Replies

1945: US flag raised over Iwo Jima 2/23/1945

US troops have raised the Stars and Stripes over Iwo Jima four days after landing on the Japanese-held volcanic island.

The 28th Regiment of the 5th Marine Division took Mount Suribachi at 1030 local time.

The extinct volcano offers a strategic vantage point for the ongoing battle for control of the island.

Lying in the north-west Pacific Ocean 650 miles (1,045 kms) from Tokyo, Iwo Jima would serve as a useful base for long-range fighters to cover B-29 Superfortresses in a bombing campaign against the Japan’s capital.

Although the Stars and Stripes are flying over the island the battle is far from over and the Japanese are reported to be defending every inch of the island using elaborate underground defences.

The battle for Iwo Jima has been described as the toughest fight in US Marine history by the commander of the Marines in the Pacific, Lt-General M “Howling Mad” Smith.

On 19 February, after four days of naval and air bombardment had pounded the beaches and weakened Japanese defences, the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions landed on the south side of the island under the overall command of Vice-Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner.

After a day of little resistance, the enemy fought back in earnest.

Hidden in fortified caves and pillboxes linked by a series of tunnels they relentlessly attacked the Americans with artillery fire, grenades and other explosives as well as from the air.

The last 24 hours have seen the fiercest fighting yet with every step of the way up the mountain defended by the Japanese.

But by 1035 local time the Marines had reached the summit of Mt Suribachi.

Reporting from the US base in Guam, Admiral Chester W Nimitz said so far the battle had cost 5,372 casualties, including 644 dead, and that US carrier-based aircraft flying over the Bonin Islands north of Iwo Jima had destroyed three enemy planes.

Reuters news agency also reports Marines have finally reached the Japanese fighter-plane base in the centre of the island, which lies just 700 yards (640m) from the bomber airfield taken by the Americans two days ago.

In Context
The Japanese army and naval troops under Lt-General Kuribayashi Tadamichi fought to the death but the US Marines finally secured the whole island on 26 March in one of the bloodiest battles of the war.

Out of the 74,000 Marines that landed more than a third were killed or wounded.

The US then used the island to launch bombing raids on Japan.

The photograph of the US Marines raising the flag over Mount Suribachi was taken by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal and is one of the most famous images of the war. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1945.

A memorial based on the photo stands at Arlington Cemetery, Virginia.

Iwo Jima was returned to Japan in 1968.

No, Really - Thank You! By SGT Jared C. Dugger

With everything that’s happened in the world since mid-March, it’s been both gut-wrenching and satisfying to watch things develop from the home of the “Follow Me” Division. I’ve known since I came to Lejeune this time around (in December) that there was no chance for me to go forward, but I’ve had plenty of time to think about what the war means to the world, our Corps, and how important being a Marine is to me.

I’ve been conflicted as I sit and watch my brother and sister Marines - some from my old outfit - roll through the desert giving their finest efforts in battle. I know they are doing exactly what they’ve been called upon to do, yet we’ve all seen the despicable tactics and unforeseen dangers they’ve faced. There’s disappointment that I’m stuck watching on TV like everyone else when I’m young enough and ready to be a part of the effort, but I grudgingly admit that I’ve been doing some laudable work here at home as well.

Despite what some Hollywood types might tell you, America does love her military and her Marine Corps - now more than ever in my lifetime. Since 9/11, throughout operations in Afghanistan, and during Iraqi Freedom, the average American has taken a sudden and keen interest in the men and women who defend them. Marines, as always, lead the way in these efforts. We’re always there “firstest with the mostest,” and we perform our mission with a single-minded sense of professionalism that is unmatched the world over. We did things we didn’t even know we could do in Afghanistan - conducting sustained operations hundreds of miles forward from our ships afloat. And in Iraq, America and the world have seen Marines acquitting themselves in an exemplary manner, whether under fire or lending long overdue assistance to the people of Iraq. I may be biased, but I haven’t seen any military organization given more positive attention in the past several weeks than the U.S. Marines.

It hasn’t gone unnoticed. I’ve received dozens of emails from friends across the country and around the world thanking me for what I’m doing, and thanking the Marines for performing so well. They have all seen, as Major General Mattis wrote, the “chivalry and soldierly compassion” that has earned the American military the undying gratitude of our nation and those in need all over the globe. We do what’s right, we do it for the right reasons, and we expect nothing in return. And right now, we continue to be supported and appreciated by all Americans - even those opposed to the war - for our efforts. But when members of the SMDA pour out their sincere thanks, I just have to stop and shake my head for a moment.

You see, the reason we have a Corps today is because of what you have done. We are America’s 911 force, the best-trained and most disciplined fighters in this nation, because of what you have done in the past. Everyone of you - whether you served in WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, or any of the countless conflicts in between - have set the standard for those of us who follow in your hallowed footsteps. I doubt that many of you realized that you were making history and building a tradition for the Corps when you scrambled up the beaches of Saipan and Inchon, or clawed your way through Hue City. But you did it, did it well, and kept the reputation of our Corps alive and well for us - even when it was a thankless job.

So, whenever someone thanks me “for all I do to defend America,” I want to stop and thank you. It’s because of what you’ve done - and those who didn’t make it back-that the Marines of today have such high standards and traditions to uphold. Whether you stormed the seawall at Tarawa or spent some years stateside without ever hearing a shot fired (like me!), you are the legacy we’ve been upholding. Without you, we’d have nobody to emulate and no legacy to carry on.
Whenever you feel that gratitude for what your military and your Marines are doing for you today, be certain to accept our thanks for what each of you has done in the past - we’re just doing what you’ve shown us we can do.
Semper Fidelis!