Recognizing the contributions of the United States Marine Corps and other units of the United States Armed Forces on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 119) recognizing the contributions of the United States Marine Corps and other units of the United States Armed Forces on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Issa), the original sponsor of House Resolution 119.

Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, today we recognize the contributions of the United States Marine Corps, an organization which I was proud to serve for 25 years in active duty. We also honor every member of the United States Armed Forces on this the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Sixty years ago, U.S. Marines invaded the small Pacific island of Iwo Jima. Most Americans associate this event with the powerful Pulitzer Prize-winning image of the Marines raising a flag above Mount Suribachi. What many Americans may not realize, however, is that the emblematic photo, which has become a symbol of American bravery and victory, does not capture the first flag-raising at Iwo Jima that day.

Two different groups of heroes planted American flags at Iwo Jima on Mount Suribachi on that day in February of 1945, and the achievement of both groups provided and continues to provide inspiration to defenders of freedom everywhere.

The sole survivor from either flag-raising group is Minnesota's own Charles Lindberg. On that seminal day in February, Corporal Lindberg and five fellow Marines reached the base of Mount Suribachi after several days of fighting and thousands of casualties. The next morning the battalion commander, Colonel Chandler Johnson, sent them to the summit with an American flag and orders, ``If you get to the top, raise it.''

And raise it they did. The flag raised by Corporal Lindberg and his fellow Marines provided an immediately recognizable image of victory and became an inspiration to all who saw it. In describing the reaction to their flag raising, Corporal Lindberg states, ``Boy, then the island came alive down below. The troops started to cheer, the ships' whistles went off. It was quite a proud moment.''

Perhaps sensing the significance of the moment, a commander below ordered a second group to raise a larger, more stable flag in its place. Four hours after the first flag-raising, Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal captured the image of the second flag- raising, which is now recognized throughout the world. The second raising and the photograph which captured it complemented the efforts of Corporal Lindberg and his fellow Marines and enabled Americans at home, as well as the world, to share the same symbol of bravery and victory with the victorious Americans on Iwo Jima.

Both of these groups deserve our gratitude, as do all the men and women who served on Iwo Jima and elsewhere during World War II. The symbol of the flag over Iwo Jima reflects the enduring triumph of freedom and democracy, the very things for which our men and women in uniform continue to fight today.

We have much to learn from the tenacity and dedication of the brave heroes of World War II, and I am grateful for this opportunity to recognize their efforts today.

And to you, Corporal Charles Lindberg, from one Marine to another, I salute you from the floor of the House of Representatives in admiration and gratitude for your courage, bravery, and valor. Semper Fi.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, there were so many of our colleagues today who intended to come down and speak on this very important subject and express their admiration and praise for those Marines on Iwo Jima 60 years ago; but as has been mentioned, some of them are involved in a joint hearing on veterans affairs and doing the work that brought them here.

I would like to thank my colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Butterfield), for the discussion today and urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, today is a day on which we are reminded of how much we owe to the men and women of the Marine Corps who 60 years ago took an island in the Pacific at great personal cost of life and limb beyond that which we today could even begin to imagine. Of the 70,000 Marines who participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima, one in four were wounded, some 17,000. Of them, nearly 6,000 lost their lives. The invasion began on February 19. By February 23, we had declared that we had taken the island. But that was the beginning, not the end, of Iwo Jima. It continued for 31 more days. It was not until March 25 that the island was truly safe from foreign fighters. That battle, one of the longest for an island in the Pacific, has led to many stories, many movies, each glorifying what was one of the toughest battles of the war. Now, 60 years later, we are prepared to honor once again this unique sacrifice.

If not for the taking of Iwo Jima, the war could have gone on for months or even a year longer. If not for the taking of Iwo Jima, it was very clear that the Marines would have had to fight island after island around it for much longer. The Japanese knew this, and they defended this small island as their last hope of retaining their position in the Pacific.

I appreciate the Speaker taking this up today. I appreciate, most importantly, Members of Congress supporting H. Res. 119 to remind the men and women, the last of this generation who are still with us, that we appreciate their sacrifices of World War II and particularly to my Marines at Camp Pendleton in my district who are today deployed primarily in Iraq and serving our country once again at great risk of life.

Madam Speaker, as 2005 marks the sixtieth year since the battle of Iwo Jima, it is appropriate that the House take this opportunity to recognize the sacrifice of the Marines who fought and died in that great battle.

Winning the battle of Iwo Jima was among the most significant victories of the U.S. Marines during World War II. In the Pacific, Iwo Jima was the critical air base from which Japan's fighters prevented American bombers from reaching their targets in mainland Japan. Because Japanese commanders understood the strategic importance of defending the island, it was protected by more than six hundred blockhouses, pillboxes and gun positions. For the Japanese, Allied control of Iwo Jima meant allowing the enemy a base from which to attack the Japanese mainland, an outcome that they were committed to preventing at all cost. After more than six months of Allied aerial bombardment of the island, on D-Day, February 19, 1945, U.S. Marines invaded Iwo Jima, raising the first American flag on Mount Suribachi 4 days later. Despite raising the flag on February 23, the bloody fighting continued for 31 more days until the last pocket of resistance was eliminated on March 25.

More than 70,000 Marines participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima. Before the battle ended 17,372 Marines were wounded and 5,931 Marines made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom in securing the Allied victory. Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz said, ``Among the men who fought at Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.'' Our Nation owes each of the men who fought and died at Iwo Jima its deepest gratitude.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to represent the fine Marines of Marine Corps Camp Pendleton. I am privileged to serve these exceptional Americans every day and to have the opportunity to continuously witness their selfless service and constant devotion to our nation. In 3 days Members of this body will travel to Iwo Jima to participate in the formal commemoration of the battle and of the example of courage and determination set by those who fought there, which Marines today strive ever to follow. As we gather in that solemn place to reflect on the immense sacrifices made there, the House, by passing this resolution will have done its part to honor our nation's commitment to those Marines never to forget the value of their sacrifices. I urge the adoption of this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

During World War II, the island of Iwo Jima was strategically located. It contained three airstrips which had been used to stage kamikaze attacks on American ships. The island was home to three airstrips which had been used to stage kamikaze attacks. Allied generals believed that, if captured, the kamikazes would have to operate from Okinawa and Kyushu while at the same time providing American fighters airstrips close enough to Japan to escort B-29s during missions on the mainland.

Iwo Jima became the first native Japanese soil invaded by Americans in World War II, with approximately 60,000 Americans and 20,000 Japanese participating in the battle. On February 19, 1945, U.S. Marines landed on Iwo Jima at 8:59 a.m., after 10 weeks of bombing from carrier-based planes and medium bombers. A total force of 70,000 Marines were assembled for the invasion against a force of 27,000 Japanese. What followed was some of the most vicious fighting of the entire war. On an island barely 8 square miles in size, the Japanese forces constructed over 800 pillboxes and 3 miles of tunnels. The volcanic ash on the island severely complicated landings.

On February 23, 1945, Mike Strank, Harlon Block, Franklin Sousley, Ira Hayes, Rene Gagnon and John Bradley raised an American flag atop Mount Suribachi. The raising of this flag was captured forever by photographer Joe Rosenthal, and today, it stands immortalized less than 2 miles away from this Capitol.

Approximately one-third of all Marines killed in action in World War II were killed at Iwo Jima, making Iwo Jima the battle with the highest number of casualties in Marine Corps history with 7,000 killed and 13,000 wounded. Twenty-seven Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded in the battle, more than were awarded to Marines and Navy in any other battle in our country's history. After the capture of Iwo Jima, more than 30,000 American airmen's lives were saved when more than 2,400 disabled B-29 bombers were able to make emergency landings at the Iwo Jima airfield after making bombing flights over Japan.

In 1968 the island was returned to Japan, and remains of Marines from the Third, Fourth and Fifth Divisions were brought back to the U.S. for burial. Today, Madam Speaker, we remember these young men and women who fought for their country and made the world safe for their children.

Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague on this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo).

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today as a proud cosponsor of H. Res. 119, which recognizes the contributions of the United States Marine Corps and other units of the United States Armed Forces on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. Truly, this great battle served as a watershed moment for the United States in World War II. After capturing Iwo Jima, the United States Armed Forces were able to have a staging ground for the aerial assault that would help defeat the Japanese Empire. However, this great victory did not come without great sacrifice. More than 70,000 Marines participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima, 17,372 Marines were wounded and 5,931 Marines made the ultimate sacrifice for this Nation in this decisive battle in war, the likes of which the world had never before seen.

Today in this body we take the time to recognize those who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima and indeed all Americans who fought in World War II. It was Edmund Burke who once aptly stated: ``The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.'' The birth of our Nation itself was due to good men who refused to submit to an unjust rule; and it is that same spirit that guided those who fought in World War II. It has been said that the generation that came back from fighting World War II was in fact the `greatest generation' and I would be hard pressed to disagree. Our brave soldiers went across the world to far away places like Iwo Jima to save massacred peoples; they had no choice but victory. Even now, we look back in pain and imagine the horror that could have been had they not been successful. They came back from this truly global war and raised a new generation of Americans. They created the greatest middle-class ever seen in the history of the world. Their domestic success ensured a great future for our Nation, their success abroad ensured life and liberty for millions around the world.

The great memory of Iwo Jima is best personified by the picture of six American soldiers raising our national flag amidst this great battle. The picture personified the American spirit in World War II, we struggled against a powerful opponent, but we persevered and did not succumb under the relentless pressure. In the end, we won the Battle of Iwo Jima and World War II, solely through the sacrifice and great courage of our American Armed Forces. We owe them our appreciation and we owe it to them to keep the memory of their heroic actions alive for future generations of Americans.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, I also stand in support of House Resolution 119. My father served as a pilot of a landing craft during the Battle of Iwo Jima, and it is an honor and a pleasure to recognize the sacrifice and contributions of the United States Marine Corps and other services on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima.

I had the honor of meeting a humble hero of the Battle of Iwo Jima sometime ago back in my district when we dedicated the Medal of Honor Memorial at the Riverside National Cemetery. His name is Bob Bush, and he received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service as a medical corpsman with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, on May 2, 1945. His citation reads like a scene from a John Wayne movie, but it is all true:

``Fearlessly braving the fury of artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire from strongly entrenched hostile positions, Bush constantly and unhesitatingly moved from one casualty to another to attend the wounded falling under the enemy's murderous barrages. As the attack passed over a ridge top, Bush was advancing to administer blood plasma to a Marine officer lying wounded on the skyline when the Japanese launched a savage counterattack. In this perilously exposed position, he resolutely maintained the flow of life-giving plasma. With the bottle held high in one hand, Bush drew his pistol with the other and fired into the enemy's ranks until his ammunition was expended. Quickly seizing his discarded carbine, he trained his fire on the Japanese charging pointblank over the hill, accounting for six of the enemy despite his own serious wounds and the loss of one eye suffered during his desperate battle in defense of the helpless man. With the hostile force finally routed, he calmly disregarded his own critical condition to complete his mission, valiantly refusing medical treatment for himself

until his officer patient had been evacuated, and collapsing only after attempting to walk back to the battle aid station.''

Madam Speaker, his humility is typical of those who braved the sands of Iwo Jima, and I proudly support this resolution offered by my good friend from California.