Iwo Jima Ka Bar
Sgt Grit,
I just ordered the Iwo Jima Anniversary Ka-Bar and other items from your company and I wanted to share some photos and story of my father with you.
My father John F. Jarvis served on Iwo Jima as a Master Sergeant with the 2nd Separate Engineer Battalion attached to the 5th Amphibious Corps (patch on his right shoulder in photo). He joined the Marine Corps on December 8th, 1941 and sailed for the Pacific in October 1942. He was promoted to Sergeant aboard ship and then participated in the occupation and defense of Guadalcanal from January 1943 to July 1944 where he was promoted to Staff Sergeant on February 1, 1943 and then to Supply Sergeant (Gunny) on December 1, 1943.
In July 1944, my father participated in the assault, capture and liberation of Guam. In February 1945, his unit sailed to Iwo Jima and he landed there on February 20, 1945. He served on Iwo Jima during the battle where his unit helped repair the airstrip at Motoyama Airfield so that B-29s could land there. On Iwo Jima, he served as the Acting Battalion Quartermaster and was promoted to Master Sergeant February 25, 1945. In the second photo on Iwo Jima my father is on the left wearing the Ka-bar with an unidentified Marine buddy. You can see some aircraft and probably a Japanese artillery piece at the edge of the Motoyama airfield.
I have attached a photo of him wearing his Ka-Bar on Iwo Jima. It must have been taken at the end of the battle on or about March 27th, 1945, the day his unit sailed back to Guam. Also, I am sending a photo of my father at the 50th Anniversary of Iwo Jima commemoration on February 19, 1995 at the Marine Corps War Memorial. It was quite a day since they sat us in the front row between John Basilone?s sister and Lt. Gen Lawrence Snowden who was a Captain on Iwo Jima. My Dad was 82 at the ceremony and had difficulty walking so we arrived early. A Marine Major tried to deflect us to the seats in the back trying to save the front seats for VIPs, but a Sgt Major ?advised? the Major that this man is going to sit in the front row. 
My father looked great for his age, but I had just put him in a nursing home a few months earlier with Alzheimer?s. I couldn?t take him back to Iwo like I had promised him, but there was no way that he was going to miss the Iwo Jima 50th anniversary in D.C. It was a great alternative for nearly 1,800 Iwo Jima survivors and thousands of their friends and families that could commemorate the battle with their loved ones.
Needless to say we were pleasantly surprised and watched the whole ceremony seated just a few seats from President and Mrs. Clinton. The media loved my Dad and they all filmed him and took a lot of pictures. Numerous news reporters wanted to interview my Dad, but then realized that he had Alzheimer?s. I helped him answer their questions as best I could. Luckily, my Dad did remember some things about Iwo Jima that day. One reporter asked my father what his most vivid memory of Iwo Jima was and he replied ?We kicked the Japs Ass?. Needless to say, that never made it to print, but we all got a good laugh. Apparently my father forgot that the Japanese had done a little ass kicking themselves during that 36 day battle!
Later that day, CNN started off the news every 30 minutes with a close-up of my father and then the two of us walking along the red carpet up to the Marine Corps War Memorial. We stood in front of the monument of the Iwo Jima flag raisers where my father offered a final salute to his comrades. As we turned around I noticed all the television cameras were focused on me and my father. Suddenly, I felt extremely proud to be the son of the ?old man? in his VFW shirt. I remember being a little embarrassed as a young kid because my father was always waving the flag and always organized and marched in all of our local hometown Veteran?s and Memorial Day parades. Of course, after I joined the Marines I understood where his patriotism came from.
The 50th Anniversary of Iwo Jima reunion and ceremony was quite a thrill for me and my family. The President and Mrs. Clinton came over to speak with us after the ceremony and the White House sent me that attached photo. The next day, there was a large photo of my father in the Washington Post in the story of the Iwo Jima 50th Anniversary. We got to meet a lot of people that included five members of my father?s battalion. Three of them were in my father?s company and remembered him well and shared some nice stories with me. Sadly, my father didn?t remember his old buddies. They were ten years younger and I guess we always remember the senior guys.
There was a great photo of me and my father was in the June 1995 Leatherneck magazine in an article about Iwo Jima. He was also featured in the Pentagon Press Release for the 50th anniversary and in the Navy Reserve magazine, The Mariner.
In March 2005, I went to Iwo Jima for the 60th Anniversary with about 450 other military history buffs to include about 80 Iwo Jima veterans and their families. I carried my father?s scrapbook up to Mount Suribachi with all of the attached photos. It was great trip. I walked invasion beach and hadn?t realized that the Marines that landed there had to run uphill as the proceeded inland. I met some great Marines and Seabees. I returned some photos of Japanese soldiers to the Japanese contingent on Iwo Jima after the ceremony.
Well, I hope that I haven?t bored you too much. The film ?Flags of our Fathers? is scheduled to be released on October 20, 2006 and I have been doing some research about my father?s unit on Iwo Jima. I remembered that photo of my Dad wearing his Ka-Bar on Iwo Jima. When I saw your website with that Ka-Bar, I just had to order it.
My father died on April 30, 1999 at age 85. At the funeral, we had a Marine Corps Honor Guard, 21 gun salute, a bagpiper and a big crowd. It was a fitting tribute to one of the greatest generation. Semper Fi Dad!
You may put the photos of my father on your WWII site if you wish.
Keep up the good work.
Semper Fi!
Kevin Jarvis
SGT USMC
3rd Amtrac Bn 1st MARDIV 1974-1976
MSG Bn Cameroon and Panama 1976-1979