[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 34 (Thursday, February 23, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H2150-H2151]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARINE LANDING ON IWO JIMA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, there are a number of Members gathered 
on the floor tonight to speak of an important event which took place 50 
years ago. The United States was at war with Japan, and the main target 
in February 1945 of our forces was Iwo Jima.
  This past Sunday, Mr. Speaker, we commemorated the 50th anniversary 
of the Marine landing on Iwo Jima at the Marine Corps War Memorial 
across the Potomac. I had the privilege of being there at this 
ceremony, and it was very well done, and the Commandant of the Marine 
Corps, General Mundy, told us 50 years ago at that date, at 9 o'clock 
in the morning, the 3d Marine Division went ashore at Iwo Jima.
  While the battle was still raging, Admiral Nimitz saluted the 
warriors with words that are now carved at the statue base, and it says 
this: ``Uncommon valor was a common virtue.'' He said this without 
knowing that 27 of those who served on Iwo Jima would later be awarded 
the Medal of Honor. As mentioned here tonight, over half of the 27 had 
been killed on the island, and their families received and accepted the 
Medal of Honor.
  One of the most remarkable things about the battle is how well both 
sides were prepared. The island was part of Japan's inner vital defense 
zone. Its commander was a general, and he had been on the island for 
many months, and he had designed textbook defensive positions. His men 
were disciplined, and resigned to the fact that they were unlikely to 
leave the island alive.
  In the end, 90 percent of the Japanese defenders perished, but they 
exacted a high toll of American lives as well.
  The Japanese knew exactly on the island where the Marines were coming 
in to land, and they had trained their big guns on that position. The 
American invasion force was battle-tested. Mr. Speaker, it was a good 
force, and had the largest number of Marines ever engaged in a single 
action.
  The 4th Marine Division had conducted successful amphibious 
operations in the Marshall and Marianas Islands. The 3d Marine Division 
fought in the Solomons and on Guam.
  Among the invaders were two marines who had been awarded the 
Congressional Medal of Honor who participated on that day. In addition 
to a veteran landing force, the Marines had strong support from our 
American battleships, and the big guns were firing on the island as 
well as the Marine, Navy, and Army Air Force planes.
  The initial bombardment knocked out many of the Japanese shore 
defenses, but well-protected Japanese guns, as I understand it, on the 
northern part of the island fired killing salvos on the marines 
gathered on the beachhead. One marine said and described Japanese 
shelling as one of the worst bloodlettings of the war. They rolled 
their artillery barrages up and down the beach, he said. ``I really 
don't see how anybody could live through the heavy fire barrages.'' 
Many of the Japanese fortifications were not affected by American 
artillery or by our air bombardment, so that the only way to advance 
had to be a frontal attack that the American Marines made.
  I can think of very few occasions since the American Revolution where 
American forces were required to attack such heavily fortified 
positions.
 In this single action, we took more casualties than in any other 
battle that our country has ever fought another enemy. Only one other 
battle in the history of the world has had more casualties than we took 
at Iwo Jima. That was where the British lost 60,000 soldiers in a 
frontal trench attack in World War I.

  Mount Suribachi fell on this day that we are celebrating 50 years 
ago, Mr. Speaker, and all the American forces who saw the now immortal 
flag-raising cheered this tactical victory. Unfortunately, the main 
battle was still ahead, and it took the Marines over a month to 
overcome the well-entrenched Japanese in the 4 miles of terrain north 
of Suribachi.
  Three of the six who raised the flag were killed several days later.
  [[Page H2151]] Every marine knows the translation of the Marine Corps 
motto ``Always Faithful.'' Roughly one out of every three marines who 
landed at Iwo Jima was a casualty, either killed or wounded. Twenty 
thousand Japanese were killed, and over 6,000 American personnel lost 
their lives in the face of some of the fiercest defenses ever 
encountered by an attacking force.
  The marines were faithful to their fellow marines, to their 
commanding officers, and to the American ideals which are symbolized so 
well by the image of the flag raising over Suribachi.
  The flag symbolizes the idea of democracy and freedom, and we still 
enjoy that democracy and freedom. Freedom from oppression, freedom to 
choose, and freedom to speak your beliefs. But the price of those 
freedoms has always been dear. Three of the men pictured in the famous 
photograph and in the bronze statue by Felix de Weldon died on Iwo 
Jima. The uncommon valor which was so common on the beaches and rocks 
of Iwo Jima must always be remembered.
  In closing, I want to express my appreciation for the work of the 
Marine Corps Historical Center here in Washington, Dan Crawford, a 
historian at the Center, has been very helpful in getting us the facts 
about this important battle. In addition, this pamphlet written by Col. 
Joseph Alexander, USMC (Ret.) entitled ``Closing In: Marines in the 
Seizure of Iwo Jima,'' was the source of much of the information which 
we used tonight. It is available from the Marine Corps Historical 
foundation in Quantico, VA. The toll-free telephone number is 1-800-
336-0291, Extension 60.


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