Connecticut resident and Battle of Iwo Jima survivor Joe Caminiti met the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at Anderson Air Force Base on the island of Guam on March 27, 2025. Mr. Caminiti was on his way back to Iwo Jima for a ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of the battle. He is seen at roughly the 25 second mark of the video at this link: (fb)

Today in history, March 26, 1945, is officially the final day of the Battle of Iwo Jima. The invasion of Iwo Jima, code-named “Operation Detachment,” aimed to achieve several objectives. Capturing Iwo Jima would also protect the right flank for a future American invasion of Okinawa and provide airfields to support long-range fighter escorts for bombing missions over the Japanese home islands. For such a small island, Iwo Jima held significant strategic importance. Although the battle officially ended on March 26, 1945, sporadic fighting continued until the war ended on August 15, 1945. Two Japanese holdouts hid in the island's caves and tunnels until they finally surrendered in 1949. The U.S. returned Iwo Jima to Japanese control in 1968. Japan is now an important ally of the United States. 🇺🇸 (fb)