Marine Corps War Memorial Dedicated in Arlington, VA – This Day in History

On November 10, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower formally dedicated the Marine Corps War Memorial—better known as the Iwo Jima Memorial—in Arlington, Virginia, in a ceremony that coincided with the 179th anniversary of the founding of the United States Marine Corps.

Rising outside the walls of the Arlington National Cemetery and near the Netherlands Carillon, the memorial pays tribute to all Marines who have died defending the nation. Its striking design, crafted by sculptor Felix de Weldon, draws direct inspiration from the iconic photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, taken during the pivotal Battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945 by photographer Joe Rosenthal.

The memorial depicts six servicemen — five Marines and one Navy sailor — hoisting an American flag atop Mount Suribachi on the island of Iwo Jima, a symbol of valor and sacrifice in one of the war’s most intense battles. De Weldon began his master plaster model in 1951, creating figures that soared 32 feet tall; each piece was later cast in bronze and mounted on a base of black diabase granite quarried in Sweden.

Remarkably, no federal funds underwrote the project. Instead, contributions from Marine veterans and other supporters covered the cost. Inscribed on the granite base are two powerful lines: “In honor and memory of the men of the United States Marine Corps who have given their lives to their country since 10 November 1775” and “Uncommon Valor Was a Common Virtue.”

Another notable milestone: in 1961, President John F. Kennedy issued a proclamation ensuring that the American flag would be flown 24 hours a day atop the memorial—making it one of the few U.S. sites where that continuous display is required.

In dedicating the monument exactly on the Marine Corps’ anniversary date, the ceremony underscored not only remembrance of past heroism but also the ongoing legacy of the Marine Corps and its ethos of duty, sacrifice, and service. The memorial continues to serve as a profound place of reflection for service members, veterans, and all Americans.