The Snapshots in Time Collection

5th Marine Division Cemetery, Iwo Jima, World War II

5th Marine Division Cemetery, Iwo Jima, World War II

Rows of white wooden crosses mark a temporary cemetery established on Iwo Jima during the fierce fighting of February-March 1945. The 5th Marine Division suffered heavy casualties in the battle for this small volcanic island, and burial details worked to honor the fallen even as the invasion fleet remained anchored offshore. Photographs like this stand as a stark reminder of the human cost of the Pacific campaign. Project: 218318