Final answer:
James Forrestal, who was the Secretary of the Navy, stated "The raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next 500 years" upon witnessing the flag raising by U.S. Marines on Mt. Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement, "The raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next 500 years," was made by James Forrestal. Forrestal, who was the Secretary of the Navy at the time, said this upon witnessing the iconic event during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. On February 23, 1945, the photograph of the U.S. Marines of the 28th Regiment, 5th Division, raising the flag atop Mt. Suribachi became one of the most enduring images of the war and symbolized the valor and endurance of the Marine Corps.
The raising of the flag actually happened twice, the first being a smaller flag, and the second time with a larger one that could be seen across the island and from the ships offshore, leading to the Joe Rosenthal's historic photograph. This moment and Forrestal's prediction highlight the significance of the Marine Corps' heroism and the role the image has played in American military and cultural history.