Iwo Jima

Glenn spent 3 days in Iwo Jima last week getting ready for Deployment 2009 Part II (boo!) and I think I'm finally getting through to him because he took a bunch of pictures. I'll let him narrate the photos though. Stay tuned for Glenn's first blog post!

Our first day this trip we had plenty of daylight for exploring, so Dr. Lipschitz and I (and Johnny 5 Nuts before his tire blew) set out on bikes to explore. This first monument is actually has nothing to do with the battle in '45. It was built in memorial to the aircrew who died in the crash of a P-2 Neptune during an experimental flight.
This cave is called Tenzan (meaning Heavenly Mountain) which was the headquarters for the Japanese Northern Naval Base in '45. The hill is the location of a natural sauna, and is regularly 118-120 degrees F.
Iwo Jima has a wealth of wild/feral cats that descend from domestic cats that were left by the Japanese civilians who were forced to leave the island at the beginning of WWII. This one was all alone and rather hungry looking. He even tried to eat my leg when he realized I had no food for him.
This post stands on top of Mt Suribachi in from of the USMC Landing Memorial. The monument was erected to remember the famous flag raising after the battle. It is a tradition for service members to hang their dog tags the first time they climb Suribachi.
Less historical (though ancient), here is the mighty Liberty 603 on the return flight to the mainland.