Iwo Jima is not easy to get to. There is only one day a year that the island is open to the public for a "Reunion of Honor".
The short version: In 1968 we returned the island to the Japanese. Since we were conducting operations in Vietnam from bases in Okinawa they were able to apply pressure for us to return Iwo.
There is one company that has the monopoly on the charter. You leave from Guam, and the flight is about 2 hours. Once you arrive you have about 6 hours on the island and then back to Guam. It used to be that you had more freedom, once on the island. Apparently, a few years back there was some issues with people getting into trouble in the caves. Now access is carefully controlled. The US flies a group of Marines onto the island a few days ahead of time and they assist the Japanese military in keeping track of everyone.
Japanese civilians are also flown in for the ceremony, to them it is conducted like a funeral. We all had to dress in funeral appropriate attire. Once past the memorial area you can remove your coat, tie, etc...
Here are some photos, if anyone is curious for more details, feel free to ask.
Check in with the Marines. The Japanese have already taken away our passports away in Guam. They were returned prior to boarding for departure.
Road from base to Mount Suribachi. The Marines flew in vans to help with the walk, I think they were flown in from Okinawa. Its paved near the airfield and up to the top of Suribachi but dirt in between. In this view the invasion beach is to the left.
View of invasion beached from the top of Suribachi.
Blasted pill box.
The beach.
At the top of Suribachi are 2 Japanese memorials and the American Memorial. 364 days a year, only the Japanese flag is flown. For about 2 hours, that morning before the memorial service starts, one can use the American flag pole to fly a personal flag. I am bummed I did not know this, I would have brought one.
Japanese memorials in the foreground, US memorial in the background. American's really lingered at the top. The Japanese came up, spent a moment and quickly left.
The US memorial.
Former location of the US Marine Cemeteries. All US graves were removed in the late 40's and early 50's. The families could choose to have them returned home for local burial or for burial in US military cemeteries, such as the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.
The short version: In 1968 we returned the island to the Japanese. Since we were conducting operations in Vietnam from bases in Okinawa they were able to apply pressure for us to return Iwo.
There is one company that has the monopoly on the charter. You leave from Guam, and the flight is about 2 hours. Once you arrive you have about 6 hours on the island and then back to Guam. It used to be that you had more freedom, once on the island. Apparently, a few years back there was some issues with people getting into trouble in the caves. Now access is carefully controlled. The US flies a group of Marines onto the island a few days ahead of time and they assist the Japanese military in keeping track of everyone.
Japanese civilians are also flown in for the ceremony, to them it is conducted like a funeral. We all had to dress in funeral appropriate attire. Once past the memorial area you can remove your coat, tie, etc...
Here are some photos, if anyone is curious for more details, feel free to ask.
Check in with the Marines. The Japanese have already taken away our passports away in Guam. They were returned prior to boarding for departure.
Road from base to Mount Suribachi. The Marines flew in vans to help with the walk, I think they were flown in from Okinawa. Its paved near the airfield and up to the top of Suribachi but dirt in between. In this view the invasion beach is to the left.
View of invasion beached from the top of Suribachi.
Blasted pill box.
The beach.
At the top of Suribachi are 2 Japanese memorials and the American Memorial. 364 days a year, only the Japanese flag is flown. For about 2 hours, that morning before the memorial service starts, one can use the American flag pole to fly a personal flag. I am bummed I did not know this, I would have brought one.
Japanese memorials in the foreground, US memorial in the background. American's really lingered at the top. The Japanese came up, spent a moment and quickly left.
The US memorial.
Former location of the US Marine Cemeteries. All US graves were removed in the late 40's and early 50's. The families could choose to have them returned home for local burial or for burial in US military cemeteries, such as the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.
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