It's the original Iwo Jima monument. It was inspired by combat photographer Joe Rosenthal's picture of five marines and a sailor raising the American flag during a battle that cost 6,000 U.S. lives.

 

Sculptor Felix de Weldon was so moved he used his own money to create it, finishing the 12-foot statue six months after the battle.

 

The monument was displayed in front of the Federal Reserve building in Washington during the late 40's. But then the government asked de Weldon to build a 32-foot-tall version -- the Marine Corps War Memorial -- which sits just outside of Arlington National Cemetery.

 

The smaller one was forgotten ....