The United States Marine Corps War Memorial, also known as the Iwo Jima Monument, pays tribute to all the Marines who have perished while defending the United States and freedom around the world. The famous bronze statue, one of the most recognized statues in the United States and around the world, represents the lifting of February 23, 1945 on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.
After the war, sculptor Felix de Weldon was commissioned by the United States Congress to create the Iwo Jima statue based on the famous Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph taken by American photographer Joe Rosenthal and design by Horace W.
Peaslee With the help of hundreds of other sculptors, the project ran from 1945 to 1954 and took nine years to complete. The cost of the monument, paid in full by private donations, was $ 850,000. It was dedicated on November 10, 1954 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
The bronze statue depicts six 32-foot-tall figures, five Marines, and a member of the Army Corps, raising a 60-foot flagpole. A cloth American flag flies from the flagpole 24 hours a day. Weighing 100 tons and standing 78 feet tall, the Iwo Jima statue is the largest bronze statue in the world.
The base is made of concrete and polished black granite.
Visiting the Memorial
The United States Marine Corps War Memorial’s location on a hill within a 7.5-acre park-like setting offers wonderful views of Washington, DC, which is across the Potomac River. Because of this, the Memorial is one of the best places in the area to see the annual 4th of July fireworks display.
- Hours: The United States Marine Corps War Memorial is open 24 hours every day of the year.
- Admission: – Free
- Location: Arlington, Virginia – Marshall Avenue, between Arlington National Cemetery and Route 50.
- Nearest tube station: Rosslyn via the blue and orange lines. The Memorial is about 0.34 miles (6 blocks) south of the station.
Events at the Memorial
Summer Sunset Parades – During the summer months, Marine Barracks, Washington, DC marching and musical units present Sunset Parades on Tuesday nights as scheduled, usually 7 to 8 p.m., although occasionally the start time may vary . No reservations are necessary, and while parking is not available on Memorial on Parade night, a free shuttle bus runs from the Arlington National Cemetery Visitor Center parking area before and after the parade.
Marine Corps Marathon: In the fall, many activities of the popular Marine Corps Marathon, known as the People’s Marathon, take place on the grounds of the United States Marine Corps War Memorial.
