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The statue was turned over to the National park service in 1955. The photo of the raising of the U.S. flag over in Iwo Jima became an iconic image of not only the battle but of the world . The statue is definitely a” must-see” or more appropriate for a “must-photograph” near Washington, DC due to its view.

Before visiting the Iwo Jima statue it is important to know more about it by checking the following 10 unbelievable facts about the Iwo Jima Statue.

1. The Iwo Jima Statue represent the nation’s gratitude to the marines and those who fought beside them

The Iwo Jima Statue is a war memorial honoring the members of the United States Marine Corps who served and died in the defense of the United State.  The corps was founded in 1775. The memorial was dedicated to all the marines in 1945.

2. The statue consist of front and rear inscription

The National Iwo Jima Memorial is located in a park on the town line between New Britain and Newington, Connecticut. It is dedicated to the servicemen who lost their lives on Iwo Jima in World War II. photo by Jllm06 – Own 

-wikimedia

The statue consists of inscriptions in gold letters around the polished black granite upper base of the statue. The gold inscriptions include the date and location of every United States Marine Corps major action up to the present time.

The front inscription  on  the west side: ” Uncommon valor was a common virtue” while the rear inscription includes the following writing; In honor and memory of the men of the United States Marine Corps who have given their lives to their country since 10 November 1775

3. In April 2015 the National Park Service received about 5.37 million donations to restore the base and the statue

 In 2015, the restoration of the statue of Iwo Jima began and continued for about two years. After which the National park  Service received a donation of approximately 5.37 million from Philanthropist  David Rubenstein. He pledge 5 million dollars to remodel the statues in the honor of his father, who was a Marine veteran from world war II, he died in 2013.

4. The flag at the top of the pole of the Iwo Jima Statue flies at full most 24 hours a day annually.

Marine Corp Memorial Iwo Jima with Washington DC in the distance
public domain

On June 12, 1961, President John Kennedy issued a proclamation stating that the United State should fly the  Iwo Jima Statue’s flag 24 hours 365 days a year.

5. Misidentification of one of the six men in Rosenthal’s Photograph

On June 23, 2016, the U.S Marine Corp concluded that the previously unknown marine in the iconic flag-raising image that was taken at the top of Mt Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima was misidentified. They believe that John Bradley, a Navy Pharmacist’s Mated 2nd class was not in the Rosenthal’s image, but was initially involved in the initial flag raising before the iconic photo was taken.  

According to the evidence reviewed, Marine, Private Class Harold Schultz was the sixth man caught in the frame of the iconic photograph.

6. Every year, in Sunset parades, the US Marine Drum and the Bugle Corps lead the parade with a medley of various military standards and famous songs

Sailors and Marines salute Ground Zero as the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima
Public Domain

Every year there is a one-hour performance of the sunset parade. It features the “Commandant’s Own” The United State Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and precision drill by the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon.

Since September 1956, marching and musical units from Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., have been paying tribute to the marines by presenting sunset parade in shadow of the Iwo Jima statue.

7. Myth about the 13th hand on Iwo Jima Statue

For about 60 year there is a persisted rumor that there was a 13th hand from the six statues of the men of the Iwo Jima Statue. When De Weldon was informed about the rumor he exclaimed on  the “thirteen hand ” and wondered who needed 13 hand? and concluded that twelve hands were enough.

8.De Weldon was commissioned to construct Iwo Jima Statue

At the end of the world war II, the United State Congress commissioned De Weldon to construct the Iwo Jima Statue, in the realist tradition based on the famous photograph of Joe Rosenthal .He took about 9 year to make the memorial and was assisted by a number of other sculptors.

9. Three of the six flag raisers depicted in the statue died fighting on Iwo Jima

The three survivor include Rene A. Gagnon, Ira Hayes and John Bradley. They posed for the memorial’s sculpture Felix W.de Weldon. De Weldon modeled their faces in clay for the memorial an also sued details and photos of the deceased flag raisers to model their faces for the sculpture. The total cost for the statue was about $ 850,000 , which paid for with private donations from the marine and friends of the marine corps. There was no public fund used to build the memorial.

10.  The Iwo Jima Statue was inspired by an iconic 1945 photograph of the six Marines raising a U.S. flag 

The National Iwo Jima Memorial
Photo by Jllm06 – Own work

De Weldon sculpted the Iwo Jima Statue by using the iconic 1945 photograph of six marines raising a U.S. flag at the top of Mt Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima in world war II.  The photograph was taken  Joe Rosenthal.  In 1947, the federal foundation was established to raise funds for the memorial.