What is the Iwo Jima Memorial?
The Iwo Jima Memorial is officially known as the Marine Corps War Memorial. It is located outside of the Arlington National Cemetery and is next to the Netherlands Carillon in Arlington, Virginia. The memorial is dedicated to all personnel who served and died in defense of their country in the United States Marine Corps since 1775.
What does Iwo Jima stand for?
The United States Marine Corps War Memorial ( Iwo Jima Memorial) is a national memorial located in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States. Dedicated in 1954, it is located in Arlington Ridge Park with George Washington Memorial Parkway, near the Ord-Weitzel Gate to Arlington National Cemetery and...
Who were the men that died on Iwo Jima?
These men were Michael Strank, Harlon Block, Franklin Sousley, Ira Hayes, Rene Gagnon, and Harold Schultz. Strank, Block and Sousley went on to died on Iwo Jima less than a month after the raising of the flag.
What happened to the men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima?
Strank, Block and Sousley went on to died on Iwo Jima less than a month after the raising of the flag. Until 2016, Harold Schultz had been misidentified and was never publicly recognised for his part in the flag raising during his lifetime. He died in 1995.
How many soldiers were in Iwo Jima statue?
six soldiersThe U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial's world-famous statue, which is based on the iconic photograph taken by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal, depicts the six soldiers who raised of the second American flag at Iwo Jima in the Japanese Volcano Islands on February 23, 1945, signifying the conclusion of the ...
How big is the Iwo Jima Memorial?
about 78 feet tallThe memorial is about 78 feet tall. The M-I rifle carried by two of the figures is 16 feet long. The carbine carried by the figures is 12 feet long. The canteen would hold 32 gallons of water.
Why are there 13 hands on the Iwo Jima Memorial?
Myth #1: There's a 13th hand on the Iwo Jima Memorial, but there are only 6 soldiers depicted. The extra hand is meant to symbolize the hand of God. Legend has it that the Marine Corps War Memorial, commonly referred to as the Iwo Jima Memorial, shows 13 hands.
How many Iwo Jima survivors are there?
Of the roughly 20,000 Japanese defenders, only 1,083 survived, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command. Two of those survivors remained in hiding until 1949. Iwo Jima was an old volcano, shaped like a pork chop, about five miles long and 2½ miles wide.
Was Okinawa worse than Iwo Jima?
Kamikazes would sink dozens of US warships and kill nearly 5,000 sailors during fighting around Okinawa. Total American casualties at Okinawa during three months of fighting there would be nearly double those suffered at Iwo Jima. About 200,000 Japanese soldiers and civilians would die as well.
Are there bathrooms at the Iwo Jima Memorial?
Better known as the Iwo Jima Memorial, it is one of the most popular monuments in our area-with over one million visitors a year. However there are no public restrooms there. Visitors are forced to use porta-potties supplied by the National Park Service.
Does the Iwo Jima flag still exist?
Both flags (from the first and second flag-raisings) are now located in the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia.
Who are the soldiers in the Iwo Jima statue?
IWO JIMA MONUMENTSgt Michael Strank, USMC. Nov. 10, 1919 - March 1, 1945.Cpl Harlon Block, USMC. Nov 6, 1924 - Mar. 1, 1945.PFC Harold Keller, USMC. Aug 3, 1921 - Mar. 13, 1979.PFC Ira Hayes, USMC. Jan. 12, 1923 - Jan. 24, 1955.PFC Harold Schultz, USMC. Jan. 28, 1926 - May 16, 1995.PFC Franklin R. Sousley, USMC. Sept.
How much did the Iwo Jima Memorial cost?
The entire memorial, which also would include a garden and a wall with to-be-determined content, is estimated to cost $10 million, most of which has not yet been raised, Dietz said.
Who owns Iwo Jima now?
After the war, the United States retained possession of Iwo Jima and Okinawa (where another 20,000 Americans died) along with a number of other islands in the Central Pacific. And, for finally declaring war on Japan on Aug.
Does anybody live on Iwo Jima today?
Throughout 1944, Japan conducted a massive military buildup on Iwo Jima in anticipation of a U.S. invasion. In July 1944, the island's civilian population was forcibly evacuated, and no civilians have permanently settled on the island since.
Is there still an American cemetery on Iwo Jima?
Of the six men who raised the flag atop Suribachi, three are buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Though located in separate areas of ANC, the graves of Cpl.
How much did the Iwo Jima Memorial cost?
The entire memorial, which also would include a garden and a wall with to-be-determined content, is estimated to cost $10 million, most of which has not yet been raised, Dietz said.
Does the Iwo Jima flag still exist?
Both flags (from the first and second flag-raisings) are now located in the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia.
How long did it take to build the Iwo Jima Memorial?
9 yearsPeaslee. De Weldon took 9 years to make the memorial, and was assisted by hundreds of other sculptors. Sculpting Felix de Weldon, who worked on the project from 1945 until its completion in 1954, sculpted the Marine Corps War Memorial.
Where is the original Iwo Jima statue?
The original sculpture of the Iwo Jima Memorial, that is in Arlington Cemetery in Washington DC, is in Harlingen at the Marine Military Academy and Iwo Jima Memorial Museum. This is the clay sculpture that the bronze statue in Arlington Cemetery was made from.
Where is the Iwo Jima Memorial?
The United States Marine Corps War Memorial ( Iwo Jima Memorial) is a national memorial located in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States. The memorial was dedicated in 1954 to all Marines who have given their lives in defense of the United States since 1775. It is located in Arlington Ridge Park within the George Washington Memorial ...
Where is the Iwo Jima statue?
17 miles (27 km) from the center of Twentynine Palms, California. Iwo Jima Sculpture and Memorial Wall at Foster Park in Young Harris, Georgia.
How much did the Marine Memorial cost?
The total cost of the memorial was $850,000, including the development of the site. It was paid for with donations mostly from active duty Marines and Marine Reservists. Other donors included former Marines and friends of the Marine Corps and members of the Naval Service; no public funds were used.
When was the second flag raised at Iwo Jima?
This small concrete statue of the second U.S. flag raising at Iwo Jima in 1945 was scheduled to be auctioned in February 2013 at a New York auction dedicated to World War II artifacts, but it failed to receive the minimum bid required for the auction of it to begin.
What is the Marine Corps Memorial?
The memorial consists of front and rear inscriptions, and inscribed in gold letters around the polished black granite upper base of the memorial is the date and location of every United States Marine Corps major action up to the present time.
Where is the George Washington Memorial located?
It is located in Arlington Ridge Park within the George Washington Memorial Parkway, near the Ord-Weitzel Gate to Arlington National Cemetery and the Netherlands Carillon. The memorial was turned over to the National Park Service in 1955.
Who spoke at the dedication of the Marine Corps Memorial?
Following that, a U.S. flag was raised up the Memorial's flagpole. Felix de Weldon also spoke, and Richard Nixon gave the dedicatory address. The dedication ceremony ended with the playing of taps. The Memorial was under the stewardship of the Marine Corps Memorial Foundation until the monument was dedicated.
Who Are The Men Featured in The Statue?
History of The Iwo Jima Memorial
- Work commenced on the Iwo Jima Memorial in 1951 which consisted of casting a bronze memorial based on the historic photo of the raising of the American flag on Mt. Suribachi. The figures on the stature are 32 feet tall and the memorial features a flagpole which is 60 feet long with a granite base. There are two inscriptions on the base of the statue: “Uncommon Valor Wa…
How Do You Visit The Iwo Jima Memorial?
- The Iwo Jima Memorial (aka Marine Corps Memorial) is located at Marshall Drive, between Route 50 and Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, VA. The memorial is approximately six blocks from the Rosslyn Metro Station if you are using this mode of travel in the District to visit the historical sites. The Netherlands Carillon, a bell tower, and park are adjacent to the memorial. Si…
Overview
The United States Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial) is a national memorial located in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States. The memorial was dedicated in 1954 to all Marines who have given their lives in defense of the United States since 1775. It is located in Arlington Ridge Park within the George Washington Memorial Parkway, near the Ord-Weitzel Gate to Arlington …
History
The centerpiece of the memorial is a colossal sculpture group depicting the six Marines who raised the second and largest of two U.S. flags that were both raised atop Mount Suribachi located at the south end of Iwo Jima, on February 23, 1945. The first flag flown over the mountain was regarded to be too small to be seen by all the American troops on the other side of it where most of the fig…
Memorial marker and inscriptions
The memorial consists of front and rear inscriptions, and inscribed in gold letters around the polished black granite upper base of the memorial is the date and location of every United States Marine Corps major action up to the present time.
Front (west side): "Uncommon Valor Was A Common Virtue" – "Semper Fidelis"
Memorial rumor and criticism
A persistent rumor has attributed the existence of a thirteenth hand from the six statues of the men depicted on the memorial, and speculation about the possible reasons for it. When informed of the rumor, de Weldon exclaimed, "Thirteen hands. Who needed thirteen hands? Twelve were enough."
In discussing the site for the United States Air Force Memorial, originally to be near de Weldon's …
Refurbishment
On April 29, 2015, philanthropist David Rubenstein pledged over five million dollars to refurbish the memorial in honor of his father, a Marine veteran from World War II who died in 2013, "and all Marines who have died in service to the United States." The $5.37 million donation, made through the National Park Foundation, supported cleaning and waxing the statue, polishing the black granite panels, regilding inscriptions, relandscaping, and making repairs to the pavement, lightin…
Related memorials
When there were no government funds for sculpture during the war, the sculptor financed a concrete version of similar design in a one-third size that was placed on a parcel of land in Washington, D.C. until 1947, when it was put into storage. It later was restored and displayed at a museum on an aircraft carrier and again, returned to storage. This small concrete statue of the second U.S. flag raising at Iwo Jima in 1945 was scheduled to be auctioned in February 2013 at …
See also
• Iron Mike
• National Museum of the Marine Corps
• United States Navy Memorial
External links
• Official website
• Uncommon Valor A short USMC-created film about the Iwo Jima Memorial
• Marine Military Academy Iwo Jima monument
• USMC War Memorial photographs at WW2DB