The Marines invaded Iwo Jima in February 1945, and it wasn't declared secure a month later after a month of fierce fighting. About 70,000 U.S. troops fought more than 20,000 Japanese. Of the other side, just 216 were captured. The others either were killed or took their own lives.
Iwo Jima was declared secure on March 16, 1945, but skirmishes continued. In about 36 days of battle, nearly 7,000 Marines were killed and 20,000 wounded.
To this day it is considered sacred ground to many Japanese. Search teams still dig up remains each year, though an estimated 12,000 are yet to be found.
The United States returned the island to Japan in 1968.
--GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
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