https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-iwo-jima

The Battle of Iwo Jima was an epic military campaign between U.S. Marines and the Imperial Army of Japan in early 1945. Located 750 miles off the coast of Japan, the island of Iwo Jima had three airfields that could serve as a staging facility for a potential invasion of mainland Japan. American forces invaded the island on February 19, 1945, and the ensuing Battle of Iwo Jima lasted for five weeks. In some of the bloodiest fighting of World War II, it’s believed that all but 200 or so of the 21,000 Japanese forces on the island were killed, as were almost 7,000 Marines. But once the fighting was over, the strategic value of Iwo Jima was called into question.

Valor and bravery should be remembered. Iwo Jima should be remembered.
Thanks for the reminder.
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I always think of Ira Hayes.......

Service men who were at that battle assembled in Wash.DC today at the WWII memorial.

More Medal Of Honor recipients fought at this battle than any other battle in WWII history.

MANY thanks to those brave Americans!!!!!!!

https://www.stripes.com/news/us/dc-...rsary-of-the-battle-of-iwo-jima-1.619355

Mike Strank was one of the guys who raised the flag too. He was from Franklin Borough, part of Johnstown PA. He died on Iwo a few days after the flag was raised. They named a bridge in Franklin after him, and I believe just dedicated another monument to him at the VFW over there.
I’m not sure, but I believe he rests in Arlington. His dad was a Hunky coal miner, and I believe he was born in Yugoslavia and came to the US with his dad. I’d have to look it up to be sure, but being my family ties to Johnstown, I remember him. Jack Ham of Steel Curtain game is a Johnstown native, as was actress Carol Baker.
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My Dad got strep throat at the end of basic training. His unit got shipped out to Iwo Jima; he was left behind and had to go through 10 weeks of basic all over again. By the time he was ready for deployment, the show was over. They dropped the bomb while he was in transit to Okinawa.

As far as he knew, nobody from his original unit survived Iwo-- they were a bunch of Kentucky and Tennessee muleskinners. Everyone was over 6 feet. Everyone had to have prior experience with mules. They were all older men, and treated my father as the baby, because he was just 18. They were trained for the pack artillery-- schlepping 75mm howitzers on the back of mules up into the mountains. Dad was on the pioneer mule-- the one with the axes and shovels. You could hear Dad's voice crack when he'd mention them.

The 18th my birthday. The 19th Iwo Jima. The 20th the first US astronaut in orbit. Busy week!

I thank all those brave men. We should all be grateful.

Had 4 Uncles who fought on Iwo....

Two from Each side of the family....

3 Marines, 1 Navy

the Navy, Uncle Bill didn't make it home...

Wife had two Uncles on Iwo...one didn't make it off the Island alive.. 19 yrs old...

He's Buried over there....

each one are gone now....