Iwo Jima Veterans Honored by Marine Corps League

Yesterday, members of the Gen. Smedley D. Butler and the Delaware County Detachments of the Marine Corps League held a luncheon to honor their surviving members who are veterans of the Battle of Iwo Jima. The battle lasted from February 19 to March 26, 1945. Honored were Lou Camilli and George Edelmann of the Butler Detachment and Alan Macauly and Joe Hinderhofer of the Delaware County Detachment. The luncheon was held a the Upland home of the Delaware County Detachment. Also present was Peg Walz whose husband Don was a Navy battlefield Hospital Corpsman on Iwo Jima and who passed away last year.

The U.S. Marines suffered losses in excess of 6,800 killed and 19,200 wounded to secure the island which was used as emergency landing strips for B-29s.

The battle was immortalized by photographer Joe Rosenthal’s photograph of the raising of the American flag at the summit of Mt. Suribachi by five U.S. Marines and one U.S. Navy battlefield Hospital Corpsman. The photograph was taken 75 years ago today.

Pictured in photo 1 seated at the table, L to R: Alan Macauly, Joe Hinderhofer, George Edelmann and Lou Camilli.