The Marine Corps War Memorial
The Marine Corps War Memorial, also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial, was created to remember and honor members of the Marine Corps who have died serving their country since the nation’s founding. While the memorial was built to commemorate all fallen Marines, it depicts a scene from the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. The memorial is located in Arlington, Virginia, outside the Arlington National Cemetery.
Description of the Memorial
The memorial depicts the inspiring photo, "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima," shot by war reporter Joe Rosenthal during the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. The statue is made of bronze and shows the Marines working together to erect a U.S. flag.
The bronze flag pole in the memorial is 60 feet high, and the Marines depicted are 32 feet tall. The flagpole holds a cloth flag which flies 24 hours a day to honor the sacrifices made by Marines at Iwo Jima and throughout America’s history. The figures are depicted exactly as they are in Rosenthal’s Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph. The six men shown are placed on a rock slope, thus making the whole memorial about 78 feet tall.
At the base of the memorial are the words “In honor and in memory of the men of the United States Marine Corps who have given their lives to their country since November 10, 1775.” The memorial also bears an inscription of all the major engagements that the Marine Corps has been involved in, since the year before our nation declared independence. The base of the memorial also has the words "Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue,” which was stated by Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz to describe the actions of the Marines at Iwo Jima.
Construction of the Memorial
Construction of the Iwo Jima Memorial began in September 1954. The original designer of the memorial was Horace W. Peaslee. Remarkably, no public funds were used to design or build the memorial; the $850,000 cost of the project was funded entirely by current Marines, Marines in the Reserves, former Marines, and friends of the Marines.
The statue was first constructed in plaster, where it was then taken apart and transported to Brooklyn, New York. Here a bronze cast of the plaster was made; this lengthy process took many artisans and nearly three years to complete. After the casting was complete, a three-truck convoy brought the 20 tons of bronze to Washington, D.C, where they were put together and treated. The memorial was finally erected in November 1954 and was dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
History of the Battle of Iwo Jima
During WWII, Iwo Jima, a small island 660 miles south of Japan, became an integral part of the strategic plans to bring war in the Pacific to an end. Japan had taken territory in these outlying islands during 1941 and 1942; by Feburary 1945, Iwo Jima was one of the remaining Japanese controlled outliers.
Marines began invading the island on February 19, 1945, after an ineffective three-day bombardment. One group of Marines, the 5th Division of the 28th Regiment set out to capture Mt. Suribachi on the island. A group of marines from Company E, 2nd Battalion set out to summit the mountain, after it had been surrounded. After reaching the top, a small American flag was raised, which could be seen by troops all over Iwo Jima. Later, a group of five Marines and one Navy hospital corpsman set out to erect a larger flag. These Marines are the men who were captured in Rosenthal’s photograph and who are immortalized in the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial. The men in the photograph and in the memorial are Sgt. Michael Strank; Pfc. Ira Hayes; Pfc. Franklin R. Sousley; Pfc. Rene A. Gagnon; Cpl. Harlon H. Block; and PhM. 2/c John H. Bradley, USN.
Additional Resources
- WWII Resources: The Library of Congress created this helpful list of web resources about World War II.
- National Museum of the Marine Corps: Want to learn more about the bravery and service of Marines? Check out this site for the National Museum of the Marine Corps.
- Battle of Iwo Jima: Swarthmore College offers this helpful resource to put the Battle of Iwo Jima into context.
- Marine Corps War Memorial Foundation: This organization supports the War Memorial and keeps it in pristine condition for all visitors.
- Depression & WWII: Here you’ll find a quick overview of events from the Great Depression through WWII.