Everybody says, "Departed is Best film of the year", but I haven't seen it yet, so I can't say so. "Letters From Iwo Jima" is Best film of the year to me. And this is the best of all of Eastwood's films. Hollywood film maker made a Japanese movie. All characters are Japanese actors, and all dialogues are Japanese (US soldiers speak English, of course). For a long time, I've seen all Eastwood's movies, but this is very special movie. If you saw this movie without a preliminary knowledge, I'm sure you'll misunderstand that it was made by Japanese film maker. But definitely this is Eastwood movie.

Ken Watanabe played General Tadamichi Kuribayashi. Ken Watanabe is well known by "The Last Samurai". So you know about him, don't you? His acting deserve Oscar nomination by this movie.

"Flags of our fathers" were about battle with Japanese army, truth about flags, story of three soldiers. "Letters from Iwo Jima" were about defense battle, friendship, and letters to their families.


So......I saw both of movies, "Flags of our fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima". Both movie's theme was "father and son". In "Flags of our fathers", the son interviewed to war veteran about his father. In "Letters from Iwo Jima", fathers wrote letters to son (and wife). They knew those letters won't go to son and wife. Nevertheless they wrote letters. That was very sad and I couldn't stop tears....


I don't know if Eastwood see this board or not. But I want to say thanks to Eastwood. Thank you Mr. Eastwood. This is your best movie!

This is trailer with English subtitles.

Letters From Iwo Jima:trailer

And, surprisingly, "Letters from Iwo Jima" is Best film winner of The National Board of Review.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/variety/h...1117955191

Thanks for the reviews and trailers Kenji.
Did your tape make it to you yet? Ian just received his.

Thanks for the reviews and trailers Kenji.
Did your tape make it to you yet? Ian just received his.

I'm still waiting for "Video from Long Island".

I'm still waiting for "Video from Long Island".

Well with any luck, it shouldn't be much longer.

Lately, I've been copying old documents and letters, and transferring them to CD's. One group of letters are those my father wrote during the war. So, in a sense, I have my own letters from Iwo Jima. Although one is from just before the battle, and the rest are written from various hospitals after the battle.

If anyone's interested, I'll post them.

Ken V.

Lately, I've been copying old documents and letters, and transferring them to CD's. One group of letters are those my father wrote during the war. So, in a sense, I have my own letters from Iwo Jima. Although one is from just before the battle, and the rest are written from various hospitals after the battle.

If anyone's interested, I'll post them.

Ken V.

Please.

Lately, I've been copying old documents and letters, and transferring them to CD's. One group of letters are those my father wrote during the war. So, in a sense, I have my own letters from Iwo Jima. Although one is from just before the battle, and the rest are written from various hospitals after the battle.

If anyone's interested, I'll post them.

Ken V.

I'm very interested, Ken.

Please.

I've skipped over a good many letters Kenji, these are the most telling ones.
***

Sgt. A.M. Valentine
Hq. Co. 3rd Bn. 9th Marines
3rd Marine Division
c/o F.P.O. San Francisco, 6 Calif.

Feb. 16, 1945

Dear Mother:

I’ll try to drop a few lines today and let you know that I am O.K., and hope this finds you all fine.

I got the clipping you sent, sure hope it goes through. Sure would be a big help to me, but I don’t look for it to pass. Didn’t each State pay a bonus like that after the last war?

Well, I can’t think of anything more, so I’ll close for now.

Love,
Audrey

[SIZE="1"](This was written aboard ship the day before the Third Division left Guam for Iwo Jima.)[/SIZE]
***

Sgt. A.M. Valentine
Ward D-2
Naval Hospital
c/o F.P.O. San Francisco, 6 Calif.

March 23, 1945

Dear Mother:

Just writing a few lines to let you hear from me. I know you have been worried about me, not hearing from me in so long a time.

I am safe now. I was wounded and I am in the hospital now and getting along pretty well.

Don’t know how long I’ll be here. May be quite some time but you can rest assured that I will be well taken care of. I am not allowed to disclose the nature of my wounds yet. But I am not hurt too bad.

Will close now, there isn’t much I can write about, so bye for now.

Love,
Audrey

[SIZE="1"](Written in a different hand from a hospital back on Guam. Dad didn't regain conciousness until eight days after he was -- as he put it -- "banged up.")[/SIZE]
***

Sgt. A.M. Valentine
U.S.N. Hospital
Navy 10 D-2
c/o F.P.O. San Francisco, 6 Calif.

March 27, 1945

Dear Mother:

I found someone else to write another letter for me, so here goes --

I’m still in the hospital and I’m feeling better today, so that’s something.

Mother, for a while you’ll be getting letters in an unfamiliar handwriting, but it’s nothing to worry about as I’ll be able to write in a few weeks.

You know, this is some place, every time I go to sleep, someone comes to take my temperature and pulse -- it goes on and on.

One thing tho, I know I’ll be coming home. I had better not say any more or the censor will come up here after me.

I hope the little farm is coming on, and I can’t wait to drive that new tractor. Johnny, I’m going to take over your job, so you had better start looking for another one.

Everyone here is swell and they are very nice to us here, but of course stateside is always tops. We get good food and it is much better than what we have been used to.

I can’t think of anything else, so I’ll be going for now and write soon.

With love,
Audrey

[SIZE="1"](He didn't realize he was back on Guam.)[/SIZE]
***

Sgt. Audrey M. Valentine
Wd. E-3 U.S. Naval Hospital
Navy No.10
c/o F.P.O. San Francisco, Cal.

April 12, 1945

Dear Mother:

Will try to drop you a few lines today to let you know how I am getting along. I hope this finds all of you well and happy.

I have now been transferred to a hospital in the Hawaiian Islands. This is a nice, big hospital, and we have many conveniences. There are headphones on each bed, we have good chow, and the climate is wonderful.

Tell Roy he had better figure on keeping his job for quite a while. It looks like I’m scheduled to loaf for some time yet, whether I want to or not. My right leg is fractured in two places, and my left arm is fractured above the wrist. I have lost the sight in my left eye, and my right eye has been injured too, but I am pretty sure it will be all right. It will have to be bandaged for a long time though. Please try not to worry too much about me, for I am in a modern hospital with a very fine staff of doctors and nurses.

I have received most of the letters which were sent to my old address. Your last letter came in five days. Mail service is generally very quick here. I received a letter from Sis, which I haven’t answered yet, and also one from Grace. Guess I will have to get busy and answer them.

Guess I had better sign off.

Love,
Audrey
(Letter dictated to Red Cross worker.)

[SIZE="1"](Grace is his younger brother Lewis' wife. She was living in Venice, California at the time as Uncle Lewis was in the Navy.)[/SIZE]
***

WESTERN UNION
Oakland, California

April 21, 1945

ARRIVED THIS AM AFTER 12 HOUR PLANE TRIP FEELING FINE BUT TIRED WILL WRITE SOON MY ADDRESS USNH WARD 46A OAKLAND CALIFORNIA LOVE= AUDREY.
***

Sgt. Audrey Valentine
Ward 46A
U.S. Naval Hospital
Oakland, 14 Calif.

Dear Mother:

I sent you a telegram Saturday, and I just want to write you that everything is OK. I sure am glad to be back in the States, -- it has been a long time since I have been here.

You probably figured out where I have been, but I haven’t told you before that it was Iwo Jima. That made about one too many for me, and it looks as if they played a little too rough for me. I was on Guam from the time of the landing there until we went to Iwo Jima. Before that I was on Guadalcanal for about eleven months, except for two months in Bougainville.

I was in New Zealand for about five months when I first went out there. It sure was a nice place, and the people treated us fine. It is the kind of place I know you would like -- there is a lot of sheep raising and dairy farming, and the pastures seem to stay green all the time. They have green hedges around all their fences. All the rail roads are narrow gauge, and that is the only way we could get into Auckland on liberty. We were in a camp about twenty five miles from there. We could get into Auckland only about every two weeks, but there was a little town near the camp where we could go to shows. I can’t remember how to spell the name of the town but it is pronounced like “Perata,” and is spelled in a very peculiar way. It’s a native name of the Mauri’s who are of Polynesian descent, and not connected with the English at all.

The farms are in very good condition, they all have electricity, and are always kept well painted. Tell Roy that he ought to see the horses there. They are all big Percherons, and the average weight is about 1800 lbs.

Will have to close now, but will write to you more often, and I hope I’ll hear from you soon.

Love,
Audrey

Written by a Gray Lady, American Red Cross
***

Sgt. Audrey Valentine
Ward 46A
Oakland Naval Hosp.
California

April 30, 1945

Dear Mother:

I received your letter a few days ago and I’m now answering.

I’m getting along as well as can be expected. I don’t know how long I shall be here, but they have me scheduled to Philadelphia. I think they have to perform an operation on my eye before I can see out of it. They have the best eye doctors in the Navy there, and I suppose that is why they are sending me there. My eye is worse than I thought it was.

I am almost positive I shall be able to see out of it after the operation.

I have a radio by my bed now. A fellow that was in the same outfit I was in overseas brought it to me. It’s a Zenith Portable.

I sure would like to have some cookies or candy, but I may not be here when they come. So guess you had better not send any.

I wrote Grace several days ago, and my letter probably got there before yours did. It sure would be nice if she can come, but I guess it would be pretty difficult on account of her job and Sharon.

I’d better close for now.

Love,
Audrey (as per M.C.) Red Cross Gray Lady

P.S. I just received another letter from you and will answer it with this letter.

I forgot to tell you where my leg was broken. One break is below the knee and the other is just above the ankle. It’s just one bone that is broken. I don’t think I’ll have any trouble with it.

I do remember Cliff and Loretta pretty well. I think he was pretty lucky not to get in before. I wish now that I had been that lucky. I guess I didn’t have sense enough to stay out. I guess enough people told me I should and I should have known better.

[SIZE="1"](He did have trouble with the broken leg. It was broken by shrapnel, and it was about thirteen years before all the cloth, leather and shrapnel were finally removed and the infection in his ankle was cleared up.)[/SIZE]
***

Sgt. Audrey M. Valentine
Oak Knoll Naval Hospital
Ward 46A
Oakland, Calif.

May 28, 1945

Dear Mother:

Received your letter yesterday and was so glad to get it. I am answering for Audrey, we are having a lot of fun teasing him about his nurse.

Mike Janick brought me a radio, sure is cute, and plays good. He also brought some cookies, his sisters are coming over Thurs.

The doctor came in and told me for sure I would leave some time this week for Philadelphia by plane. I don’t know what day it will be. Guess it’s about time, have been on the transfer list for over a month.

Received several letters that had been sent overseas to me. I had a letter from Rose, but haven’t answered as yet.

Rudy is supposed to come over today, hope he can make it.

Well, guess I will sign off for now. Don’t write until you hear from me as I will be leaving.

Love,
Audrey

Mother, Audrey is looking better every day, and I know he feels better. He is quite cheerful and jokes a lot. I am going to see him tomorrow again, guess I will be going home Thurs. hate to see Rudy leave again.

Don’t mention in your letters to Audrey that I told you anything about him. He wanted to know yesterday if I told you anything.

Love and Kisses,
Gracie

***
WESTERN UNION
June 2, 1945

DEAR MOTHER EXPECT TO LEAVE HERE BY PLANE SUNDAY MORNING 9 OCLOCK WILL NOTIFY YOU WHEN I ARRIVE LOVE= AUDREY.
***
Continued on next post.

Sgt. A.M. Valentine
Philadelphia Naval Hospital Ward V.
Philadelphia, 45 Penna.

5 June 1945

Dear Mother,

I arrived here in Philadelphia after flying from Oakland. The trip was made in a naval transport and most of the trip was made through the most terrific electrical storm that I have ever witnessed. We made several stops on the way and it seemed to break the monotony. We stopped at Phoenix, Arizona; El Paso and Amarillo, Texas; Olathe, Kansas; Columbus, Ohio; Norfolk, Virginia; and then to Philadelphia. I guess it was 27 hours on the way.

From what they tell me, this must be a pretty big place. The main building has fourteen stories. I’m in one of the wards leading from the main hospital building.

I had a doctor come around to see me this morning, and I might as well tell you what he told me; that there is no possible chance of me ever seeing again. Several doctors have told me that they weren’t sure about me seeing, but they weren’t as good an eye specialist as they have here. The doctor here just looked at my eye and told me definitely that there was no chance.

I was sent here primarily for rehabilitation. By that I mean that I will be taught how to read Braille and typing. While I’m here I will also learn how to get around with the use of a cane and make myself as independent as possible. They teach us most everything that it is possible for us to learn. For example, they take the other fellows out horse back riding, fishing, rowing, roller skating, playing golf, out to parties and dances and a lot of other things. I can’t wait till my leg gets better so that I can get around a little myself.

Until I can get the use of a typewriter myself, I think that it would be a good idea if you wrote all the relations and told them that I wouldn’t be able to answer their mail for a while.

I’ll write you again as soon as I get the chance.

Love,
Audrey
*****

Ken V.