Thursday, February 23rd, 2006
It was the largest battle ever for the United State's Marine Corps, and, in total, nearly 50,000 killed in action or wounded on both sides in the 36-day battle involving over 90,000 troops. The pivotal island of Iwo Jima would be the first landmark that any invading force had claimed as their own in Japan's history. Join John Callaway tonight for a special Front & Center featuring an interview with two veterans of the battle - William Hudson and Col. Gerald Russell, USMC (Ret.) on Front & Center with John Callaway.
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Panelists |
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Col. Gerald F. Russell, USMC, (RET.) - Col. Russell enlisted in the first U.S. Marine Corps Officer's Candidates Class. He landed in assault waves on Guadalcanal in the first U.S. offensive of WWII and landed in the third assault wave on Iwo Jima (Red Beach One) and personally witnessed the historic flag raising in February 1945. Col. Russell was one of the youngest BN Commanding Officers in WWII. He provided protection |
of U.S. technical teams covering the atomic bomb site in Nagasaki, Japan. He accepted surrender of Tsushima Islands off the coast of the Japanese mainland. Col. Russell served as an instructor at Officers Basic School in Quantico, VA and coached the Quantico Track Team. He served as CO 8th Marine Infantry Regiment and U.S. Ground Defense Forces in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba during the early difficulties with Cuba. A member of the 1968 U.S. Olympic Team, Col. Russell retired from the Marine Corps in November 1968. He holds a Master of Business Administration from George Washington University and a Master in Education from American University.
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Bill Hudson - Born in New York City, Mr. Hudson enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at age 18. He served in the 4th Marine Division as a Private First Class, infantry battalion. He was just 19 when his unit was in the front lines of the first wave to land at Iwo Jima. All officers in his company were either killed or wounded in the first hour. He was wounded on March 15th and was shipped back to Hawaii. He rejoined the 4th Marine Division and |
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was sent back to the V-12 program, an officer training program, and attended Cornell University. When he returned to New York, he attended New York University, getting a B.A. and M.A. in physical education. Meeting the superintendent of schools in Los Alamos, NM, who was recruiting teachers, he moved to New Mexico and was a swimming and cross-country coach in Los Alamos public schools until he retired. He then joined Waddell and Reed in mutual fund sales and financial planning. After his wife retired, they both taught in Puerto Rico. They are now again living in Los Alamos.
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Moderator
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After a broadcast journalism career of 48 years, John Callaway is now engaged in writing, freelance broadcasting and speaking. The long-time host of Chicago Tonight on Chicago public television station WTTW Channel 11, Mr. Callaway is now host and senior editor for "Chicago Stories", a documentary and interview weekly program on WTTW. He has been honored with more than one hundred awards, including
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the coveted Peabody Award and fifteen Emmys. A drop-out from Ohio Wesleyan University who hitchhiked to Chicago with 71 cents in his pocket in 1956, he is the recipient of nine honorary doctorate degrees, including those from Northwestern University and the John Marshall College of Law. Mr. Callaway was also the founding Director of the William Benton Fellowships in Broadcast Journalism Program at the University of Chicago. He is the author of the bestselling book of essays, "The Thing of It Is" and has written and performed two one-man shows, "John Callaway Tonight", and "John Callaway 's Life is . . . Maintenance" at the Pegasus Theater in Chicago. |
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