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Greeley Wells

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Greeley Wells
Wells serving in the Marines, c. 1943–1945
Mayor of Harding Township, New Jersey
In office
January 1, 1963 – December 31, 1963
Personal details
Born
George Greeley Wells

(1920-06-21)June 21, 1920
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedSeptember 22, 2014(2014-09-22) (aged 94)
Bellevue, Washington, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Barbara Blossom
​
(m. 1941)​
Children4
Parent(s)Ruth Greeley Wells
Thomas E. Wells Jr.
RelativesThomas E. Wells (grandfather)
Preston A. Wells Jr. (cousin)
Occupation
  • Businessman
  • politician
  • military officer
  • philanthropist
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Marine Corps
Years of service1943–1957
RankCaptain
Unit2nd Battalion, 28th Marines
Battles/wars
AwardsBronze Star (with Valor)
Purple Heart
World War II Victory Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
American Campaign Medal
Navy Occupation Service Medal

George Greeley Wells (June 21, 1920 – September 22, 2014) was an American businessman, politician, and Marine Corps veteran. He is widely noted for participating in the first raising of the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima. He later worked as president of Sanborn Map Company and would serve as mayor of Harding Township, New Jersey.

Early life and education

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George Greeley Wells was born on June 21, 1920, in Chicago, Illinois, to Thomas E. Wells Jr., son of Thomas E. Wells, and Ruth Greeley.[1] He was raised in Lake Forest, Illinois.

Military service

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Raising the First Flag on Iwo Jima by SSgt. Louis R. Lowery, USMC
Left to right: 1st Lt. Harold Schrier[2] (kneeling behind radioman's legs), Pfc. Raymond Jacobs (radioman reassigned from F Company), Sgt. Henry "Hank" Hansen wearing cap, holding flagstaff with left hand), Platoon Sgt. Ernest "Boots" Thomas (seated), Pvt. Phil Ward (holding lower flagstaff with his right hand), PhM2c. John Bradley, USN (holding flagstaff with both hands, his right hand above Ward's right hand and his left hand below.), Pfc. James Michels (holding M1 Carbine), and Cpl. Charles W. Lindberg (standing above Michels).

During World War II, Wells served in the United States Marine Corps and fought the Empire of Japan in the Pacific theatre. He was shot in the arm storming the beaches of Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945.[3][4] He took part in the first raising of the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima.[5][6][7]

The Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal, had decided the previous night that he wanted to go ashore and witness the final stage of the fight for the mountain. Now, under a stern commitment to take orders from General Holland "Howlin' Mad" Smith, the secretary was churning ashore in the company of the blunt, earthy general. Their boat touched the beach just after the flag went up, and the mood among the high command turned jubilant. Gazing upward, at the red, white, and blue speck, Forrestal remarked to Smith: "Holland, the raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next five hundred years".[8][9]

Forrestal was so taken with fervor of the moment that he decided he wanted the Second Battalion's flag flying on Mt. Suribachi as a souvenir. The news of this wish did not sit well with 2nd Battalion Commander Chandler Johnson, whose temperament was every bit as fiery as Howlin Mad's. "To hell with that!" the colonel spat when the message reached him. The flag belonged to the battalion, as far as Johnson was concerned. He decided to secure it as soon as possible, and dispatched his assistant operations officer, Lieutenant Ted Tuttle, to the beach to obtain a replacement flag. As an afterthought, Johnson called after Tuttle: "And make it a bigger one."[10]

— James Bradley, Flags of Our Fathers

Then-First Lieutenant Wells, was adjutant of 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines and officially in charge of both American flags flown on Mount Suribachi. He stated in The New York Times in 1991 that Lieutenant Colonel Chandler W. Johnson ordered Wells to get the second flag, and that Wells sent Rene Gagnon, his battalion runner, to the ships on shore for the flag. Wells said that Gagnon returned with a flag and gave it to him, and that Gagnon took this flag up Mt. Suribachi with a message for Harold G. Schrier to raise it and send the other flag down with Gagnon. Wells stated that he received the first flag back from Gagnon and secured it at the Marine headquarters command post. Wells also stated that he had handed the first flag to Lieutenant Schrier to take up Mount Suribachi.[11][12]

Wells was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 1957 with the rank of Captain.[5]

Career

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After leaving the military, Wells moved his family to Harding Township, New Jersey and became a partner at GW Bromley & Co., mapping cities for local governments. He later sold the business to the Sanborn Map Company and became president of the company.[5]

An active member in the local Republican Party, Wells was elected mayor of Harding Township in 1963.[13][14][15] He served as chairman of Barry Goldwater's unsuccessful Morris County, New Jersey campaign in 1964.[16][17] That same year, Wells ran for freeholder of Morris County and was defeated by incumbent Thomas Koclas by a slim 239-vote margin.[18][19] He would go on to serve as a local party leader and Harding Township police commissioner.[20][4][5]

Personal life

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Wells was a cousin of Preston A. Wells Jr., a businessman and real estate developer who also served in the Marines at the Battle of Iwo Jima.[21]

In 1941, Wells married Barbara "Bobsy" Blossom. They had four children together. Bobsy and one of their children had polio.[5]

In the early 2000s, Wells and his wife moved to Bellevue, Washington. He died in Bellevue on September 22, 2014.[22]

Awards and medals

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Wells's decorations included:[23]

1st Row Bronze Star Medal
with "V" device 		Purple Heart
2nd Row World War II Victory Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal American Campaign Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal

References

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  1. ^ "Wells". Chicago Tribune. February 6, 1940. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  2. ^ David Knopf (January 2, 2012). "Camden-Fleming man an unsung hero at Iwo Jima". Richmond News. Archived from the original on April 12, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  3. ^ Corcoran, Anne (December 5, 1991). "A Prank, Not a Plot". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Greeley Wells: Always Carry a Flag". lflbhistory.org. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e Lodder, Reece. "Remembering Greeley: The Marine who carried his flag to Iwo Jima". marines.mil. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  6. ^ Smollar, David (February 22, 1985). "Iwo Jima". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  7. ^ Asta, P.J. (February 19, 2015). "Celebrating an inspirational image". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  8. ^ Warren 2007, p. 70.
  9. ^ Clancy 1996, p. 670.
  10. ^ Bradley 2006, p. 207.
  11. ^ G. Greeley Wells (October 17, 1991). "The Man Who Carried the Flag at Iwo Jima". The New York Times. p. A26.
  12. ^ Lucas, Dean (July 9, 2007). "Famous Pictures Magazine – Raising The Flag On Iwo Jima". Famous Pictures Magazine. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  13. ^ "Mayor Greeley Wells Cuts Ribbon at Minuteman Opening". The Chatham Press. May 8, 1963. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  14. ^ "Predict Another Jetport Effort In Morris County". The News. November 16, 1963. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  15. ^ "Greeley Wells". Daily Record. February 19, 1995. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  16. ^ Lazarus, Shirley (February 18, 1975). "Iwo Jima Veteran Hoping For Economic Heroism". Daily Record. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  17. ^ "Greeley Wells to Handle Barry Campaign in Morris". Herald News. July 25, 1964. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  18. ^ "Wells Asks New Count In Morris". Herald News. April 23, 1964. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  19. ^ "Wells Leads Incumbents In Parsippany". Herald News. April 22, 1964. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  20. ^ "Wells to Head GOP Campaign". Herald News. June 28, 1965. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  21. ^ "In The Boxes At The "Follies"". Chicago Tribune. April 26, 1916. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  22. ^ "Greeley Wells Obituary". Legacy.com. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  23. ^ Lodder, Reece. "Remembering Greeley" (PDF). Marine Corps Association. Retrieved December 25, 2024.


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