Talk:Ralph Ignatowski

Was Ralph Ignatowski Jewish?
A good article about my cousin Ralph Ignatowski. I am confused about one thing, the reference to him being Jewish. I admire many things about Jews, so I am not upset that people may think he is of that faith. I simply would like to see accuracy in information presented here. Ralph is from a staunch catholic family, and according to a family member that knew him as a child, he followed that faith along with an uncle and cousin who were catholic priests. I realize he may have expressed an interest in becomming a jew after leaving home to join the marines, I would then ask why there is a cross on his tombstone which I visited Nov. 29,2006.209.244.187.91 23:24, 2 December 2006 (UTC) Jim K.


 * I have attempted to remove the reference to R. Ignatowski being Jewish; article has been edited. Kguirnela 07:20, 3 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the correction to the article, I plan to continue search about Ralph to verify and expand information about him and his family. He was born in Milwaukee WI, I wonder why he is now buried and apparently has family in Rock Island, IL. 63.215.29.206 19:41, 3 December 2006 (UTC)Jim K. plgrims@aol.com

I was the individual who originally wrote this article. I found the information about his alleged Jewish roots in a book called "Semper Chai", which is listed at the bottom among the references. If I was mistaken, I apologize.

Mister Jinxy 00:11, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

As PFC Ignatowski's headstone bears a cross, and as that headstone was issued by the government, it would seem to be that he declared himself a Christian of some type (ie - Catholic, Protestant, ect...) when he entered the Marines. If he thought of himself as Jewish, so be it. The government would consider him Catholic or whatever as according to the paperwork. ```` —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.75.232.152 (talk • contribs)

Ralph Ignatowski - Jewish?
I'm a nephew of Ralph, my father Alvin was Ralph's brother. I'm only writing to correct the statement that Uncle Ralph was Jewish. He was, like the rest of his brothers and sisters, raised Catholic. I'm not exactly sure why Uncle Ralph was never brought back to Milwaukee, but I suspect at the time everyone felt he would be want to be with his fellow soliders in Rock Island. As far as I know, we have no relatives in Rock Island. All of Uncle Ralph's brothers and sisters never left the Milwaukee area. -- James Ignatowski —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 72.135.224.22 (talk) 22:37, 30 January 2007 (UTC).
 * Any sources (albeit 8 months later) would be quite helpful. Jmlk  1  7  11:03, 12 November 2007 (UTC)

Ralph Ignatowski medal/ribbon update
My name is Don Bitler and my wife Judy is the niece of Ralph Ignatowski. Her mother Julia Heyer was Ralph's sister. I have written to the navy department and received an update on Ralph's medals and ribbons. He was awarded the purple Heart medal and star for his wound and death. He also earned the Combat Action Ribbon, the American Campaign Medal and a combat star on the AP campaign Medal. I am trying to get him the POW medal as he was captured and was a POW for up to three days. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.209.30.119 (talk) 00:00, 16 November 2007 (UTC)


 * Good luck to you Don, especially working thru the gov't bureacracy...One thing: are you sure they actually held him that long? He may have been killed straightaway after he was drug in the cave (I can easily imagine that Marine fighting back like a tiger); ie perhaps he was a combat casualty. And then mutilated. I believe it took several days to find his remains, not necessarily that he died that late...Engr105th (talk) 07:03, 19 May 2012 (UTC)

National Archives Record for Private Ralph A. Ignatowski
I don't know how to use wikipedia, but for what it is worth - i am a researcher for WWII MIAs/KIAs. I came across Private Ralph A Ignatowski's case in the National Archives and decided to try and find his family to let them know that I found this file. Not sure if you want to see the contents, but as a former Marine, I am very sorry for your loss. Your family sacrificed a great deal for this country and I am honored to "meet" you. Zolameda (talk) 21:02, 9 May 2008 (UTC)

Does this file contain the affidavits written by the ARC (American Red Cross Representative) and the acting Regimental Surgeon (most likely Dr. Fred Lynn)? —Preceding unsigned comment added by JCH1952 (talk • contribs) 14:24, 22 October 2009 (UTC)

I should add, the Regimental Surgeon was my father's friend and his commanding officer, medical side, for most of the battle. Dad was there when these events happened. He is 90 and he would very much enjoy reading anything by Fred Lynn, or his eventual replacement from the 5th Medical Battalion, on this subject. —Preceding unsigned comment added by JCH1952 (talk • contribs) 14:57, 22 October 2009 (UTC)

Robert E. Allen's The First Battalion of the 28th Marines on Iwo Jima: A Day-By-Day History
The article cites Robert E. Allen's The First Battalion of the 28th Marines on Iwo Jima: A Day-By-Day History as the source for this statement:

Other eyewitness reports further indicated that Ignatowski had been tortured in the cave by the Japanese for three days, during which time they also cut out his eyes, cut off his ears, smashed in his teeth, and cut off his genitalia and stuffed them into his mouth.

His book is available on Google books. Using their search function, I cannot locate the page where he discusses Ralph Ignatowski. The search function works, as typing in the names of notable 1st Battalion Marines like Mears, Wright, Stein, and Butterfield gets results. On what page of his book does he discuss Ralph Ignatowski? I would like to read his entire discussion. - JCH1952, 10/22/2009. —Preceding unsigned comment added by JCH1952 (talk • contribs) 14:41, 22 October 2009 (UTC)

I am traveling. Tonight I called home and had my son check the index of Robert E. Allen's book for the following: Ignatowski, Sokol, Severance, torture. He found none of them in the index. I am beginning to have doubts this citation is correct. Robert E. Allen was one of the most detailed people I have ever met. His book includes not only a history of each Marine in the original landing team, 1-28, but also an astonishingly high percentage of all the Marines transferred to the 1-28 during the chaos of the battle. I cannot imagine him leaving Ignatowski's name out of his index. Does anybody know on what page of the book the Ignatowski incident is discussed? (JCH1952 (talk) 03:12, 23 October 2009 (UTC))

I have searched every line of Robert E. Allen's The First Battalion of the 28th Marines on Iwo Jima: A Day-By-Day History and I cannot locate this quote:

"Other eyewitness reports further indicated that Ignatowski had been tortured in the cave by the Japanese for three days, during which time they also cut out his eyes, cut off his ears, smashed in his teeth, and cut off his genitalia and stuffed them into his mouth. ..."

If somebody knows the page number, please tell me.

Robert E. Allen was a very precise historian. The above sentence, which is very sloppy, does not typify his work. Perhaps it was taken from one of his internet postings, which would be less carefully worded. He did not believe in allowing battlefield rumors to become history without ample collaboration. There is no doubt Ralph Ignatowski's body was mutilated. There is also no proof he was tortured for three days and then killed. He may have been tortured and killed. The length of time of such torture cannot be known with the existing facts. The things that were done to him before death cannot be known. The story is full of inconsistencies. His own Lieutenant wrote in his history of Iwo Jima that he was told by existing members of the 3rd platoon at that time that Ignatowski was killed, soon after Lt. Sokol was killed, by the Japanese while assaulting a cave with Sokol. Bradley says he returned to his platoon and could not find anybody who knew what happened to Ignatowski. Members of the platoon claim to have seen Ignatowski pulled into a cave. The platoon was diminished in size by then. There weren't that many people Bradley could have asked. A member of the platoon being pulled into a cave would have travelled through the platoon like a wildfire. In the movie I believe Bradley is depicted looking at Ignatowski in a cave. The Marine who found Ignatowski's body says he found him beside a road. Many questions about this incident could be answered if the above person actually found Fred Lynn's affidavit. Lynn should have noted the body's state decomposition and cause of death. He may have commented on which mutilations were likely inflicted before death and which after. It should also be noted that no history of Iwo Jima, including the official history of the 5th Marine Division and the histories written by the Marine combat correspondents, one of whom spent almost every day with the 2nd Battalion, mention the Ignatowski incident and who escorted Bradley during the bond tour. By my extensive library of Iwo Jima histories, for 50 years this was an incident unmentioned in Iwo Jima histories. The first mention I can find is quite contrary to what is being presented here. The affidavit, if it was found at the National Archives, needs to be included in the history of this incident. The clarification is greatly needed. —Preceding unsigned comment added by JCH1952 (talk • contribs) 17:22, 7 November 2009 (UTC)


 * I agree...there is a difference betwen "captured, held and tortured for 3 days" and "KIA, and then mutilated". (and I sincerely hope it was the latter). I am not aware that the Japs held any POWs, however briefly, in the Iwo Jima battle. Regarding that reference (Allen's book) of "eyewitness" reports that he was "tortured for 3 days": that is difficult to believe - someone (presumably another Marine?) actually saw three days of this? From inside the cave?? It does need clarification... Either way, we lost a fine young man, willing to serve his country. Engr105th (talk) 07:32, 19 May 2012 (UTC)


 * I have changed some of the wording in the article for neutrality/accuracy sake. Removed a couple of the declarative statements about "captured, tortured for 3 days" etc. In the opening of the "Death" section, I mentioned the uncertainty of circumstances, but left the possibilities stated. I hope that will work until some definitive info can be found...Engr105th (talk) 21:55, 19 May 2012 (UTC)

Per Above: From "Flags Of Our Fathers"
p. 344

"A few days later someone yelled that they'd found him. They called me over because I was a corpsman. The Japanese had pulled him underground and tortured him. His fingernails...his tongue...It was terrible. I've tried so hard to forget all this."

"Langley told me it looked to him as though Ralph Ignatowski had endured just about every variety of physical cruelty imaginable. "Both of his arms were fractured," Langley said. "They just hung there like arms on a broken doll. He had been bayoneted repeatedly. The back of his head had been smashed in."

"Those were the relatively benign wounds. My father remembered the worst thing."

p. 346

"They tortured my buddy. The Japanese stuffed his penis in his mouth."


 * Flags of Our Fathers is an excellent book...However, we need to remember it was not written by John Bradley himself. It was written by his son James, after his father's death. John Bradley (as noted in the book) rarely discussed his wartime experiences. His family did not even know he'd been decorated until after Bradley died. There is no doubt that Bradley had a traumatic experience on Iwo, and that his friend Iggy's death impacted him deeply. But he did not witness what happened; only what was found later. Just sayin'...Engr105th (talk) 20:44, 22 May 2012 (UTC)

Private, 3rd platoon, and USMC awards
Private (on grave marker photo in the article). Any "PFC" rank for Ignatowski is an error. 3rd Platoon (3rd Squad) of E Company; Ignatowski was buddy with "Doc" Bradley (and Doc Langley) who helped secure the first flag flagstaff on Mt Suribachi when Bradley went up Suribachi with 1st Lt. Harold Schrier's 40-man patrol. The five Marines who were the 2nd flag raisers with Bradley went up Mt Suribachi later from the 2nd Platoon. Bradley was already up there with 3rd Platoon The Hollywood and Clint Eastwood directed movie Flags of Our Fathers, has Sgt Strank (2nd flag raiser) as a platoon sergeant when in fact he was one of the 2nd platoon's squad leaders and maybe didn't know Bradley much less Ignatowski before the 2nd flag raising since 2nd Platoon would have had two other corpsmen and other Marines assigned to them. Purple Heart Medal (Navy/Marine Corps award name instead of "Purple Heart") "Silver" 5/16" star (WW2 ribbon device) on the PUC ribbon is for Iwo Jima. The star is no longer given with the award of the 1st PUC (PUC ribbon only)YahwehSaves (talk) 00:58, 26 May 2013 (UTC)