On February 23, 1945, the U.S. Marines were fighting a very nasty battle for Iwo Jima in the South Pacific. When some of the men reached the island’s highest peak, they raised the U.S. flag. Several hours later more, marines reached the peak and they hoisted an even bigger flag. By March 3, U.S. forces controlled all three airfields on the island, and on March 26 the last Japanese defenders on Iwo Jima were wiped out.
