Harry O'Neill: Marines You Should Know Conclusion Iwo Jima February 19, 1945. Marine assault craft heads
for Iwo Jima and Mount Suribachi. Marine First Lieutenant and former Major League catcher Harry O'Neillstepped foot on the black sand of Iwo Jima shortly after 0904 on February 19, 1945 as a platoon commander with Weapons Company, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division.

The Regiment was assigned the difficult task of
landing on the far right of the entire Marine assault
and subsequently received heavy Japanese fire from both front and flank.

Iwo Jima, February, 1945. Marine
spotters locate an enemy position For the next fourteen days, O'Neill led his Marines into the teeth of the Japanese positions, driving slowly to the north.

March 6 proved to be mostly a quiet day, as the 25th Marines held positions near the infamous "Turkey Knob" portion of the Japanese defense.

As evening approached, a hidden Japanese sniper took aim and placed a bullet directly into O'Neill's chest, mortally wounding him.

The news struck Gettysburg College very hard. Coach Henry Bream, who knew Harry better than almost anyone sent a letter of condolence to the O’Neill family, who responded on May 21, 1945:
_Dear Mr. Bream,

Mr. O’Neill and I thank you for your kind words of sympathy. We are trying to keep our courage up, as Harry would want us to do, but our hearts are very sad and as the days go on it seems to be getting worse. Harry was always so full of life, that it seems hard to think he is gone. But God knows best and perhaps some day we will understand why all this sacrifice of so many fine young men. It gives us some comfort to know you thought so well of Harry and that he had so many nice friends.

Sincerely,_
Susanna O’Neill (Original Letter in Gettysburg College Special Collections and College Archives)

Iwo Jima, March 1945. The "Fighting Fourth"
Marine Division raise the Stars and Stripes
over the graves of its slain, buried in the
Division's cemetery. The one time catcher for the Philadelphia A’swas laid to rest in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, and is one of only two major league players killed in WWII.

Harry O’Neill is a Marine you should know and remember. Harry O'Neill: Marines You Should Know Conclusion Iwo Jima February 19, 1945. Marine assault craft heads
for Iwo Jima and Mount Suribachi. Marine First Lieutenant and former Major League catcher Harry O'Neillstepped foot on the black sand of Iwo Jima shortly after 0904 on February 19, 1945 as a platoon commander with Weapons Company, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division.