A Virginia man was arrested after allegedly using a sledgehammer to knock the head off a Marine figure depicted in an Iwo Jima statue near Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to the historic military monument, police said.

Officers with the Prince William County Police Department responded at about 10:13 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, to reports of vandalism at the statue near Richmond Highway and Fuller Road in Quantico, Virginia.

Police identified the suspect as Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, 27, of Stafford, Virginia, who was allegedly striking the monument with a sledgehammer when officers arrived.

MASKED MAN CAUGHT ON CAMERA SMASHING VIRGIN MARY STATUE WITH A HAMMER OUTSIDE NYC CHURCH

Authorities said Maldonado Soriano was detained and arrested after officers discovered extensive damage to the limestone sculpture, which commemorates one of the most recognizable moments in American military history.

The damage included the complete removal of one Marine's head, along with damage to other figures depicted raising the American flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II, according to authorities.

Images of the damaged monument show the figure farthest to the right missing its head, while another Marine has visible gouges across his helmet and face, police told Fox News Digital.

A third figure sustained damage to a bayonet attached to a gun slung over his back. Police estimated the damage would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair.

WOMAN ACCUSED OF DEFACING WWII MEMORIAL WITH SPRAY PAINT INDICTED BY FEDERAL GRAND JURY

Maldonado Soriano faces charges of felony destruction of property, trespassing with intent to damage property and felony injury to a monument.

He is being held without bond, and a court date has not yet been announced.

Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive for the alleged attack or indicated whether the monument can be repaired.

The damaged statue is a 9-foot limestone depiction of the iconic World War II flag-raising on Mount Suribachi during the 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima.

EXCLUSIVE: NEW AMERICA 250 MONUMENT LETS FAMILIES FIND MILITARY RELATIVES IN SECONDS: 'I HAD TEARS IN MY EYES'

It was sculpted by Felix de Weldon, who later created the massive bronze Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia.

The smaller monument stands near the entrance to Marine Corps Base Quantico near the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Quantico, a major Marine Corps installation in northern Virginia, has served as a center for military training and education for generations.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In 2001, portions of the installation were listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Quantico Marine Corps Base Historic District, encompassing 122 buildings, two landscapes, a sculpture and a water tower.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth put weapons manufacturers on notice Thursday as the Trump administration pushes to cut Pentagon red tape, expand competition and accelerate American weapons production as part of its "Arsenal of Freedom" initiative.

In a video shared on X, Hegseth highlighted Washington's drive to overhaul defense procurement, expand private-sector competition and speed up production of advanced weapons systems.

"The Arsenal of Freedom has been UNLEASHED," Hegseth posted.

AMERICA FACES A CRISIS IN OUR MILITARY ARSENAL THAT TRUMP IS RACING TO FIX

The video features missile launches, naval weapons systems firing, ammunition production lines and workers signing munitions for U.S. forces.

Hegseth also stressed that performance, not a contractor's name, should determine which companies supply America's military.

"I don’t care what company is on the side of the rocket. Don't care. The only thing we ask ourselves is, is it the best?" Hegseth said in the video.

"The technology that you build for our missiles, interceptors and hypersonic weapons is what allows the War Department to achieve peace through strength," Hegseth continued. "And that mission comes with a non-negotiable mandate straight from the Resolute Desk and President Trump: build more and build faster."

MORE THAN HALF OF SOME US WEAPONS STOCKPILES USED IN IRAN WAR, RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT CHINA THREAT

Hegseth framed the manufacturing push as central to strengthening American military readiness and deterring foreign adversaries.

"When we unleash industry—when we at long last unleash the raw, competitive, and patriotic spirit—the United States of America always wins," he said.

"When we compete, we win. When we innovate, we win. When we go fast, we win. We're equipping our warriors for the future right here and right now, made in the United States of America, and we're doing it at light speed."

The "Arsenal of Freedom" campaign echoes America's World War II-era "Arsenal of Democracy," when U.S. factories dramatically expanded weapons production to supply American and Allied forces.

TRUMP TURNS TO EMERGING TECH GIANT IN MULTI-BILLION BID TO RAMP UP US SUBMARINE PRODUCTION

The administration's defense industrial strategy is to streamline Pentagon procurement, reduce bureaucratic barriers and bring more private companies and technology startups into the military supply chain.

The effort emphasizes commercial technology, faster production and greater competition among defense contractors and manufacturers.

Hegseth launched the nationwide tour earlier this year with a stop at a shipyard in Newport News, Virginia, and has since visited defense manufacturing facilities across the country.

On Oct. 20, Hegseth toured Riverside Machine and Engineering in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, alongside Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler and local lawmakers.

KEY AMERICAN INDUSTRY SEEING BLUE-COLLAR JOBS BOOM AS TRUMP'S RE-SHORING POLICIES PAY OFF

There, he touted what he called a "golden age of American manufacturing," highlighting domestic supply chains and defense industry jobs.

The manufacturing push comes as the Pentagon seeks to strengthen U.S. weapons stockpiles and sustain military readiness amid threats from adversaries, including the almost eight-month war with Iran.

Following visits to U.S. Central Command operations in the Middle East, Hegseth emphasized the importance of expanding production of precision missiles, air defense interceptors and other critical weapons systems.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Pentagon for further comment.