Original Item: Only One Available. This is an incredible Iwo Jima captured Imperial Japanese Rising Sun Flag. The flag itself was signed by 30 members of the 5th Marine Division, 8 of which we have positively confirmed as being present for the infamous Battle for Iwo Jima. The marines who signed also noted which cities they were from, making this an incredible research opportunity.

The Rising Sun Flag (旭日旗 Kyokujitsu-ki) design was originally used by feudal warlords in Japan during the Edo period. On May 15, 1870, as a policy of the Meiji government, it was adopted as the war flag of the Imperial Japanese Army, and on October 7, 1889, it was adopted as the naval ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy (Naval flags have the sun off center to the left). With the sun in the center, this is a flag of the IJA (Imperial Japanese Army).

This is one of the nicer rising sun flags we have offered recently. It is a very nice one piece rising sun flag and is made of very fine cotton. It is in very good condition, with a dyed red "Sun" in the middle, with rays going out to the edge of the flag. It measures 27” x 31".

The flag shows minor age toning from decades of storage. There also are some very small holes in the flag, possibly from insect damage or exposure to the elements. The corner tabs and ties are still intact. There is some staining present on the flag but nothing that subtracts from the beauty of it.

Comes more than ready for further research and display.

The 5th Division landed on beaches red 1, red 2 and green 1 at the base of Mount Suribachi on 19 February 1945 on Iwo Jima. The division sustained heavy initial losses, so much so that by that afternoon, the 26th Marine Regiment (26th Marines) had to be released as the division reserve. On 23 February, two American flags were raised on Mount Suribachi by members of the 28th Marine Regiment (28th Marines). The 5th Division would fight on Iwo Jima from 19 February until 26 March where they would sustain 2,482 killed in action, 19 missing in action, and 6,218 wounded in action. This was the highest casualty rate among the three Marine divisions involved in the invasion. The 5th Division began loading onto ships on 26 March, finally leaving Iwo Jima on 27 March 1945 sailing for Hawaii.

On 21 March 1945 the 5th Marine Division Cemetery was formally dedicated on Iwo Jima. Chaplains prayed, Major General Keller E. Rockey added a tribute to the dead and Lieutenant Roland B. Gittelsohn, U.S. Navy and a 5th Division chaplain, spoke of friends buried and "the ghastly price of freedom...." The American flag (there since 14 March) at the northern part of Iwo Jima was raised then lowered to half-mast. Taps was played echoing across the dark foreboding ash of "Sulfur Island".

Iwo Jima became an important support and emergency landing field for aircraft based out of the Marianas. In recognition of the 5th Marine Division's sacrifice in securing the island, the U.S. Army Air Corps 9th Bombardment Group named a B-29 "The Spearhead", with elaborate nose art depicting the 5th Division's insignia and the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi.

The 5th Division returned to Camp Tarawa, Hawaii and remained there until the end of the war. After the Japanese surrender they set sail for Japan where they occupied the southern island of Kyushu. The 5th Division left Japan in November 1945 and arrived in San Diego, California the week of Christmas 1945. The majority of the division's Marines were discharged shortly thereafter. The 5th Division was inactivated on 5 February 1946.