Heber City park named for local Marine killed in Iwo Jima

Randall Jones wipes away tears during a ceremony honoring his uncle, a fallen World War II Marine, in Heber City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. Community members gathered dedicate a memorial park for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima and honor Pvt. Kay “Pete” Murdock Jones, who died in the battle. Pete Jones enlisted in the Marine Corps with his brother, Pfc. James Richard “Dick” Jones, who survived. Their family members attended the event. | Ivy Ceballo, Deseret News

Park dedicated during 75th anniversary of the battle that killed 26,000 American soldiers

HEBER CITY — Seventy-five years ago, two Utah brothers, both Marines, landed on the beach at Iwo Jima and decided to split up to lessen the chances of their mother losing two sons in the battle.

Pvt. Kay “Pete” Murdock Jones, 18, perished along with nearly 7,000 other Marines on that island, while his older brother Pfc. James Richard “Dick” Jones survived and returned home to Heber City to tell his story.

Ivy Ceballo, Deseret News

Betty Jones shares a moment with Master Gunnery Sgt. Brian Ivers in Heber City at the dedication of a memorial park for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima on Saturday, March 7, 2020. Jones is the widow of Pfc. James Richard “Dick” Jones, who fought in the battle. His brother, Pvt. Kay “Pete” Murdock Jones, was killed. The two brothers had enlisted in the Marines together.

Both brothers were remembered Saturday as a city park was dedicated and named in honor of Pete Jones. About 200 neighbors and family members gathered there, at 2110 S. 250 East, for a somber military celebration of both brothers’ sacrifice on the anniversary of the battle.

“He was a great and loving son, and a passionate patriot. At 17, he wanted to join the battle that was raging in Europe,” said Curt Jones, a nephew of the young soldier.

Though given the name Kay, the teen had “renamed himself” Pete after his beloved dog, Jones said, drawing laughter from the group.

Though his mother refused to sign the papers required for him to go to war, Pete Jones waited until he was 18 and then joined the Marines.

Curt Jones said he and his own brother, Randall, both worked on the memorial stone on which is carved Pete Jones’ name — two brothers working on a memorial for two brothers.

The American flag that had traveled with Pete Jones’ remains when they were returned to his family a few years after the war danced in the wind over the memorial. As the event went on, children could be seen past the gathering rolling down a hill in the bowl-shaped park.

“My family and I are very grateful,” Curt Jones said of the honor to the family.

“Today we are here to celebrate and to mourn two Marines, representative of all the Marines of World War II, and also all those from the greatest generation that served their country in a time of need,” said Retired Marine Master Gunnery Sgt. Brian Ivers, himself a veteran of wars in Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Pete Jones was only 14 thereabouts when Pearl Harbor happened. Yet three years later, at 17 1/2, he said, ‘Let me go,’” Ivers said.

The brothers saw bloody battle in the jungles of Guam before being sent to Iwo Jima as America sought to take the Pacific “one island at the time,” Ivers explained.

Ivers said his own dad remembered, as a 13-year-old in Australia, “thin” and “ragged” American soldiers coming to save his country from Japan.

Ivy Ceballo, Deseret News

Children play on a hill at the dedication of a memorial park to honor fallen World War II Marine Pvt. Kay “Pete” Murdock Jones for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima in Heber City on Saturday, March 7, 2020. Pete Jones enlisted in the Marine Corps with his brother, Pfc. James Richard “Dick” Jones, who survived. Their family members attended the event.

“And he said, if they wouldn’t have come, Australia was gone for all money. The Japanese would’ve came over and taken over the country of my birth. So if not for these young men, if not for this wonderful country, if not for their blood, sacrifice and treasure, the rest of the world would’ve been still enslaved,” Ivers said.

When Dick Jones — on a ship after the battle heading away from Iwo Jima — learned his brother had been shot and killed, he asked to go back and see the grave.

“And that’s the last time he saw his brother. It’s a sad, sad story. But I tell you what’s an even sadder story. That would be if we didn’t go. That would be if our wonderful country didn’t put freedom ahead of its sons and daughters. That is the wonderful story about Iwo Jima, the wonderful story about our country. The sacrifice that they made was not in vain,” Ivers said.

The renaming of the park was a combined effort of Heber City, retired Marine Sgt. Maj. Nick López, veterans’ nonprofit The Corps, Life Scout Kaden Smith and the Jones family.

“We get to honor someone who was truly a hero. Someone who gave his life for something bigger than himself,” Heber City Mayor Kelleen Potter said.

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