I remembered an old song, as I was writing post-#23, called "Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima". It was sung by the 1930s-and-1940s Country-Western group "Sons of the Pioneers", and wiki says it reached #4 on the Country charts.
It contains the following line:
It contains the following line:
"High on the hill Suribachi...
Flies Old Glory, and she always will..."
Flies Old Glory, and she always will..."
"Suribachi" is the name of the high hill that physically dominates Iwo Jima Island.
Mt. Suribachi from above. [Click to expand]
Marines raising the flag "high on the hill Suribachi"
The line in that song refers to the raising of the U.S. flag. Every American knows the photo (at right). These lyrics thus make a 'claim' to Iwo Jima, proclaiming it "always will" be U.S. soil.
I'd assumed it was made a U.S. possession and remains one.
That's incorrect. It turns out that Iwo Jima was a U.S. possession for a long time, but was ceremoniously returned to Japan in mid-1968. But, then, "High on the hill Suribachi flies Old Glory, and she will for...twenty-three years" -- That just wouldn't have had as good a ring to it.
I'd assumed it was made a U.S. possession and remains one.
That's incorrect. It turns out that Iwo Jima was a U.S. possession for a long time, but was ceremoniously returned to Japan in mid-1968. But, then, "High on the hill Suribachi flies Old Glory, and she will for...twenty-three years" -- That just wouldn't have had as good a ring to it.
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