USMC 5th MARDIV Patch — Embroidered Patch The Spearhead — Iwo Jima's Bloodiest Division The 5th Marine Division existed for barely two years, but in that time it fought the most costly battle in Marine Corps history and produced an image that would become the most recognized war photograph of all time. This patch represents the Marines who stormed the black volcanic beaches of Iwo Jima, clawed their way up Mount Suribachi, and paid the highest price of any division in the battle. Activated on November 11, 1943, at Camp Pendleton, the 5th Marine Division — nicknamed "The Spearhead" — trained at Camp Tarawa near Hilo, Hawaii, before sailing for Iwo Jima. On February 19, 1945, the division landed on Green and Red beaches at the base of Mount Suribachi under devastating Japanese fire. Four days later, Marines of the 28th Regiment raised the flag on Suribachi's summit — the second flag-raising captured by AP photographer Joe Rosenthal becoming the most iconic war image in history. The division fought for 36 days, sustaining 2,482 killed and over 6,200 wounded — the highest casualties of any of the three Marine divisions on Iwo Jima. Seventeen of the twenty-seven Medals of Honor awarded during the battle went to 5th Division Marines and their Navy corpsmen. Perfect For: Iwo Jima veterans and their families, WWII Pacific Theater historians, Marines connected to the 5th Division legacy, flag-raising history enthusiasts, Medal of Honor researchers, and anyone moved by the courage of the men who took Suribachi. Seventeen Medals of Honor — the Spearhead earned every one.
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