Mike Nick Mykris

Mike Mykris was born in Lemoyne, Nebraska (which was flooded to make Lake McConaughy) in December 1925. He is one of seven children born to "Jesse" and Nick Mykris, immigrants from Greece. His family moved from there to Dix, Nebraska and finally to Pine Bluffs, Wyoming where Mike grew up and joined the United States Marine Corp before he graduated from high school at the age of seventeen.

He was sent to San Diego for boot camp. He had line training at Camp Tarawa, Hilo, Hawaii. He served in the Pacific area from September 19, 1944 to July 15, 1946 in the 5th Marine Division, 28th Regiment, 2nd Battalion Fox Company, 3rd Platoon, as an automatic rifleman.

Mike was on Iwo Jima from February 19, 1945 to March 16, 1945. He went in on Green Beach. The beach was littered with dead, quite a shock for a seventeen year old kid. The objective was to secure Mt. Suribachi. The first day mortar landed in front of his fox hole and disabled his B.A.R. (Browning automatic rifle). He picked up a M1 rifle and went on. The fourth day they were on top of Mt. Suribachi, and he was there when they raised the first American flag then witnessed the raising of the second American flag of which is the now famous photo.

Next day was spent "cleaning up" the side of the mountain with an 8 man patrol. On the fifth day they were sent to air field #1. On the fourteenth day he was blown out of his foxhole during the night and was sent to a mash unit for two or three days. Then he was sent back to the front line. During that time, he survived two Bonsai attacks. Later he was sent to the end of the island to "mop up" and blow any caves shut. He was 1 of 42 who survived out of the unit of 345 men. All others were either killed in action or severely wounded and evacuated.

From Iwo Jima he served in occupied Japan from September 22, 1945 to June 1, 1946. He was in Sasebo, Japan for two weeks and then on to Fukuoka. There they went from building to building and house to house picking up guns and ammo. Thank God they didn't have to invade Japan. It took ten days by ship to return to San Diego where he was mustarded out of the service July 1946. He hitched a ride with a couple of other discharged guys to Pine Bluffs, Wyoming.

Later he moved to Alliance, Nebraska where he had a job as a projectionist at the Alliance Theater. It was there he met Shirley who also worked at the theatre as a cashier. They were later married in September 1947. They will celebrate their 69th wedding anniversary this year. From Alliance, Mike was transferred to Chadron, Nebraska with the then North West Bell Telephone Company in 1953, where they raised their four children. Mike was also active in the American Legion Post #7 and served as Area D Commander. He also led the legion firing squad for military services. He was an active member of the Chadron BPO Elks Lodge #1399 holding most of the offices and becoming the District Deputy in 1980-81. He has since transferred his membership to the Hemet Elks Lodge #1740.

Mike retired in 1989 from the now Quest Telephone Company after working forty years as an equipment repairman. Shirley retired in 1990 from Chadron State College where she worked in the library as staff assistant for seventeen years. The couple lived in Nebraska until the fall of 2004 when they moved to Hemet. They had traveled through Hemet on their way to Idyllwild to visit Shirley's brother. They remembered the area as a nice place to retire and to be close to a son and family who live in Sun City. They enjoyed living in the beautiful Hemet West Park where there's no snow to shovel. Mike loved playing horseshoes and golf, and was an active helper with the bazaars.

Mike is survived by his wife Shirley of 68 ½ years, four children, Michael (Carolyn) Mykris, Tony (Robyn) Mykris, Nick (Sheryl) Mykris and Diana (Dan) Foster, two sisters, Argie (John) Hayes and Dora Zerwoodis, 12 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and the second set of twin great granddaughters are expected in July.

In lieu of flowers the family would like donations to be made to the Chadron Volunteer Fire Department Training Center. Mail donations to PO Box 829 Chadron, NE 69337.