PEORIA COOPERATIVE ACADEMY VISIT

We are pleased that the Peoria Cooperative Academy visited us earlier this month. This is another example (after Astoria HS - 126 miles) of the growing influence and interest in our museum from schools outside Pontiac and Livingston County. Thanks to Ellen Lorentz and the other teachers for giving their students this opportunity. We were proud to assemble several of our World War II veterans to speak with the students. Museum President Jack Murphy welcomed them and then the students participated in individual small group interviews with each veteran of the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of war. Truly first-hand history from the men who made it!

IWO JIMA - FEB 19, 1945

On this day 65 years ago, the U.S. Marines launched the invasion of Iwo Jima - a small, barren Pacific island guarded by Japanese artillery. However, it was needed to build airfields for bombing raids against Japan, only 660 miles away.
As the Marines landed, seven Japanese battalions opened fire on them. At day's end, more than 550 Marines were dead; more than 1800 were wounded. The capture of Mt. Suribachi, the highest point on the island, took more than four more days with many more casualties. When the American flag was raised on Iwo Jima, this famous photo was taken. It later won the Pulitzer Prize. (Source: The History Channel)

MUSEUM KEYNOTE PRESENTATION