Military
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On February 23, 1945, Platoon Sergeant Ernest I. Thomas, U.S.M.C.R., led his platoon in raising the first flag on Iwo Jima, the first Japanese territory taken in World War II. Ten days after earning the Navy Cross for heroism in action and eight days after the first flag raising, he was killed on March 3, 1945, while leading his men in combat. After months of bombardment culminating in 74 days of continuous air strikes, the largest Marine combat force ever assembled landed on the eight-square-mile Japanese island of Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945. At the southern tip, the 550-foot volcano Mount Suribachi was isolated on the first day, its base was surrounded on D plus 3, and at 10:20 a.m. the next day Marines from Company E, 3rd Platoon raised the Stars and Stripes on its summit. Hours later, a photograph of the second flag raising became the most famous single photograph ever taken. On March 26, after 36 days of the bloodiest battle in Marine history, the most heavily fortified island in the world was secured at a cost of 6,821 U.S. Marine lives and more than 20,000 enemy lives, while 2,251 B29 bombers and their crews ultimately found refuge on battle-scarred, ash-laden Iwo Jima.
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