[Forsh]

Few people have ever visited this island of Japan since the deadly battle that took place there, but recently I had an opportunity to take photos. And, while this isn't a masterpiece of a photo, I thought I would share with you--most of whom will never step foot on its black sands--with an image of what it looks like today.

The sand underneath the vegetation in the foreground is the original beach that the Marines landed on during their assault on the island. In the background is Mt. Suribachi, where the Marines and one Navy Corpsman placed the American flag. The island is rising, so the black sand that is now the beach in the background was submerged during WWII. The island is full of unexploded ordinance, pill boxes, caves, and remains mostly unexplored and untouched. It remains a reminder to us of the glory, bloodshed, and real meaning of the sacrifice of war. It was the only battle, the only, where the opposition took more Marine lives than the Marines took of them. Both Japanese and American deserve the honor of remembrance of the blood that was shed. May the world never see such days again.

(Note: I apologize in advance for the watermarks.)