Mike Strank DGAF.

[**The following takes place during the Battle of Iwo Jima in the Pacific Theatre during World War II.**] >[Mike Strank](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Michael_Strank.jpg), true to form, was one of the steadying veterans. In the opening moments of Japanese mortar fire, when the boys of Easy Company were still groping their way toward Captain Severance’s main unit, Lloyd Thompson looked up to his right and could not believe what he saw. “There was Mike, sitting upright, emptying the sand out of his boots. Just as if nothing was happening.” Bill Ranous remembers the same sight: “I had my face buried in the sand. I looked up and saw Mike sitting straight up emptying his shoes. What a guy.” >Having made his point, Mike was soon shepherding his boys across the sands to their rendezvous with Dave Severance’s unit. _____________________________ **Source:** Bradley, James, and Ron Powers. “D-Day.” *Flags of Our Fathers*. Bantam Dell, a Division of Random House, Inc., 2006. 159. Print. _____________________________ **Further Reading:** [Michael Strank](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Strank) ___________________________ **If you enjoy this type of content, please consider donating to my [Patreon]( https://www.patreon.com/HistoryLockeBox)!**