Pocono News Section

Sand From Iwo Jima Holds Mystery

Sand From Iwo Jima Holds Mystery - Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 4:48PM EST

Reported by: Mike Trim
Thursday, Mar 4, 2010 @ 05:48pm EST

LARKSVILLE, LUZERNE COUNTY- In a little bottle at American Legion post 655 in Larksville sits a small United States Marine pendant in black sand. Longtime member Frank Henry said, "This legion here feels very, very proud to have something like that."

Henry knows how special this sand is the story it tells but will never know the story it hides. You see, this black volcanic ash sand is from the beach at Iwo Jima , Japan . Sitting upright in the middle, a military marker full of mystery. Henry said, "It was a very, very chilling feeling when we first seen it. Couldn't believe it, unbelievable just to see that marine emblem inside that sand." The sand in a bottle was donated from post 655 member Jerry Brown. He was a Marine and so was his dad, who battled back Japanese forces in Iwo Jima . Brown's father scooped up this sand on his way home and gave it to Jerry. Last year, before Jerry donated the sand to this post he saw the pendant beneath the black.

The bottle was placed on this war memorabilia wall next to sand from Normandy symbolizing the two fronts of the war and symbolizing sacrifice. Brown, unexpectedly passed away early this year. Post 655 says they'd like to this story to his memory and his service to our country.