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Edward Burckhardt was one of the Marines that landed on Iwo Jima in February 1945. Iwo Jima was a Japanese held island in the Pacific theater of WWII. Burckhardt found a kitten on the battlefield at the base of Mount Suribachi near the landing beaches. Mount Suribachi is known for being the site of the famous photo showing the raising of the flag at its top. Since it was a small island occupied by the Japanese, the cat must have been a soldier’s pet prior to the U.S. landing. As it had belonged to the enemy, Burckhardt said that the unnamed kitty had “captured” him. Next: A Dog Named Satan.

Flag raising on Mount Suribachi
Burckhardt and Kitty