MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Eight Marines who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima attended the depot's Friday morning Colors ceremony and a recruit training company's graduation last week.
The former Marines were invited as part of the depot's annual recognition of the famous 1945 battle immortalized by photographer Joe Rosenthal and his Feb. 23 picture of five Marines and one corpsman raising the American flag atop the island's Mount Suribachi.
These living Marine Corps history icons visited with depot Marines in a private setting after the colors ceremony.
"They talked about their stories and experience in combat," said Sgt. Jose D. Muniz, depot color sergeant, depot ceremonial detail. "It was a history class of what they went through, not what the book says. It's better to hear it out of their mouths than out of a book."
Brig. Gen. John M. Paxton Jr., the depot and Western Recruiting Region commanding general, revisited the epic battle through his words at the colors ceremony and gave visitors some insight to what these former Marines accomplished.
The Japanese did not give up the small, volcanic island as easily as Saipan, Tarawa or Peleliu, according to the University of San Diego History Department. The Japanese fought for a precedence to show the United States that it would not overtake Japan. Historians say the Japanese soldiers did not plan on living through the battle.
The United States sent more Marines to Iwo Jima than to any other battle before it -A convoy of 110,000 Marines in 880 U.S. ships sailed from Hawaii to Iwo Jima in 40 days. The Marines fought for more than a month with about 25,851 casualties and killing about 22,000 Japanese. Nearly 7,000 Allied forces members were killed in action on Iwo.
Although the battle had been declared a U.S. victory, the fighting was far from complete as occupation of the island turned over the Army, according to Iwo Jima vet and retired 1st Sgt. Glen L. Kanig, who was also the parade reviewing officer for Company D's graduation.
Marines remember the bloody battle and reference it as a famous time in Corps history where Marines epitomized perseverance and tenacity.