Ceremonies honor Iwo Jima battle

Ceremonies held Tuesday at the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial in Arlington marked the 65th anniversary of the raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima during the World War II battle there.

The flag raising, on Mount Suribachi, was one of the most famous incidents of the war, and was the subject of a well-known photograph. Five Marines and a Navy corpsman raised the flag four days after Marines invaded the Pacific Island, and the statue at the memorial is based on the photograph.

The raising of the flag was a key moment in the battle for the island, which lasted 36 days and saw heavy casualties.

— Martin Weil