I recently went to Washington D.C. the capitol of the United States of America. I was really interested in everything there including one important memorial The Iwo Jima memorial. Therefore I thought it might be nice to write a small article encouraging more people to go to Washington D.C. or learn more about the war and Iwo Jima itself.

The Iwo Jima memorial stands as a symbol of this nation's gratefulness toward the deceased of the Marine Corps. The statue also stands for one of the most famous incidents of World War II. The memorial is dedicated to all Marines who have given their lives since 1775.

The small island of Iwo Jime lies 660 miles below Tokyo. One of the most historical features is Mount Suribachi, an extinct volcano. By February 1945, U.S. troops had recaptured most of the land taken by the Japanese in 1941-1942. Though, Iwo Jima was one of part of the land the U.S. had not yet captured from the Japanese. This became the primary objective.

On the morning of February 19, 1945 the 4th and 5th marine divisions invaded Iwo Jima. After 72 hours they were ordered to capture Mount Suribachi. They reached the base of the mountain by the afternoon on February 21. On February 23 at around 10:30 a.m. the U.S. was happy to see a small American Flag flying high on the mountain. By the afternoon the slopes were clear of enemy resistance and a larger flag was raised by five men: Sgt. Michael Strank, Harlon H. Block, Dranklin R. Sousley, Rene A. Gagnon, Ira Hayes, and John H. Bradley.

The memorial is located right outside Arlington National Cemetery, where the Arlighton House and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier are. The statue is of six men lifting the statue into the air at the top of the mountain. Some say there is a 13th hand on the statue, the hand of God. Though, you can believe what you want the Iwo Jima Memorial will always still stand.