United States Marine Corps Memorial

The United States Marine Corps Memorial was established to honor the thousands of Marines who have given their lives in the defense of this great nation, and in the pursuit of liberty around the world. Although the memorial depicts just one of the hundreds of battles in which Marines have taken part, it vividly illustrates the courage, determination, and skill with which the Marines have performed their duties for more than two centuries, since the Marine Corps' founding on November 1775.

Chosen to represent the contribution of all Marines is the famous scene of the flag-raising on Mount Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. This scene was first immortalized by a chance photograph taken by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal on February 23, 1945, as the Marines planted the U.S. colors during the raging battle for control of the strategically situated island of Iwo Jima.

Although Iwo Jima was a small island (less than five miles long and two miles wide), it held military importance because of its two Japanese-built airfields. Just 660 miles from the mainland of Japan, it served as a base for Japanese fighters to attack American bombers on sorties to the major military-industrial centers of Japan. If wrested from enemy control, those airfields would prove invaluable as a staging area for the American aerial campaign. For these reasons, the decision was made that the Fourth and Fifth Marine Divisions would undertake an assault of the island.

Prior to the Marines' landing, Navy and Army Air Force planes subjected the island to "the longest and most intensive" bombing in the Pacific theater during World War II. The island had been fortified by 642 blockhouses, pillboxes, and other gun positions, and it was the intent of the massive, 74-day bombing campaign to weaken the firm Japanese defense of the island.Unfortunately, bad weather nullified some of the effect of the bombing raids.

On February 19, 1945, American Marines scrambled from their carriers and waded through an ankle-deep sea of volcanic ash to establish a beachhead. After gaining a hold on the beaches, it was their goal to take Mount Suribachi, the 550-foot volcanic peak on the southern tip of the island. Although the beachhead was established against only minor resistance, the Japanese emerged from underground shelters to unleash extensive firepower once the initial barrage was over.

It was the Twenth-eighth Marines of the Fifth Marine Division who were ordered to take the hill, which they had managed to isolate from the rest of the island by the end of the first day of fighting. For four days the battle raged, until finally on February 23, a 40-man American combat patrol reached the rim of the crater, secured a small U.S. flag (45 by 28 inches) to a length of iron pipe left behind by the Japanese, and proudly raised the Stars and Stripes. The sight of the U.S. colors flying atop the summit inspired by thousands of Americans still below.

But this was not the historic flag-raising that Rosenthal captured on film. Once the original flag was raised on that summit, a larger flag (96 by 56 inches) was taken from one of the landing craft. Photographer Rosenthal immediately realized the purpose of this second flag and closely pursued its bearer. Sgt. Michael Strank, Cpl. Harlan Block, Pvt. Franklin Sousley, and Pvt. Ira Hayes carried the colors up the hill. As they reached the summit, commanding officer Lt. Harold G. Schrier ordered that the second flag be raised and the first flag be lowered. Sgt. Strank found a second length of pipe and fastened the larger flag to it. Seeing that the four men were having trouble raising the flag on the rugged terrain, two men standing nearby -- Pharmacist's Mate 2nd Class John H. Bradley and Pvt. Rene A. Gagnon -- came to their aid. As the six men struggled to raise the colors, Rosenthal snapped the the picture, which has been called the single most famous photograph ever taken, and for which he was awarded the coveted Pulitzer Prize.

Although the flag-raising inspired the forces trying to take the tiny island, it could not minimize the heavy casualties suffered by the Americans. Before the battle ended on March 25, more than a month after the capture of Mount Suribachi, 17,372 Marines had been wounded and 5,931 Marines had lost their lives in an effort to take an area only one-eight the size of Washington, D.C.

Peters, James Edward. Arlington National Cemetery: Shrine to America's Heroes. Woodbine House, 2000.

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