Bluefield College
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
 bcnews.edu

Campus News
Best-Selling Author Shares Father's History-Making Story during Bluefield College Tierney Scholarship Dinner  (November 10, 2008) 
     The raising of the U.S. flag at Iwo Jima is one of the most memorable images of World War II, and no one tells the story behind that image better than James Bradley, a renowned author and historian who served as keynote speaker for Bluefield College's Tierney Scholarship Awareness Dinner, November 10.
 
  James Bradley, author of the best-selling book Flags of Our Fathers, speaks during BC's Tierney Scholarship Dinner.
   
 
  James Bradley spends time with a local veteran during the Tierney Dinner.
   
 
  James Bradley signs his book, Flags of Our Fathers, for supporters who came to hear him speak at the Tierney Dinner.
     Bradley's father, John, was one of the six young military men who helped raise the American flag that fateful day, February 23, 1945, but the younger Bradley said he never knew about his father's heroics until after his dad died in 1994.
     "I've done a lot of speeches across the country," said Bradley, "and when people ask me how does it feel to be the son of a hero, I tell them I don't know, because that wasn't my dad. He never talked about his war experiences. He didn't see himself as a hero."
     That lifetime of silence is what prompted Bradley to explore his father's past. After his dad died at the age of 70, the family discovered three cardboard boxes buried in a closet, each filled with Iwo Jima memories.
     "My biggest surprise was when we found the letters my father had written home to his parents about receiving the Navy Cross (the second highest military recognition for valor next to the Medal of Honor)," said Bradley. "He never talked about it his whole life. He never talked about the photo and his Iwo Jima experience. That silence was what I was looking for."
     While he said he never had intentions of writing a book, the result of Bradley's quest for his father's silent past ultimately led to the writing of Flags of Our Fathers. Originally rejected by 27 publishers, the book became a New York Times best seller.
     "It's not about a great book or a great author," said Bradley. "It's about the people and the stories behind that photo."
     Speaking about the young military men who "did what experts said couldn't be done," Bradley challenged the Tierney Dinner audience to do the same. Focusing on the theme "Doing the Impossible," Bradley encouraged listeners never to give up on their dreams.
     "If you have an impossible dream that has slipped over into some other file in your head, get it out of that file," said Bradley. "If you share that dream with others, and they laugh at you like they laughed at me, I've got a great suggestion for you. You might want to read a good book. It's a book about six boys who fought a terrible battle far out in the Pacific. They did the impossible, and they did the impossible well."
     The purpose of Bradley's speech was not only to challenge listeners to do the impossible, but also to raise awareness for the need to support the scholarship program at Bluefield College. More than 94 percent of BC students receive some sort of financial aid. In fact, this year alone, the college gave more than $2 million of institutional aid to students.
     "The contributions you are making to this dinner will go directly to our students," said BC president, Dr. David Olive, about the purpose of the Tierney Scholarship Awareness Dinner. "They are the beneficiaries of your generosity."
     The event, a day before Veterans Day, also served as a tribute to veterans. In fact, Dr. Olive recognized special guests representing different eras of American warfare, including Bluefield College alumnus Bill Stevens, a veteran of World War II, and BC grad Phillip Brashear, a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.
     Funded by the Katharine B. Tierney Foundation, the Tierney Scholarship Awareness Dinner is designed to bring distinguished keynote speakers to the community in order to create awareness and generate support for BC scholarships.
     "It's a wonderful way to inspire and support young people, but more importantly to inspire a community to support the Bluefield College Scholarship Fund," said BC's Dr. Steve Spangler, vice president for advancement. "We're grateful for the generosity of the Tierney Foundation and for how they are joining us in making such an incredible impact on students, their families, and this community."