A true soldier.In Richard Alleva's review of Flags of Our Fathers (November 17, 2006), he suggests that Rene Gagnon Rene Arthur Gagnon (March 7, 1925 – October 12, 1979) was one of the U.S. Marines immortalized by Joe Rosenthal's famous World War II photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima. had never actually seen combat. As someone who fought on Iwo Jima Iwo Jima (ē`wō jē`mə, ē`wô), Jap. Io-jima, volcanic island, c.8 sq mi (21 sq km), W Pacific, largest and most important of the Volcano Islands. Mt. , I can assure you that this statement is false. Rene was a runner (messenger) in a rifle platoon, one of fifty-plus marines who carried an M-1 rifle. The runner was on the frontline at all times, staying close to the platoon sergeant platoon sergeant n. The senior noncommissioned officer in an army platoon or comparable unit. and platoon leader A platoon leader or platoon commander is the officer in command of a platoon. This person is usually a junior officer — a second or first lieutenant, or an equivalent rank. He is usually assisted by a platoon sergeant. . When there was a break in the action and everyone else was under cover, it was the runner who had to expose himself to enemy fire in order to take a message to the company commanding officer or battalion commanding officer. And when the advancing troops stopped to dig in to cover by digging; as, to dig in manure s>. To entrench oneself so as to give stronger resistance; - used of warfare or negotiating situations. See also: Dig Dig for a length of time, the frontline troops had to set out orange markers in front of the firing line to designate our positions for our airplanes. This chore almost always fell to the runners. Anyone who was on Iwo Jima for five days saw all the action there was to see. Rene Gagnon was on the island for thirty-six days. WALTER P. O'MALLEY Engelwood, Fla. |
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