MONUMENTAL IMPACT

The U.S. Marine Corps began the invasion of Iwo Jima 75 years ago this week. The Pacific Ocean island was considered Japanese soil and fiercely guarded. The battle is said to be the bloodiest in the war, and Iwo Jima forever marked the Marine Corps with a

BLOODIEST OFBATTLES

Iwo Jima is a tiny, 8-square mile island, about one-tenth the size of Catalina Island. Iwo Jima means “sulfer island” in Japanese and is 660 miles south of Tokyo. The Imperial Japanese Army used two airfields while constructing a third to intercept U.S. bombing runs of the Japanese home islands. The Japanese heavily fortified the island with 11 miles of underground tunnels. The U.S. Armed Forces planned to take the island with more than 100,000 U.S. troops. The mission amassed the largest force of Marines, (70,000) in World War II. Bombing raids of the island began in 1944 and lasted 74 days. Navy ships bombarded the island for 72 hours before the landing with little effect on the Japanese forces that were in underground bunkers. LANDING More than 880 vessels were used and 30,000 Marines hit the beach. There were approximately 22,000 Japanese soldiers dug in and waiting. The fighting lasted for 36 days. THE TOLL The Japanese lost their entire force with only a couple hundred captured. U.S. forces had 24,053 casualties and 6,140 dead. There was one dead for every three Marines that invaded. Military historian Norman Cooper stated, “For every plot of ground the size of a football field, an average of more than one American and five Japanese were killed and five Americans wounded.”

LASTING IMPRESSION

The U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington, D.C., depicts a famous moment from Iwo Jima but is dedicated to all Marines who have given their lives in defense of the country. Here's how the sculpture came to be.

1 After the bloody beach landing, the Marines fought to capture the highest point on the island, Mount Suribachi. Once the Marines held the position, they raised a small flag on the morning of Feb. 23, which thrilled the troops.

2 Later that day a second, larger flag, was brought to the mountaintop. Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal shot this photo. Rosenthal's photos eventually won the Pulitzer Prize.

The flag flies at full mast 24 hours a day and 365 days a year by presidential proclamation. • 20 tons of bronze

• The flag pole is 60 feet long

• In 2016, the Marine Corps discovered it had misidentified one of the men in the statue. Here is the corrected list:

3 Sculptor Felix W. de Weldon, in the Navy at the time, was inspired by Rosenthal's photo. Weldon worked nonstop for three days to create the 3-foot-tall wax model. Weldon's commanding officers sent the sculpture to Navy headquarters where it was met with great reception. The monument was dedicated Nov. 10, 1954. Vice President Richard Nixon gave the dedicatory address and said the monument was “a symbol of the hopes and dreams of all Americans.”

“Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a commonvirtue.”

— U.S. Adm. Chester Nimitz

1st Battalion 23rd Marines dig in the volcanic sand while under heavy fire from enemy positions.