Iwo Jima Uncommon Valor Was A Common Virtue

An in-depth account of the World War II battle of Iwo Jima, immortalized in Joe Rosenthal's Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of the raising of the American flag on Mt. Suribachi, describes the events of the battle between U.S. Marines and Japanese forces, as well as Rosenthal's ten days on Iwo Jima during the conflict, in a narrative complemented by more than 120 archival combat photographs. 50,000 first printing.

On February 19th, 1945, after four days of heavy fighting on the tiny island of Iwo Jima, the Marines finally reached the base of Mt. Suribachi. The goal was to take the volcanic cone some 600 feet tall towering over the island. First to reach the summit was "Fox" Company. They erected an American flag to the thrill and excitement of Marines on the beach and coming ashore. Colonel Chandles Johnson thought it best to put up a larger flag where everyone could see it. A runner was sent to a ship off shore and a larger flag was retrieved. As the larger flag was sent up the mountain, Joe Rosenthal went up with the second flag, carried by a Marine. As the flag went up and the first came down, a split second click of his camera, caught the flag raising which became one of the most famous photographs in U.S. history. It also caused one of the biggest controversies. This writing is about one certain young man, Franklin R. Sousley, of Fleming County, Kentucky, who after battling his way up Mt. Suribachi, took part in the second flag raising and became a hometown hero as well as one from Kentucky, by raising and displaying "Old Glory" over Japanese territory, along with five other comrades. Discover some of his early life, growing into a fine young man, becoming a Marine and ending up on the island of Iwo Jima, where he lost his life for freedom, not only for Americans, but the entire world, and became part of what has long been said as "our greatest generation."

In the words of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, "Among the Americans who served in Iwo island, uncommon valor was a common virtue." This 50th Anniversary edition of Iwo Jima tells the story of these men with personal accounts and unbelievable photographs. The never-before-published narrative and maps cover the history of this battle from the sea, the air, and the land.

"Among Americans who served on Iwo Island, uncommon valor was a common virtue". This statement by Fleet Admiral Nimitz following the Battle of Iwo Jima succinctly summarizes the degree of effort, dedication, and personal sacrifice required of American servicemen to capture the island. The Japanese defenders also displayed these qualities, but the United States forces prevailed because they combined this effort, dedication, and sacrifice with superior application of basic principles of warfighting. Analysis of the application of these principles will help us understand why the battle developed and ended as it did. To do this, we must first examine the battle itself.

The epic Battle of Iwo Jima is recounted through the stories of twenty-eight American soldiers who showed uncommon valor during one of WWII’s most bitter conflicts. When the smoke cleared on Iwo Jima in March of 1945, nineteen-thousand American Marines had been wounded and seven-thousand were dead, a casualty rate of nearly thirty-nine percent. Lasting over a month, Iwo was the Marines’ bloodiest battle of the Second World War and the only Pacific battle in which a U.S. landing force suffered more casualties than it inflicted. It was also the most highly decorated single engagement in Marine Corps history. This volume captures the bravery of those who fought in that epic battle through the stories of twenty-two Marines and five Navy personnel who received the Medal of Honor in recognition of their gallantry under fire.