President Trump recognized and honored three veterans who fought at the Battle of Iwo Jima at his Colorado rally.
“This month, we mark a very special anniversary,” Trump said to a sold-out crowd Thursday night. “75 years ago this week, our brave United States Marines landed on the shores of Iwo Jima and began one of the bloodiest battles of the Second World War. It was a rough one. Tonight, it’s our great privilege to be joined by three of the heroes of the battle of Iwo Jima: James Blaine, Donald Whipple, and John Thurman.”
The three men stood and waved to the crowd while chants of “USA! USA! USA!” erupted.
Wednesday marked 75 years since 70,000 Marines and sailors launched an assault on the small Pacific island of Iwo Jima, Japan, which was the bloodiest campaign in American history per square mile, according to the Pentagon.
The five-week battle claimed the lives of 7,000 American troops and more than 20,000 Japanese troops.
“Seventy-five years later, we pay tribute to the immeasurable sacrifice of those killed in action on Iwo Jima, and we honor the heroic efforts of all who took part in one of the most costly and significant battles in our country’s history,” a White House statement read. “The fighting on Iwo Jima was some of the bloodiest and most costly in all of World War II, but it also gave rise to some of the greatest examples of patriotism and heroism in our Nation’s history, inspiring Admiral Chester Nimitz’s famous statement that ‘uncommon valor was a common virtue.’”
Trump also took time at the rally to honor a Pearl Harbor veteran who had died days earlier.
“Tonight, we also honor the life of an extraordinary American hero, one of the last known survivors of the attack on the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th, 1941,” Trump said. “Donald Stratton, well-known, just passed away. Sadly, he passed away just a few days ago, he was great. I have a beautiful picture of him right outside, and we are going to honor him and his family. Great, great gentleman. We were going to have four, we have three, I want to thank you all, thank you. Because America is truly a land of heroes.”
