Freedom still lives — if we choose to remember.I still remember seeing the flag
raised on Iwo Jima... ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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John,
My name is Corporal Frank S. Wright, United States Marine Corps, retired. I’m
a hundred years old now — one of the last living Marine Raiders of World War II.
In January 1942, just weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, I quit high
school in Arkansas and walked into the enlistment office.
I was sixteen — too young, too skinny, and too light to qualify. The sergeant
told me to come back when I was heavier.
So I went home, ate all the bananas I could find, and stuffed five pounds’
worth into my pockets before stepping on that scale again.
I passed. I lied about my age. And I became a Marine.
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After boot camp, I volunteered to join the 4th Marine Raiders, America’s
first special operations unit.
They asked me why I wanted to join. I said, “Because I want to fight.”
Our commanding officer was James Roosevelt, the President’s son — a good man,
the kind who never gave an order he wouldn’t do himself.
We were trained to land first, fight behind enemy lines, and take the beaches
nobody else could reach.
From Guadalcanal to New Georgia, from the jungles of the Solomons to the black
sand ofIwo Jima, we fought to free the Pacific.
On Guam, I was stabbed in the stomach during hand-to-hand combat.
On Iwo Jima, I was hit by machine-gun fire and knocked unconscious. Both
times, my men thought I was gone. Somehow, I wasn’t.
When I came to, I saw the flag rising on Mount Suribachi. Every ship in the
harbor sounded its horn. I had tears in my eyes then, and I still do when I
think about it.
That flag meant freedom still lived.
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There were dark days too...
On Guadalcanal, I caught malaria and ended up in a field hospital — but when
my unit was preparing to move out, I couldn’t stand being left behind.
I slipped out and rejoined them. I’ll now admit, I was always a little
rebellious.
When the war ended, I became a drill instructor, helping shape the next
generation of Marines. I was in my twenties, carrying wounds inside and out.
For more than a decade, I didn’t share my stories. I kept them locked away,
like many of my brothers did.
Over the years, I began to open up and share my story with friends, family,
and others who wanted to know about the realities of the battlefield at the
Pacific Front.
Now, more than ever, the American Veterans Center has given me the opportunity
to share them — on the stage at theAnnual Conference, and by capturing them on
film for future generations.
Not just my story, but those of the men who never came home, and those who
are no longer here to tell theirs.
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That’s why I believe so deeply in the American Veterans Center...
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They’ve given old Marines like me a place to share what we lived through, to
look young cadets and future service members in the eye and say, “This is what
it means to serve.”
They’ve brought veterans from every generation together — to remember, to
teach, and to inspire.
And every year, the American Veterans Center Annual Conference gives us
something rare — a gathering where history stands shoulder to shoulder with the
future.
It’s where I’ve met cadets who listen with the same wide eyes I once had at
sixteen.
It’s where old comrades find each other again, and where we all remember that
the values we fought for — courage, duty, honor — are still being carried
forward.
It’s a living bridge between those who fought for freedom and those who will
defend it next.
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Your support makes that possible. It keeps alive:
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* The National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C., where America gathers
to honor its heroes.
* The Annual Veterans Conference each November, where we share stories and
pass the torch to those who will serve next.
* The preservation of our stories through documentaries and oral histories —
so that when we are gone, the lessons remain.
Donate today to preserve more stories like mine
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At my age, I don’t take many things for granted. But I still believe in this
country — in what it stands for, and in the people who keep its history alive.
If you believe that too, I ask you to help the American Veterans Center
continue its work.
So that long after the last of us is gone, our voices will still be heard —
reminders of what America can be when its people stand together.
Thank you for remembering. Thank you for caring. And thank you for keeping
faith with those who served.
Semper Fidelis,
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Frank S. Wright
Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)
Veteran, 4th Marine Raiders | 21st Marines, 3rd Marine Division
P.S. When I was sixteen, I had to lie about my age to fight for my country.
Now, at one hundred, I can tell you the truth as plain as I know it: freedom
isn’t free, and the stories of those who fought for it are fading fast. Your
gift — whatever you can give — helps make sure they’re never forgotten.
Support the American Veterans Center
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The mission of the American Veterans Center and the World War II Veterans
Committee is to preserve and promote the legacy and experiences of America's
veterans and active duty service personnel from World War II through today.
A non-profit educational organization, the AVC and WWIIVC are funded solely
through generous contributions from people like you. All contributions are
tax-deductible.
© American Veterans Center
1100 N. Glebe Road Suite 910, Arlington, VA 22201
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