| Company F, 2nd Battalion, 25th Regiment, United States 4th Marine Division lands on Blue Beach 2 at approximately 1100 Hours. 2 men are pulling an ammunition cart out of the Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel (LCVP), also known as a Higgins Boat. This photo, known as “Over the Top,” was taken by Joe Rosenthal (October 9, 1911 – August 20, 2006) who joined the 25th Marines at Saipan. 33 years old at the time, Rosenthal had been classified 4-F because of his eyesight. Working for the Associated Press, he landed in a hailstorm of fire. “It was like walking through water without getting wet.” He later said of his not being wounded during the landing. Rosenthal had remained aloof from the Marines of 2nd Battalion, because he had covered the invasions of Hollandia, New Guinea, Guam, Peleliu, and Angaur, he rightly feared many of them would be killed. “My choice for the later arrival prompted me to check around to see what landing craft would fit the schedule that suited me. I located an LCVP that would hit the beach at H Plus One. I asked the Marine captain in charge of the group if I could board his boat for the landing. He said I’d be welcome if I didn’t mind a ride in a craft that carried troops and mortar ammunition. So there I was at 0630 Hours on February 19, 1945, in the company of my carefully selected comrades, watching the relentless attack on the distant target and awaiting the ride to the beach.” Rosenthal climbed down the cargo net to the LCVP. “My landing craft, once filled with Marines and mortar ammunition, simply moved away from the transport on the ocean’s surface.” The LCVP lurched to a sudden stop on the beach, the ramp fell down instantly; and the Marines ran forward. Some of them pulled a small, wheeled ammunition carriage loaded with armaments. Rosenthal stood up and made his 1st 2 pictures — the Marines as they charged from the boat toward what looked like a ridge line. It was actually 1 of several sand terraces, each about 15 feet high. “Charged” is not the right word; no 1 charged; no 1 could run in the classic sense on that beach. Iwo Jima’s sand is volcanic ash mixed with small modules of granulated volcanic deposit. Running through it was difficult. Slogging through it, sinking up to the ankles, sometimes up to the thighs was more what happened as the attackers moved forward. 1 Marine described it perfectly — it was like trying to run in a bin of wheat. The footing was made worse by bombs, mortar fire, and hand grenade explosions that loosened the ground still more. Incoming fire hit the landing party immediately. Mortar rounds landed nearby and heavy machine gun fire, both Marines and Japanese, chattered. There were calls for stretcher bearers. Then more explosions and rifle fire. “I got up and followed 2 Marines who were moving forward. That sand, I thought…it slows me down, makes me a target…I couldn’t run from cover to cover…suddenly I heard a loud, metallic clang and I looked up in time to see the helmet of 1 Marine fly several feet into the air…he took 2 more steps and fell to the sand. I jumped in a shell hole and spent a few minutes catching my breath…I no sooner looked up, and another Marine fell alongside me. “As much as the flag picture meant to me and to many others, I have always believed that these pictures on the beach captured the real story of Iwo Jima. They showed valor, gallantry, and courage in the deadly moments of the assault. I watched those Marines. They just kept coming and coming and coming. I watched them run past their dead and wounded, across the deadly beach where the Japanese mortars were so finely zeroed in on the attack zones.” “I made more pictures on the beach and then, at the end of the afternoon, I made my way back to the spot where the boats arrived with reinforcements. I wanted to hitch a ride to the command ship and send my pictures off to Guam.” | |
| Image Filename | wwii1778.jpg |
| Image Size | 504.99 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 3000 x 2351 |
| Photographer | Joe Rosenthal |
| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | February 19, 1945 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | Iwo Jima |
| Country | Bonins |
| Archive | |
| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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