Bill > HRes142

This resolution recognizes the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima, a pivotal World War II military engagement that took place from February 19 to March 26, 1945, on a small volcanic island between the Mariana Islands and Japan. The resolution commemorates the U.S. amphibious landing involving over 70,000 Marines, Navy, and Army personnel, who fought against approximately 21,000 Japanese soldiers in one of the bloodiest battles in Marine Corps history. It highlights the strategic importance of Iwo Jima, which had three airfields crucial for U.S. bombing missions and emergency landings, and specifically honors the iconic moment when Marines raised the American flag on Mount Suribachi on February 23, 1945, an event immortalized by Joe Rosenthal's Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph. The resolution pays tribute to the extraordinary valor of the servicemembers, noting that 22 Marines and 5 Navy personnel received the Medal of Honor, and acknowledges the immense human cost, with over 26,000 U.S. casualties and nearly all Japanese defenders killed. Additionally, it reaffirms the friendship between the United States and Japan, encourages commemorative events, and honors the ongoing legacy of military service, quoting Admiral Chester Nimitz's famous observation that "uncommon valor was a common virtue" among the Iwo Jima combatants.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-resolution/142/all-info