. >> he was your uncle. i will tell you a story about that. he was my buddy, fox hole buddy.

he would always call me pops. i was 24 at the time and he was 18. he would always say pop, sleep, i watch. martha: to find charlie after all these years is not something that i anticipated when writing unknown valor and was able to tell us things about harry that we would have never known. >> we were somehow that day we discovered the japanese cave and they had a bunch of rifles, so grey said we would get souvenirs. japanese rifles and when i got wounded, i lost everything and

they lost too. martha: harry grey wrote this letter to his mother on march 12th. >> dear mom i supposed you're worried to death of me, while i'm in the best of health with the exception of being scared. mom, will you please have nice persona for easter, hope everyone and everything is fine, love your son harry. ♪ ♪ martha: charlie remembers the next day, march 13th. he, harry grey and herman grader were heading for the front for the very first. they were marching on a column of 19 carrying ammunition. >> shell landed on the right-hand side. nobody paid no attention.

then there was one on the left-hand side, same distance and i said hid. they lost their lives. martha: do you think harry grey was killed instantly? >> yeah. martha: i'm so glad that i got to meet you and that you remember him because i've never met anyone who was with him there and it's just remarkable to be able to talk to you about it. i can't even express it. weeks later i made a second visit, this time bringing my aunt nancy to meet charlie who could finally tell her a firsthand account of what happened to her 18-year-old beloved brother. i want to introduce you to my

aunt. this is nancy grey. >> grey? martha: yes. >> can i give you a hug? >> yeah. >> so delighted to meet you. it's been a long time coming. >> right. >> 73 years. >> my brother was harry grey. he was honest about what happened after the mortars hit. >> they layed near dead, grey, he was hit on the side of his head. he had about an inch or 2 scar. that's what killed him. >> i never knew that.

i often wondered really what happened. martha: these two people 720 years later share a bond of the loss and horrors of war, of friends and brothers and of some scars that never heal. [laughter] >> okay. >> i will treasure this and treasure you, treasure this memory. i really will. it's been wonderful meeting you. >> okay. >> talking with you. >> thank you. >> i'm sorry what happened. martha: i was getting close to finishing unknown valor but i decided to go through colbert's file and found a document george's marine, when george and

i connected i told it was harry grey's name, he went and told me he thought about harry all of the time. >> thank god we had each other. >> they were inseparable. martha: similarly back home a letter for one surely meant letter for another. >> we were together here and there. i was with harry. my mother called his mother and

sent letter and said harry, they were here, we talked and had a great time. martha: there were good times. >> it's in the marshal islands. they broke out the beer and we had a great time on the island. martha: but the bad memories follow closely behind. one of the hardest days for him was the day of my uncle's death. >> we were laying in a crate me and harry wondering where do we go from here, you know, and i keep -- some of the marine cannot yell, hey, grey, hey grey, they want you over in headquarters. he gave me a quick hug and took off. ended up in a ridge a little

further down it was about 15 of us on the ridge and harry was one of them. he yelled, you're still with it and back and forth like that. that's the night that we had an awful mortar attack. killed both of them. he died instantly, you know. went down the line. i know, i know. his body was over here and i went over and i want to kick him like why did you do this.

i love you. and i never saw him again. we loved one another so much, more than brotherhood. how could he do this? my recollection when we were leaving, how they did it, i have no idea. there was 7,000 and the names of every kid on the ground. they were only kids.

they were just like us, high school kids. 6 months before i was on iwo jima i was taking a girl to senior prom, you know, back in june and here i am holy jesus what happened, you know. martha: private harry grey along with dominic grossi and thousands of other marines would be buried on iwo jima, records show that when the graves were exhumed and bodies sent home in may of 1945 took dominic to new may of 1945 took dominic to new york and names lined (somber music) - this is an urgent message from the international fellowship of christians and jews.

there is an emergency food crisis for elderly holocaust survivors in the former soviet union. - this is a fight against time. what we're dealing with is coming out, meeting someone who's 85, 90 years old, can't get around, has no food, has no water and just wants to give up and die. and that's where we come in. we are called to comfort these people, to be a blessing to their lives. - [presenter] for just $25 we'll rush an emergency survival package to help one desperate elderly person for a month. call right now. - in ukraine there's no support network. they don't have food cards or neighbors

that come in to help. they're turning to us because they have nowhere else to turn. - [presenter] your gift is a lifeline to help these elderly jewish holocaust survivors. help them to live out their final years with dignity and love. call right now. - what i pray is that you won't turn your eyes but you will look at their suffering and your heart will be changed. - [presenter] with your gift of just $25 we can rush an emergency survival package to help one desperate elderly person for a month. call right now.

many of life's moments in thare being put on hold. are staying at home,

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spared and others were not. we looked at the pictures he kept and prayers he wrote. it was sent home to massachusetts. the reunion and memories that surface are a blessing. >> you don't get over. it takes you a couple of days. >> end up in the floor out of bed sweating. >> went to pay respects to my buddies. standing over their grave and looking down and i say to them, you guys, i had a chance to be married and live the good life

and you guys never got a chance to enjoy that and i think what we should do you guys come up and i will go down there and stay down there for a second and you guys get to live what i lived but don't go awo on me and come back because i don't want to stay down there. martha: woody williams has spent his life honoring the men he lost spearheading memorial. at 96 years old medal of honor recipient. >> a lot of people want to get into the war but not the fight of war but to protect our country. >> we had to do at the time to keep our country safe. martha: may the memory of these men sustain us all and remind us of the sacrifice to secure our freedom. may we never forget their bravery and all they gave up so

that we might live free. we are forever indebted to the heros whose unknown valor we are obligated to know. ♪ >> we shall send to the moon 240,000 miles away a giant rocket more than 300 feet tall, capable of standing heat and stresses, several times more than experienced on a untried mission to an unknown celestial body and then return it safely to earth and therefore we have blessing on the most hazardous and greatest adventure that