The Battle of Iwo Jima was one of the most iconic battles on the Pacific front of WWII. On the 70th anniversary of the battle, dozens of veterans returned to the island to visit the sandy beaches that they stormed years before.
Image Source: Twitter
The Associated Press spoke with one of the veterans from North Carolina:
“I hated them,” said former Sgt. John Roy Coltrane, 93, of Siler City, North Carolina. “For 40 years, I wouldn’t even buy anything made in Japan. But now I drive a Honda.”
For the first time in 16 years, Japanese officials attended the annual anniversary ceremony, according to Breitbart News.
While the presence of veterans who were able to make the exhausting trip has steadily dwindled over the past years, the number of participants — about 500 — doubled from last year.
Veterans from the Battle of Iwo Jima returned to N. TX today. This is the last trip the Japanese gov't is allowing. pic.twitter.com/qJMdUyrot8
— CBSDFW (@CBSDFW) March 22, 2015
The Battle of Iwo Jima lasted from February 19 to March 26, 1945. U.S. Marines fought the Imperial Japanese soldiers so that the U.S. Navy could utilize the island to provide emergency landing strips for USAAF B-29’s.
Aside from being one of the most iconic battles of the Pacific front, it was also one of the bloodiest; resulting in 7,000 marines killed and another 20,000 wounded.
Landing on the beaches of Iwo Jima
Image Credit: US Federal Gov/Wikimedia Commons
At the end of the battle, 27 Medals of Honor were awarded.
Raising the flag at Iwo Jima
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
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