List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Battle of Iwo Jima

The Battle of Iwo Jima took place in February and March 1945 during World War II. Some of the fiercest fighting of the war happened during this battle. The American invasion was called Operation Detachment. It was charged with capturing the airfields on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima.
The Imperial Japanese Army positions on the island were heavily fortified. There were vast bunkers with hidden artillery. It had 18 kilometers (11 mi) of tunnels. The battle was the first American attack on the Japanese Home Islands. The Imperial soldiers defended their positions tenaciously. Of the 21,000 Japanese soldiers present at the beginning of the battle, over 20,000 were killed. Only 216 were taken prisoner.
The battle lasted 2 months. After the battle 27 U.S. military personnel received the Medal of Honor for their actions. Of the 27 medals presented, 22 were presented to Marines. Five were presented to United States Navy sailors. A full 30% of the 82 Medals of Honor presented to Marines in World War II were from this battle.
The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War. It is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipient must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their own life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy of the United States. Due to the nature of this medal, it is commonly presented after the recipient is killed (posthumously).