More than 100 people attended the dedication Sunday of a private military memorial that resembles the raising of the U.S. flag on the Japanese-held island of Iwo Jima during World War II.

The 3 p.m. ceremony, which was conducted under brilliant blue sky with the assistance of American Legion Post 64 and the Greene County Honor Guard, was held on the back lawn of the Cecil and Mary Katherine Crum residence at 8893 Asheville Highway.

Crum was not involved in the Marine Corps' successful battle for Iwo Jima, but all Marines revere the scene, which was captured in a Pulitzer Prize-winning photo by news photographer Joe Rosenthal.

The photo and the sculpture based on it depict five Marines and a Navy hospital corpsman raising the U.S. flag atop Mount Suribachi after the Marines took the crucial high point during the bloody, pivotal World War II battle.

Crum's memorial recreates the famous flag-raising with a cast aluminum sign that sits in front of a flag pole.

The flagpole and sign are positioned atop a rocky rise that resembles Mount Suribachi. Around the base of the monument are positioned the flags of all 50 U.S. states, plus that of Canada and the Christian flag.

Sunday's dedication ceremony began with a welcome from Cecil Crum, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who stood atop the monument he began building in May and completed in early September.

Crum, who was dressed in a red Marine Corps League jacket and hat for the occasion, said after the ceremony that the monument is meant to honor "all those who have sacrificed their lives for this great country."

"I felt like it was the least I could do to honor all those who have made this country what it is today," he said. "I thank God for the military."

The monument was dedicated in honor of William Duncan, 87, a Jonesborough resident who had been Crum's U.S. Marine Corps First Sergeant. Crum said Duncan had lived in Greene County at the time both served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in Johnson City in the 1950s and 1960s.

Duncan was present for the ceremony and made his way up a ramp to the top of the monument to join Crum during the dedication.

Crum said he had much appreciated his service in the Marine Corps. "I never got it out of my system," he said.

He noted that he decided to build a memorial last spring and had finished it on Sept. 5.

Leaders of American Legion Post 64 then had suggested that a formal dedication be held.

Following Crum's welcome, Hugh Bowman offered the invocation, followed by the playing of the National Anthem by members of the South Greene High School band.

Master of Ceremonies Grady Barefield, of American Legion Post 64, then called forward veterans representing the various U.S. military services to present flags of the individual services to be added to the monument by Crum.

Glen Waddell presented the U.S. Air Force flag. Bruce Crum presented the U.S. Army flag. Bill Reynolds, with the aid of Master of Ceremonies Barefield, presented the U.S. Coast Guard flag. Former Greeneville Police Chief Charles Kinser presented the U.S. Marine Corps flag. Local baseball legend Rance Pless presented the U.S. Navy flag.

In addition, Herman Tarlton presented the POW/MIA flag, while the Rev. Jim Fillers presented the Christian flag and Austin Vance, Cecil Crum's grandson, presented the Tennessee flag.

Crum then called forward his former first sergeant, Duncan, to take part in the formal dedication. Crum also presented to Duncan a framed photograph of the monument that had been taken on the day the monument was completed.

Brief remarks were made by by Bob Dibble, commandant of the local Marine Corps League unit, and Hart Covington, commander of American Legion Post 64.

Then the honor guard, whose members were dressed in the uniforms of the U.S. military services in which they had served, fired three volleys of seven rounds each and played the military hymn "Taps" on an electronic bugle.