National War Memorial Registry, War Memorial Catalog Of United States

IN RECOGNITION OF PLATOON SERGEANT ERNEST I. THOMAS U.S.M.C.R. WHO ON FEBRUARY 23, 1945, LED HIS PLATOON TO RAISE THE FIRST FLAG ON IWO JIMA, THE FIRST JAPANESE TERRITORY TAKEN IN WORLD WAR II. ON MARCH 3RD, EIGHT DAYS AFTER THE FIRST FLAG RAISING AND TEN DAYS AFTER HE EARNED THE NAVY CROSS FOR HEROISM IN ACTION, HE WAS KILLED LEADING HIS MEN IN COMBAT. MARCH 10, 1924-MARCH 3, 1945