[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 30 (Thursday, February 13, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1079-S1080]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 502--RECOGNIZING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
AMPHIBIOUS LANDING ON THE JAPANESE ISLAND OF IWO JIMA DURING WORLD WAR 
II AND THE RAISINGS OF THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES ON MOUNT SURIBACHI

  Mr. YOUNG (for himself, Mr. Warner, Mr. Coons, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Paul, 
Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Tillis, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Moran, Mr. Cramer, Mr. 
Boozman, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. McSally, Mr. Manchin, Ms. Duckworth, Mrs. 
Shaheen, Mr. Romney, Mr. Burr, Mrs. Loeffler, Mr. Hawley, Mr. Cruz, Mr. 
Jones, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Warren, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Gardner, 
Mr. Udall, and Mr. Barrasso) submitted the following resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 502

       Whereas, following the surprise attack by Japanese forces 
     on December 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the United 
     States formally declared war on the Imperial Government of 
     Japan on December 8, 1941;
       Whereas, during the 4 years that followed the attack, the 
     United States and allied forces fought a prolonged 
     counterattack against Japanese advances across the Pacific 
     region;
       Whereas the tactic of attacking, defeating, and controlling 
     Japanese-held outposts through the use of amphibious assault 
     landings against Japanese-held islands and territories 
     (referred to in this preamble as ``island hopping'') became 
     crucial to successfully countering Japanese advances 
     throughout the Pacific region;
       Whereas the goal of island hopping was to secure airfields 
     and supply bases--
       (1) in order to launch aerial bombardment attacks against 
     the mainland of Japan using the new Boeing B-29 
     Superfortress; and
       (2) in preparation for, and in anticipation of, a United 
     States invasion of Japan;
       Whereas, by early 1945, the United States and allied forces 
     bravely fought and advanced to the island of Iwo Jima, an 8-
     square-mile volcanic island with 3 strategic airfields, 
     located between the Mariana Islands and Japan;
       Whereas Iwo Jima was--
       (1) a strategic island with airfields to support bombers of 
     the United States with fighter escorts; and
       (2) an essential base for emergency, refueling, and 
     diversionary landings for B-29 bombers;
       Whereas, under the command of Japanese Lieutenant General 
     Tadamichi Kuribayashi, Iwo Jima was a heavily fortified 
     island with nearly 11 miles of underground and networked 
     tunnels, rooms, bunkers, artillery emplacements, ammunition 
     dumps, and pillboxes supporting more than 21,000 Japanese 
     soldiers;
       Whereas, on February 19, 1945, under the leadership of 
     United States Navy 5th Fleet Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, 
     United States Marine Corps V Amphibious Corps Major General 
     Harry Schmidt, 3rd Division Major General Graves B. Erskine, 
     4th Division Major General Clifton Cates, and 5th Division 
     Major General Keller E. Rockey, the United States launched an 
     amphibious landing and assault on Iwo Jima that culminated 
     with the engagement of more than 70,000 members of the United 
     States Marine Corps, buttressed by thousands of members of 
     the United States Navy and the United States Army serving as 
     assault, garrison, and support forces (referred to in this 
     preamble as the ``Battle of Iwo Jima'');
       Whereas the members of the United States Marine Corps who 
     fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima overcame numerous 
     disadvantages in the 36-day battle that included treacherous 
     terrain, unfavorable weather conditions, and heavy enemy fire 
     from an embedded, determined, and fierce Japanese fighting 
     force in places immortalized by members of the United States 
     Marine Corps, including the ``Meat Grinder'' and ``Bloody 
     Gorge'';
       Whereas, on February 23, 1945, only 5 days into the Battle 
     of Iwo Jima, members of the United States Marine Corps 
     ascended the highest point on the island, Mount Suribachi, 
     and raised the flag of the United States 2 times, the second 
     of which resulted in the iconic, Pulitzer Prize-winning image 
     that--
       (1) was captured on film by photographer Joe Rosenthal;
       (2) has become a recognized symbol of determination, 
     perseverance, and struggle; and
       (3) has been memorialized as the United States Marine Corps 
     War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia;
       Whereas the Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the bloodiest 
     battles in the history of the United States Marine Corps, 
     resulted in more than 26,000 casualties of the United States, 
     more than 6,800 of whom were killed;
       Whereas most of the more than 20,000 estimated Japanese 
     soldiers who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima were killed, 
     with only 1,083 Japanese soldiers surviving at the conclusion 
     of the campaign;
       Whereas the Battle of Iwo Jima led to 22 members of the 
     United States Marine Corps and 5 members of the United States 
     Navy receiving the Medal of Honor, representing--
       (1) the most members of the United States Marine Corps ever 
     to receive the highest military decoration in the United 
     States for a single battle; and
       (2) more than \1/4\ of all members of the United States 
     Marine Corps to receive the decoration during World War II;
       Whereas the secured airfields on Iwo Jima became emergency 
     landing locations for 2,400 B-29 Bombers, saving the lives of 
     an estimated 24,000 flight crewmen;
       Whereas, 160 days after the end and victory of the pivotal 
     Battle of Iwo Jima, the United States received the 
     unconditional surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945;
       Whereas the world owes a debt of gratitude to the members 
     of the United States Marine Corps who selflessly led the 
     fight for the strategic island of Iwo Jima in the middle of 
     the Pacific theater; and
       Whereas, on March 28, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the 
     Battle of Iwo Jima will be marked by commemorative events on 
     the island of Iwo Jima organized by the people of the United 
     States and Japan: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the 75th anniversary of the amphibious 
     landing on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima that began on 
     February 19, 1945 and ended on March 26, 1945;
       (2) commemorates the iconic and historic raisings of the 
     flag of the United States on Mount Suribachi that occurred on 
     February 23, 1945;
       (3) honors the marines, sailors, soldiers, army air crew, 
     and coast guardsmen who fought bravely on Iwo Jima, including 
     the thousands of Japanese soldiers who defended the island;

[[Page S1080]]

       (4) remembers and venerates the service members who gave 
     their last full measure of devotion on the battlefield;
       (5) recognizes the Allied victory in the Battle of Iwo 
     Jima, which--
       (A) was led by the United States Marine Corps; and
       (B) made the defeat of the Empire of Japan in World War II 
     possible;
       (6) affirms the immortal words of Admiral Chester Nimitz, 
     who stated that ``uncommon valor was a common virtue'' among 
     the service members of the United States who fought on Iwo 
     Jima;
       (7) reaffirms the bonds of friendship between the United 
     States and Japan;
       (8) encourages the people of the United States to honor the 
     veterans of the Battle of Iwo Jima with appropriate programs, 
     ceremonies, and activities; and
       (9) honors the service and sacrifice of the men and women 
     who serve the United States today, carrying on the proud 
     tradition of the individuals who came before them.

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