| Raising
the Flag
John
Bradley helped raise an American flag on Iwo Jima on February
23, 1945. The flag signaled American control over the island.
It replaced another flag which had been returned to command
headquarters as a souvenir. Associated Press photographer
Joe Rosenthal took a picture of Bradley and five Marines raising
this second flag. Rosenthal's photograph became front-page
news across the United States. Americans adopted the image
as a sign of hope, courage, and victory.
The
flag raisers include: Mike Strank, Franklin Sousley, Harlon
Block, Rene Gagnon, Ira Hayes, and John Bradley (center man
with his back to the viewer). Strank, Sousley, and Block died
at Iwo Jima. |
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John Bradley and Marines raise an American flag on Mount Suribachi,
Iwo Jima, February 23, 1945
Courtesy of the National Archives
# 80-G-413988
|