With today being the 74th Anniversary of the start of the Battle of Iwo Jima, it reminds me of my all-time favorite Q&A with Hershel "Woody" Williams. I asked him about his (and his Marine's) reaction to the news of our flag being raised on Mt. Suribachi:
"When the large flag was flying, Marines around me began cheering and firing their weapons into the air. When I saw that and saw the flag, I began doing the same thing!
It was not until after I was discharged from the USMC and began reading and hearing through the news media what we accomplished. At the time it was just another combat operation."