Seiji Lepine
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One of the most Iconic Images of WW2
If you are an American and especially if you were a member of the US Marine Corps, this image is most likely included in every printed book you own. I am sure everyone here has seen it before.
These are the actual names of the soldiers that put up the flag after Iwo Jima was conquered by the Americans.
You might not know how difficult this battle was, my Japanese cousins weren't going to give in easily 
The beach party lasted 5 weeks. Only 216 Japanese were taken alive. All the rest fought to the end.
Beach invasions didn't get much easier after D-Day and Normandy. Marines could be easy targets with 60lbs of equipment jumping into
the water that could easily have sand bars and sink holes. No way to swim with that much weight and your buddies stepping over you.
Once you reached sand, you still had to get passed the sniper attacks.
Of course we know the landing was successful.
Of course we know the landing was successful.
The Allied Forces were after the airfields. It was bombed so heavily, I am surprised the coast line didn't change afterwards. There was certainly enough scrap aluminum for a several years of beer manufacturing.
Maybe there was more airplane scrap in some areas than sand.
I rescued it in 1997.
The information is a little wrong. It has Imperial Japanese Navy markings on it so it was definitely Japanese Navy Pilot that wore it.
There is an anchor for the Navy and the Japanese character "to" for Tokyo Naval Base.
It was not from the Japanese Army. The army did not use this type of watch.
The GI probably found it on the beach. I can imagine it was found on a pilot. How it survived with only cracks in the dial is amazing.
Some of the background on US Navy Commander Pierce
Same type of watch worn by this Navy Pilot.
Here is another example at the Japanese Navy Self Defense Force base in Tateyama in their heritage museum.
One of the most Iconic Images of WW2
If you are an American and especially if you were a member of the US Marine Corps, this image is most likely included in every printed book you own. I am sure everyone here has seen it before. These are the actual names of the soldiers that put up the fla...
Very thorough!
I like reading these history lessons and impressive you have these pieces and collect the provenance. This allows the memory of these sacrifices to live on.
Excellent and facilitating…
Thank you for sharing this with us. The history of the war in the Pacific is a very interesting subject and often overlooked.
