Good morning. Ohayo gozaimasu. 

 Sergeant Major Ruiz and I are honored to be here today, and I want to thank everyone who made this gathering possible.  

 I want to extend my special thanks to His Excellency Shigeru Ishiba, Prime Minister of Japan, for being here today and for his unwavering dedication to strengthening our alliance and advancing regional security. 

 Thank you as well to the Honorable Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense of the United States, for attending today and for your steadfast leadership at a time when our commitment to regional stability and deterrence has never been more important. 

Your presence speaks to the enduring significance of this place, the sacrifices made here, and the strength of the bonds that now unite our nations.  

Eighty years ago, this island was a crucible of war. Approximately 25,000 U.S. Servicemembers were killed or wounded and more than 18,000 Japanese soldiers perished in only 36 days. The men who fought here—American and Japanese—endured unimaginable hardship and faced impossible odds, yet neither faltered.  

They fought with courage, with duty, and with an unshakable commitment to the cause their nations had called them to serve. For many, this ground became their final resting place. Among them was Sergeant Michael Strank, a Marine whose story embodies the very spirit of service and selfless sacrifice.  

Raised in Pennsylvania where hard work and perseverance were a way of life, Sergeant Strank enlisted in the Marine Corps when he was just 20 years old. Not for the glory, but because he believed in something greater than himself. Sergeant Strank was more than a warrior—he was a leader.  

In February 1945, he guided his men up the unforgiving terrain of Mount Suribachi, ensuring they moved forward together in the face of immense adversity.  Amid the hardship of battle, he and his men raised a flag—not as a symbol of triumph, but as a reflection of their endurance, their unity, and the unbreakable spirit that carried them through. 

Just days later, Sergeant Strank was killed in action, leading from the front as he always had. His sacrifice, like so many who fell on this island, is a solemn reminder of the human cost of war, and of the courage and perseverance that defined those who fought here—on both sides. Sergeant Strank’s story is not just about one Marine—it is about duty, resilience, and the commitment to something greater than oneself. 

These same values, shared between the US and Japan and our veterans who fought here, form the foundation of the alliance we honor today. The United States and Japan stand here today not in conflict, but in friendship. We are allies. We are partners. And we share a vision of the global security environment that is preserved not by force alone.   

But by unity, shared purpose, and an unwavering commitment to maintain the peace and our shared prosperity. The strength of our alliance was not inevitable. It was earned—through trust, through shared sacrifice, and through the recognition that our security is linked, our interests aligned, and our futures tied together.  

The stability of the Indo-Pacific does not rest on any one nation alone, but on the partnerships that uphold it. Our security is collective—when we strengthen our alliances, we strengthen the foundation of regional stability.  

That is why our alliance must adapt—not just to meet today’s challenges, but to shape a future where forces are postured to credibly deter threats and where peace is not just an aspiration, but a reality secured through strength. 

The prosperity of our two nations is inseparable from our collective security. That is why we continue to stand with Japan in defense of the principles that uphold stability and deter aggression. Our commitment remains steadfast—to ensure our forces are postured to maintain peace and safeguard economic prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, not just today, but for the future. 

Our alliance is not just a reflection of history, but a commitment to the future—a partnership that reinforces regional security, deters those who seek to undermine it, and preserves the ability of nations to shape their own destinies. And that is why this place, once defined by conflict, now stands as a testament to reconciliation and the enduring bond between our nations. It reminds us that peace is never guaranteed—it endures only when those who value it are willing to stand together in its defense.  

The veterans who have returned here today stand as living testaments to that truth.  

They know that the measure of a nation is not only in how it fights its wars, but in how it upholds the peace that follows.  They did not come back to relive the past, but to honor those who never left this island and to ensure that their sacrifices are remembered—not just today, but for generations to come. 

We must remember the lessons of the past, not as history alone, but as a responsibility we carry forward. To honor their memory through our actions. To strengthen the bonds between our nations. And to stand with our allies, knowing that what we safeguard today is the legacy of those who gave everything here eighty years ago. 

To the fallen—American and Japanese—you are not forgotten. Your legacy is not just in the history books.  It lives on in the friendship of our nations, in the strength of our alliance, and in the peace we are committed to preserving. 

Semper Fidelis.