Sneeden Present at Iwo Jima

The raising of the American Flag on Iwo Jima left an impression on Don Sneeden of LaGrange. Sneeden serving in the U.S. Navy, positioned on the deck as guard of the USS Texas looked through his binoculars and saw the Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima during World War II. He was within 1,000 feet of the event.

Sneeden got goosebumps and knew that part of the war was over. He was not able to leave his post, but with others nearby, the word about the flag raising was quickly spread on board.

Sneeden was from Quincy when he enlisted in the navy in September 1939. He served six years, one month and 20 days. His rank was CWT Chief Water Tender. He was discharged in 1946.

He was based in Norfolk, Va. Then Sneeden was stationed on the U.S.S. Texas Battleship for four years and then on the U.S. Pacinda for two years.

His mission included seven convoy trips to England. One trip had four ship loads of marines and another had four tankers of aviation gas. Sneeden said one trip 12-14 ships were traveling 1000 feet apart in heavy dense fog. It was a miracle they all got to the destination in that fog.

He also was on the North Atlantic Patrol traveling up to the Arctic Circle. His travels also took him through the Panama Canal, China, and Africa

In 1940, the year before the World War II broke out, his unit was involved in training missions of sinking submarines.

Sneeden said he learned when to keep his mouth shut. He disliked the food, or the lack of food. Two good meals he had that year included Christmas and Thanksgiving. The longest journey on a ship was 97 days. One aircraft carrier was on the sea longer than his ship. Sneeden said by the end of the trip, food selection was thin.

One of the ships he was on traveled through a hurricane. The ship was in the 25 mile hurricane for six days. Crews were kept awake to keep pumping water out of the ship. Everything on the ship was top sided and thrown around.

Three destroyers were capsized at that time and only 35 soldiers were rescued out of 1200.

HE and his wife, Winona, were married September 1941. If Sneeden was in the states more than a week, she would be with him. They did write letters while he was away, but all letters were censored. She worked at the LaGrange Foundry while he was gone. Before the service, he worked at the Mitchell Stamp Manufacturing Company and was paid 15 cents an hour. After the service he farmed.