80 years ago today. One of the most iconic images from Operation Detachment. Marine Private First Class Wilfred Voegeli, of Wichita, Kansas, armed with a flame thrower, takes a break to light up his pipe during operations on Iwo Jima. 24 February 1945. The simple things while at work, right?
U.S. Marine Corps Photograph 127-GW-320-111147. Photographed by Campbell, now in the collections of the National Archives. National Archives Identifier 176250422
At least one other photo from the campaign catches PFC Voegeli, who was deployed on Iwo with the famed 28th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division, at work.
“The fighting continues and continues. For weary flamethrower operators Pvt Richard Klatt, left, and PFC Wilfred Voegeli the campaign is just one cave after another. Department of Defense Photo (USMC) 110599.
By 1945, the Marines were fielding 243 portable flamethrowers per division. They came in very handy in close “blowtorch” operations in the Pacific, used in clearing out Japanese pillboxes, caves, and bunkers. It would appear that PFC Wilfrid Markus Voegeli survived the War, and returned to Kansas, passing there in 2000, aged 75.