Jima — Sands Of Iwo

: The squad's first taste of combat occurs at Tarawa. During this bloody engagement, Stryker's refusal to risk the entire unit to save a single wounded soldier further fuels Conway’s hatred, though the decision was tactically necessary.

: In a sudden shock, a Japanese sniper kills Stryker during a lull in the fighting. The men find an unfinished letter to his son on his body, expressing the love and pride he could never say in person. Sands of Iwo Jima

: The squad witnesses the iconic raising of the American flag. The film famously features three of the actual surviving flag-raisers—Ira Hayes, Rene Gagnon, and John Bradley—playing themselves. : The squad's first taste of combat occurs at Tarawa

The climax takes place during the invasion of Iwo Jima in 1945. As the men struggle through the treacherous black volcanic sand, they finally realize that Stryker’s relentless training is what is keeping them alive. The men find an unfinished letter to his