The Battle of Iwo Jima

The sixtieth anniversary of the flag-raising on Mount Suribachi.

Sixty years ago, this month and next, the battle was raging on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima.

Sixty years ago today, the American flag was raised on Mt. Suribachi, long before the island came under American control. The second flag-raising was immortalized in the famous photograph by AP photographer Joe Rosenthal. (The first flag was smaller than the second.) Here and here are a lot of photos from Iwo Jima.

Here are the names of the Flag Raisers:

There are six Flag Raisers on the [Rosenthal] photo. Four in the front line and two in back. The front four are (left to right) Ira Hayes, Franklin Sousley, John Bradley and Harlon Block. The back two are Michael Strank (behind Sousley) and Rene Gagnon (behind Bradley). Strank, Block and Sousley would die shortly afterwards. Bradley, Hayes and Gagnon became national heroes within weeks.

P.S. See JunkYardBlog for Bryan Preston's recent look at the island.

[Follow-up: Joe Rosenthal, RIP.]

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Wed. 02/23/05 06:47:01 AM
Categorized as Historical & Photos.