QUANTICO — The effort to restore the iconic Iwo Jima statue at Quantico is underway.
The project is being executed by EML/BMAR Joint Venture, LLC. at a cost of $45,807, according to Quantico spokesman Capt. Kenneth Kunze.
The restoration should be completed by Sept. 28, 2018.
The statue sits outside the main gate at Quantico Marine Corps Base and is highly visible from Route 1.
The statue was damaged in a historic March 1 windstorm. The hands that hold the U.S. flag became cracked and officials decided to remove the flag and flagpole to prevent further damage to the statue prior to the start of the restoration.
The statue is a depiction of Joe Rosenthal’s iconic photo of Marins hoisting the U.S. flag on the Pacific island of Iwo Jima during WWII.
The architectural design of the nearby National Museum of the Marine Corps is also based on the photo.
