The US Marine Corps Memorial honors Marines who have fallen in the line of duty and features a statute that depicts one of the most famous incidents of World War II, the flag raising on Iwo Jima.

The figures of the sculpture stand 32 feet tall and are shown lifting a 60 foot flagpole where a cloth flag flies 24 hours a day. The sculpture is based on the now famous photograph which depicts five servicemen raising a flag atop Mount Suribachi during World War II.

The figures in the sculpture occupy the same positions as the men in the famous photograph and the figures are based on their likeness. The base of the memorial is made of Swedish granite where the names and dates of every Marine Corps engagement are inscribed. Originally the memorial honored the fallen Marines of World War II, today it stands as a tribute to all Marines.