Retired Lt. Gen. Lawrence F. Snowden, a 93-year-old Iwo Jima veteran, pays tribute during the Iwo Jima wreath-laying ceremony Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015, at the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Va. Snowden was a 23-year-old captain during the battle. (Cuong Le/U.S. Marine Corps)

Seventy years ago, more than 20,000 U.S. Marines stormed the Japanese island of Iwo Jima. It would turn out to be one of the bloodiest World War II battles in the Pacific theater. Last week, veterans of that battle gathered in Washington, D.C. for anniversary events. Stars and Stripes marks the anniversary with a special interactive web page and coverage of the veterans' visit to the nation's capital and other commemorative events around the nation.