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70th Anniversary of the “Battle of Iwo Jima“

Raising of the Flag on Iwo Jima

Follow @Nate_WekSDPB

Today is the 70th year anniversary to the beginning of the Battle of Iwo Jima. It began on February 19, 1945 when the United States fought the Japanese Empire for Iwo Jima. The battle went on for five weeks and it is considered to be the one of the most brutal battles during World War II.

One of the most famous photographs from Iwo Jima was “Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima” and Joe Rosenthal took it. He would later win a Pulitzer Prize for Photography. The battle of Iwo Jima ended on March 26, 1945, and it claimed around 33,000 American lives.

Nate Wek is currently the sports content producer and sports and rec beat reporter for South Dakota Public Broadcasting. He is a graduate of South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism Broadcasting and a minor in Leadership. From 2010-2013 Nate was the Director of Gameday Media for the Sioux Falls Storm (Indoor Football League) football team. He also spent 2012 and 2013 as the News and Sports Director of KSDJ Radio in Brookings, SD. Nate, his wife Sarah, and three sons, Braxan, Jordy, and Anders live in Canton, SD.