Marine Corps League of Naples looking for a new home for the Iwo Jima memorial

Reporter: Rachel Cox-Rosen Writer: Matthew Seaver
Published: Updated:

The Marine Corps League of Naples’ traveling Iwo Jima memorial is looking for a new home in Southwest Florida.

Veterans in the Marine Corps League of Naples look at the memorial and think of their late friend Harold “Pappy” Wagner.

“Pappy spent 36 days up there in the frontlines, and he managed to survive. And he was a great representative of the Marine Corps League here in Naples and an iconic figure in many ways,” said Bob Young.

An iconic figure, represented by an iconic image. Servicemen are straining to raise an American flag among the chaos and death on Iwo Jima during World War II.

Jerry Van Hecke, a member of the Marine Corps League of Naples, said, “there’s not a marine in the world that doesn’t understand what that what that float, or that iconic symbol means it is without a doubt the most important symbol that the Marine Corps has.”

The memorial is in trouble, and the Marine Corps League of Naples is looking to the community to help them save it.

They need help finding the memorial a new home. It was inside the Naples Airport but had to be moved and is now outside a church off Goodlette Frank Road.

The memorial is exposed to the sun and rain of Southwest Florida, which can damage it.

“Right now, with the light rains we’re having, it’s not doing much damage at all. But we’d like to get it covered before the rain starts coming again,” said Nick Marsit.

Young said, “it just is a reflection on the tremendous commitment and the devastation and hardship and loss of life that took place throughout the pacific.” And the veterans do not want to lose it.

One of the memorial’s new home requirements is an indoor space that can accommodate its size. The monument stands 11-feet eight inches tall.

If you have an idea of where the memorial could go, you can click here for information on how you can contact the Marine Corps League of Naples.

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