19 February

19 February 1945 marked the beginning of the end of the Pacific War against Japan. On that morning, United States Marines landed for the first time on Japanese soil. This was the porkchop-shaped Iwo Jima. On 23 February, the Marines raised two flags on Mount Suribachi. The second flag-raising gave us the famous photograph that serves as the basis for the Marine Corps Memorial in Washington D.C.

The battle continued for over a month until the morning of 26 March 1945, when the remaining Japanese defenders, possibly lead by the general in command of the island's defenses, rose up in a "silent" banzai charge. After this charge was broken, the island was declared secure.