Oral History Interview with William Manix, June 2005

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Bill Manix. Manix went into the Marine Corps in September 1943. After boot camp at Camp Pendleton, he wanted to be a radioman but became a telephone man which he trained for in Pine Valley, California. After this training, Manix was sent to Camp Pendleton where the 5th Marine Division was forming; he was assigned to the 28th Marines, 2nd Battalion, Headquarters Company. In late 1944, the Division was moved to Camp Tarawa on the big island of Hawaii. They sailed for Iwo Jima and Manix went ashore in the fifth wave, landing on Green Beach. He states that the sand on Iwo Jima was very similar to the sands they had been on in Hawaii. Manix followed Fox Company as they assaulted Mount Suribachi. He was behind them and had the first telephone up there. Fox Company raised the first flag. Manix provides a good description of combat on the island including Hill 362 and was on the island until March 28th when they walked back to the south end of the island. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service on the island. Manix tells about knowing one of the Navajo code talkers, George James, and also Ira Hayes. After Iwo Jima, the division went back to Camp Tarawa. When the 5th Division occupied Japan, Manix went to Sasebo and was there from September through the first part of December 1945 when he was shipped back to the States