On This Day In History…February 19th, 1945

On February 19th, 1945 the United States Marine Corp and US Navy landed on Iwo Jima,

The battle for the Island would last five weeks, and would be the bloodiest battle recorded in the Pacific region.

By March 26th, 1945 over 6,000 US Troops and 18,000 Japanese soldiers lay dead.

On February 26th, 1945 six US Marines would raise the Stars and Stripes atop Mount Suribachi. This flag raising would be documented by photographer, Joe Rosenthal of the Associated press and subsequently win the Pulitzer. The image was also used in the construction fo the Marine Corp war Memorial in 1954.

On March 26th, 1945 the Japanese surrendered, and the Island won.