Marines in the right background file toward the northern side of Motoyama Airfield No. 3 on Iwo Jima.

Marines, seen in silhouette in the distance, stand around a Japanese airfield as a plane comes in for a landing. The debris of destroyed Japanese airplanes lies strewn in the foreground. Marines, seen in silhouette in the distance, stand around a Japanese airfield as a plane comes in for a landing. The debris of destroyed Japanese airplanes lies strewn in the foreground. Title from typed label affixed to verso. Title continues: "The field was not contemplated when the Leathernecks captured it. The wrecked planes either had crash-landed or had taxied over from Motoyama Airfield No. 2." Reeks joined the USMC in 1941 and saw action on Guadalcanal, New Georgia, Bougainville and Saipan. He was the only official combat artist to land on Iwo Jima with the invasion force and spent thirty days on the island sketching the campaign.