III 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. RES. 502 Recognizing the 75th anniversary of the amphibious landing on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima during World War II and the raisings of the flag of the United States on Mount Suribachi. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 13, 2020 Mr. YOUNG (for himself, Mr. WARNER, Mr. COONS, Mr. KAINE, Mr. PAUL, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. TILLIS, Mrs. FISCHER, Mr. MORAN, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Ms. MCSALLY, Mr. MANCHIN, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. ROMNEY, Mr. BURR, Mrs. LOEFFLER, Mr. HAWLEY, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. JONES, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. WARREN, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. GARDNER, Mr. UDALL, Mr. BARRASSO, Ms. ERNST, Mr. PORTMAN, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. BROWN, Mr. SCOTT of Flor- ida, Mr. KING, Mr. BRAUN, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. REED, Ms. KLO- BUCHAR, and Mr. ROBERTS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations JUNE 3, 2020 Reported by Mr. RISCH, without amendment JUNE 16, 2020 Considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Recognizing the 75th anniversary of the amphibious landing on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima during World War II and the raisings of the flag of the United States on Mount Suribachi. Whereas, following the surprise attack by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the United VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:27 Jun 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR502.ATS SR502 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 SRES 502 ATS States formally declared war on the Imperial Government of Japan on December 8, 1941; Whereas, during the 4 years that followed the attack, the United States and allied forces fought a prolonged coun- terattack against Japanese advances across the Pacific region; Whereas the tactic of attacking, defeating, and controlling Japanese-held outposts through the use of amphibious assault landings against Japanese-held islands and terri- tories (referred to in this preamble as ‘‘island hopping’’) became crucial to successfully countering Japanese ad- vances throughout the Pacific region; Whereas the goal of island hopping was to secure airfields and supply bases— (1) in order to launch aerial bombardment attacks against the mainland of Japan using the new Boeing B– 29 Superfortress; and (2) in preparation for, and in anticipation of, a United States invasion of Japan; Whereas, by early 1945, the United States and allied forces bravely fought and advanced to the island of Iwo Jima, an 8-square-mile volcanic island with 3 strategic airfields, located between the Mariana Islands and Japan; Whereas Iwo Jima was— (1) a strategic island with airfields to support bomb- ers of the United States with fighter escorts; and (2) an essential base for emergency, refueling, and diversionary landings for B–29 bombers; Whereas, under the command of Japanese Lieutenant Gen- eral Tadamichi Kuribayashi, Iwo Jima was a heavily for- tified island with nearly 11 miles of underground and VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:27 Jun 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR502.ATS SR502 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 SRES 502 ATS networked tunnels, rooms, bunkers, artillery emplace- ments, ammunition dumps, and pillboxes supporting more than 21,000 Japanese soldiers; Whereas, on February 19, 1945, under the leadership of United States Navy 5th Fleet Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, United States Marine Corps V Amphibious Corps Major General Harry Schmidt, 3rd Division Major General Graves B. Erskine, 4th Division Major General Clifton Cates, and 5th Division Major General Keller E. Rockey, the United States launched an amphibious land- ing and assault on Iwo Jima that culminated with the en- gagement of more than 70,000 members of the United States Marine Corps, buttressed by thousands of mem- bers of the United States Navy and the United States Army serving as assault, garrison, and support forces (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘Battle of Iwo Jima’’); Whereas the members of the United States Marine Corps who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima overcame numerous disadvantages in the 36-day battle that included treach- erous terrain, unfavorable weather conditions, and heavy enemy fire from an embedded, determined, and fierce Japanese fighting force in places immortalized by mem- bers of the United States Marine Corps, including the ‘‘Meat Grinder’’ and ‘‘Bloody Gorge’’; Whereas, on February 23, 1945, only 5 days into the Battle of Iwo Jima, members of the United States Marine Corps ascended the highest point on the island, Mount Suribachi, and raised the flag of the United States 2 times, the second of which resulted in the iconic, Pulitzer Prize-winning image that— VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:27 Jun 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR502.ATS SR502 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 SRES 502 ATS (1) was captured on film by photographer Joe Rosenthal; (2) has become a recognized symbol of determina- tion, perseverance, and struggle; and (3) has been memorialized as the United States Ma- rine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia; Whereas the Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the bloodiest battles in the history of the United States Marine Corps, re- sulted in more than 26,000 casualties of the United States, more than 6,800 of whom were killed; Whereas most of the more than 20,000 estimated Japanese soldiers who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima were killed, with only 1,083 Japanese soldiers surviving at the con- clusion of the campaign; Whereas the Battle of Iwo Jima led to 22 members of the United States Marine Corps and 5 members of the United States Navy receiving the Medal of Honor, rep- resenting— (1) the most members of the United States Marine Corps ever to receive the highest military decoration in the United States for a single battle; and (2) more than 1⁄4 of all members of the United States Marine Corps to receive the decoration during World War II; Whereas the secured airfields on Iwo Jima became emergency landing locations for 2,400 B–29 Bombers, saving the lives of an estimated 24,000 flight crewmen; Whereas, 160 days after the end and victory of the pivotal Battle of Iwo Jima, the United States received the un- conditional surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945; VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:27 Jun 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR502.ATS SR502 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 SRES 502 ATS Whereas the world owes a debt of gratitude to the members of the United States Marine Corps who selflessly led the fight for the strategic island of Iwo Jima in the middle of the Pacific theater; and Whereas, on March 28, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima will be marked by commemorative events on the island of Iwo Jima organized by the people of the United States and Japan: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) recognizes the 75th anniversary of the am- 2 phibious landing on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima 3 that began on February 19, 1945, and ended on 4 March 26, 1945; 5 (2) commemorates the iconic and historic 6 raisings of the flag of the United States on Mount 7 Suribachi that occurred on February 23, 1945; 8 (3) honors the marines, sailors, soldiers, army 9 air crew, and coast guardsmen who fought bravely 10 on Iwo Jima, including the thousands of Japanese 11 soldiers who defended the island; 12 (4) remembers and venerates the service mem- 13 bers who gave their last full measure of devotion on 14 the battlefield; 15 (5) recognizes the Allied victory in the Battle of 16 Iwo Jima, which— 17 (A) was led by the United States Marine 18 Corps; and 19 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:27 Jun 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR502.ATS SR502 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 6 SRES 502 ATS (B) made the defeat of the Empire of 1 Japan in World War II possible; 2 (6) affirms the immortal words of Admiral 3 Chester Nimitz, who stated that ‘‘uncommon valor 4 was a common virtue’’ among the service members 5 of the United States who fought on Iwo Jima; 6 (7) reaffirms the bonds of friendship between 7 the United States and Japan; 8 (8) encourages the people of the United States 9 to honor the veterans of the Battle of Iwo Jima with 10 appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities; 11 and 12 (9) honors the service and sacrifice of the men 13 and women who serve the United States today, car- 14 rying on the proud tradition of the individuals who 15 came before them. 16 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:27 Jun 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR502.ATS SR502 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS