In the final days of WWII, U.S. Forces continued to island hop in the Pacific and set their sites on a small group of islands known as the Volcano Islands, and one in particular, Iwo Jima. When one thinks of Iwo Jima the iconic image of the flag raising comes to mind, that was but a small event in the overall battle for Iwo Jima. First Wave is my depiction of D-day on Iwo Jima. Under the gaze of Mount Suribachi, the Marines landed on a crowded beach littered with dead and dying men, under intense enemy fire and without cover. One by one, small groups of Marines pushed inland over the terraces of black volcanic sand to gain a foothold on the island and begin the most costly battle in Marine Corps history.
The battle for Iwo Jima lasted for 35 days. During that time period 6,000 Marines were killed and 17,000 Marines were wounded, while only 216 Japanese survived out of 20,000.
"Among the Americans who served on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue." Admiral Chester W. Nimitz
