The Battle of Iwo Jima was one of the most dramatic in world history. An invasion fleet of about 450 American ships landed 60,000 Marines on a heavily bombarded 8 square mile volcanic island defended by nearly 21,000 entrenched Japanese soldiers determined to fight to the death. The following month of bitter fighting cost 45,000 casualties and left only 216 Japanese prisoners.
Perhaps the most iconic image of all of American military history is Joe Rosenthal’s Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, taken atop Iwo Jima’s highpoint, Mount Suribachi. The flags that were raised – including the one photographed – were preserved as relics and are on rotating display in the National Museum of the Marine Corps, which itself is shaped in reference to the Iwo Jima flag raising. But another famous Iwo Jima relic is surprisingly attainable.
Iwo Jima’s black sand beaches – and the US Marines’ almighty struggle across them – were made famous by Hollywood’s Sands of Iwo Jima (and later Letters from Iwo Jima). While Iwo Jima is now closed to the general public, a number of visitors over the years have taken sand off its invasion beaches and put it up for sale. Check out the Iwo Jima beach sand for sale on eBay:
* US Marine Corps Memorial Military Challenge Coin From The Sands Of Iwo Jima
ALMOST GONE! Vial of Sand obtained from Iwo Jima Japan, Invasion Beach WWII USMC
Photo and 5ml of sand from iwo jima
WW2 Iwo Jima Volcanic Sand 10ml Sealed Bottle USMC
Volcanic SAND from IWO JIMA beach, Japan battle of WWII, pacific, World War II
Marine Corps Iwo Jima USMC Challenge Coin with Actual Sands of Iwo Jima
Franklin Mint John Wayne Combat Sargeant Iwo Jima Saloon Arizona Dome Glass Lot
wwii memorabilia Iwo Jima map WWII Pacific Japanese island black sand WW2 US Nav
King & Country IWJ03 - WW2 Sands of Iwo Jima Marines ~ Calling Up Reinforcements
King and Country Sands of Iwo Jima Amphibious Craft
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