A ceremony was held to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the battle of Iwo Jima. Fought from February 19 to March 26, 1945, the battle was the first American attack of World War II on the Japanese home islands. Retired Marine Lieutenant General Lawrence Snowden, a captain at Iwo Jima, presented Marine Commandant General Conway with his copy of the 23rd Marine Regiment's battle plan for Iwo Jima. Retired Marine Colonel Barnum, a Medal of Honor recipient who fought in Vietnam, talked about the importance of the battle to every Marine. Former Marine Commandant James Jones, who serves as President Barack Obama's national security adviser, gave the keynote address. This ceremony held at the National Museum of the Marine Corps on February 19, 2010, was part of a three-day event sponsored by the Iwo Jima Association of America and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.