IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 857 

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. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 13, 2020 

Mr. CALVERT (for himself, Mr. VISCLOSKY, Mr. PENCE, Mr. GALLAGHER, Mr. 

BERGMAN, Mr. TAYLOR, Mr. COOK, and Mr. GALLEGO) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 

Services, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

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. 

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 four years that followed the attack, the 

United States and allied forces fought a prolonged counVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:34 Feb 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR857.IH HR857

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•HRES 857 IH 

terattack 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 this 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; 


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Whereas, on February 19, 1945, under the leadership of 

United States Navy 5th Fleet Admiral Raymond A. 

Spruance and United States Marine Corps V Amphibious 

Corps Major General Harry Schmidt, with 3d 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 Marines 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 two 

separate times, and the second flag raising 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 


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(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 Marine Corps, resulted in more than 

26,000 American casualties, including more than 6,800 

killed; 

Whereas most of the more than 20,000 estimated Japanese 

soldiers that fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima were killed, 

with only approximately 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 Marines ever to receive the highest 

military decoration in the United States for a single battle; and 

(2) more than a quarter 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 Marines 

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 


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events on the island of Iwo Jima, organized by the people 

of the United States and Japan: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the 75th anniversary of the am3 phibious landing on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima 

4 that began on February 19, 1945, and ended on 

5 March 26, 1945; 

6 (2) commemorates the iconic and historic 

7 raisings of the flag of the United States on Mount 

8 Suribachi that occurred on February 23, 1945; 

9 (3) honors the Marines, sailors, soldiers, army 

10 air crew, and coast guardsmen who fought bravely 

11 on Iwo Jima, including the thousands of Japanese 

12 soldiers who defended the island; 

13 (4) remembers and venerates the 

14 servicemembers who gave their last full measure of 

15 devotion on the battlefield; 

16 (5) recognizes that the Allied victory in the 

17 Battle of Iwo Jima— 

18 (A) was led by the United States Marine 

19 Corps; and 

20 (B) made possible the defeat of the Empire 

21 of Japan in World War II; 

22 (6) affirms the immortal words of Admiral 

23 Chester Nimitz, who stated that ‘‘uncommon valor 


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1 was a common virtue’’ of those servicemembers who 

2 fought on Iwo Jima; 

3 (7) reaffirms the bonds of friendship between 

4 the United States and Japan; 

5 (8) encourages the people of the United States 

6 to honor the veterans of the Battle of Iwo Jima with 

7 appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities; 

8 and 

9 (9) honors the service and sacrifice of the men 

10 and women who serve the United States today, car11 rying on the proud tradition of the individuals who 

12 came before them. 

Æ 


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