78th Iwo Jima Anniversary

Feb 16, 2023 By CJ HADDAD 5 min read

A pivotal battle that resulted in one of the most iconic images of World War II marks its 78th anniversary this week and will be remembered again locally in Cape Coral.

The 78th Iwo Jima Anniversary Ceremony will take place this Sunday at Eco Park in front of the Iwo Jima monument beginning at 11:30 a.m. presented by the Pfc. Paul E. Ison Detachment 60 Marine Corps League.

“This is a formal, military-style ceremony, filled with pomp and circumstance,” said Cpl. Julie Sturgeon, senior vice commandant for the Ison Marine Corps League and event manager for the ceremony. “We will honor some of the last World War II veterans, combat veterans from every generation and conflict since World War II, as well as Gold Star Families who will be recognized for the sacrifice of their sons.”

This year, a flag folding presentation has been added to the ceremony. Gold Star Mother Julia Cunningham will present the flag and lay the wreath on behalf of all those who died in service. Her son, LCpl. James. B. Cunningham, died on Nov. 9, 1990 during Operation Desert Shield.

The Marine Corps League has commemorated the anniversary of the flag raising at Mount Suribachi since its relocation to Veterans Memorial Park in 1997.

“That first year, we had over 65 Iwo Jima veterans in attendance,” Sturgeon said. “In 2010, 19 World War II veterans were able to attend. In recent years, those numbers have dwindled to just a few, and each year we contemplate a ceremony honoring only the memory of our World War II veterans from this Greatest Generation.”

Sturgeon said a handful of World War II veterans will be in attendance to receive special recognition this Sunday. It’s important to be able to honor them, as the Greatest Generation population is dwindling.

“More than 16 million Americans served during World War II. Each year, we say farewell to more and more of them,” Sturgeon added. “When you consider that this is the 78th Anniversary and do the math, you understand how lucky we are to have any World War II veterans left to honor, and that millions are already gone. With the understanding that soon, this will become a commemorative ceremony only, we would invite everyone to come out and celebrate these heroes while we’re able.”

Sturgeon said the Marine Corps League found a few World War II veterans who haven’t attended in past. One, Petro Kurkimilis, was a Merchant Marine during World War II and joined the USMC for the Korean War, then returned to an illustrious career in the Merchant Marines as a Panama Canal pilot.

The day is, of course, a look into the battle itself and what the iconic image that resulted from it meant to millions. Eco Park is home to a massive Iwo Jima monument, one of three crafted from the original molds created by sculptor Felix de Weldon in 1945.

“We hope to share insight into the battle and to the Iwo Jima Monument itself,” Sturgeon said. “The monument is truly a treasure.”

The Battle of Iwo Jima spanned from Feb. 19 — March 26 of 1945 where the United States Marine Corps and Navy eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima — after thousands of casualties — from the Imperial Japanese Army. The battle is said to have involved some of the most fierce and bloody battles of the Pacific War of World War II.

Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal captured his iconic photo of five United States Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman raising the United States flag atop Mount Suribachi on Feb. 23, 1945. That image was transformed into a statue thanks to de Weldon and sits in Arlington, Virginia, dedicated in 1954.

The Veteran’s Memorial at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve, which was constructed in 1997, features just one of three original, one-third-scale models — the two others being in Liberty, Virginia and Parris Island, South Carolina.

The 20-foot statue was originally at the Rose Garden in 1965, commissioned by community founders, Jack and Leonard Rosen, before being moved to North First Bank in 1980. In 1997, it moved to its current location along the then-newly constructed Midpoint Memorial Bridge. It was also restored in 2011.

“We, as Marines, cherish our traditions,” Sturgeon said. “The ceremony and our monument represent everything we stand for. It is a time to reflect on the sacrifices made by all those who have taken the oath of faithful service to our nation, our people, and our flag. But the ceremony has grown far beyond Marines and World War II veterans. Our objective in 2023 is to honor all veterans who have defended our nation in every generation, past to present. We also pay tribute all those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and countless more currently serving around the globe today. We believe in the importance of educating our youth about these sacrifices, because they hold the key to our future.”

Participants include: Detachment 60 of the Marine Corps League, Lee County Sheriff’s Office with Rifle Salute, Cape Coral Police Department with Honor Guard, and Guns n Hoses Pipes n Drums, as well as TAPS bugler, CWO4 Gary Marvel. State Rep. Mike Giallombardo has also pledged his attendance to this year’s ceremony. Giallombardo is an army combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and currently serving as a Chief Warrant Officer in the National Guard.

Four Mile Cove Ecological Park is at 2500 Southeast 24th St.

-Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj

To reach CJ HADDAD, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com