US Marine Corps War Memorial

Iwo Jima Memorial

The memorial is dedicated to “the Marine dead of all wars and their comrades of other services who fell fighting beside them.”

More commonly known as the Iwo Jima Memorial, this memorial park is located in the Arlington Ridge Park and depicts the iconic scene from Iwo Jima in 1945. The memorial was dedicated on November 10th in 1954, on the 179th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps.

This memorial represents the nation’s gratitude to the marines and those who fought beside them. It was created by sculptor Felix w. de Weldon, basing the scene off of the Pulitzer Prize-winning photo by Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press, who himself captured the photo during the iconic moment on February 23rd, 1945. This was the day the 5th Marine Division captured the tiny volcanic island of Iwo Jima.

The statue features 6 marines, the men standing about 32 feet high in the statue. There is a 60-foot bronze flagpole that permanently flys by presidential proclamation.

Every Tuesday evening during the summer you can enjoy an hour-long performance by the Marine Corp Band.