This 104-Year-Old Marine Fought at Iwo Jima. He Asked Strangers for a Few Valentines. Then the Mail Truck Came

Bill White was born in Long Beach, California, in 1915.

When he first tried to join the Marines, he was turned down. So he got himself in shape and tried again. In 1934 he was in.

During World War II, he landed on Iwo Jima. As his unit moved in under Mount Suribachi, he saw the second American flag raised on the top.

He was wounded and received the Purple Heart. He served 30 years in the Marine Corps, became a major, and retired in 1964. Later, he even worked as a police officer in Huntington Beach.

By 2020, Bill was 104 and living at an assisted living home in Stockton, California. His favorite hobby was scrapbooking.

So the people around him put out a simple request: Bill would love some valentines to put in his scrapbooks. They hoped for about 100.

Then America heard about it.

The cards started coming by the bag, then by the box. By the end of January, more than 70,000 had arrived. In the end, Bill received over 300,000 cards and gifts from all 50 states and from countries all over the world. There were letters from the president, the Secretary of Defense and the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

“It’s been beyond my feeble powers of comprehension,” Bill said.

He went on to celebrate his 105th and 106th birthdays with parades of well-wishers. He passed away in March 2022, at 106.

Semper Fi, Major White.

Would you have sent Major White a valentine? Tell us in the comments.