Raising The Flag on Iwo Jima
by From Epics of History: More Prisoners of Eternity.
The rocky, inhospitable Island of Iwo Jima was to be the location for yet another brutal battle in a brutal conflict, but it was also to provide one of the most iconic images in the history of warfare. Those responsible for the raising of the flag were hailed as heroes, but they were also victims.
On 19 February, 1945, the United States launched the invasion of the fortified volcanic Island of Iwo Jima in the Pacific Ocean. It was a vicious, take no prisoners struggle, that was to last until 26 March. By the time of its conclusion 6,821 Americans lay dead and a further 19,217 had been wounded. Of the 20,000 or so Japanese involved only 216 survived the battle. But it was also to produce the most famous photograph of World War Two and one of the most iconic images of the twentieth century.
The Flag is Raised
The Island of Iwo Jima was dominated by Mount Suribachi; from its peak the Japanese could observe all movement on the Island and offshore. It was a vital early target for U.S forces. By the morning of 23 February it had been taken and a flag raised to wild cheers from the troops below and the bellowing of horns from the ships out at sea. It was then decided that the flag that had been used was too small and that a new and larger one should be raised. It is this second flag raising that is the one that was to form the famous photograph. It was snapped with minimal preparation according to the photographer, Joe Rosenthal. But so perfect and iconic an image is it that there has always been the rumour that it was a staged affair. Rosenthal himself said, “Out of the corner of my eye, I had seen the men start the flag up. I swung my camera around and shot the scene. That is how the picture was taken.”
Of the 6 men seen in the picture, 5 were U.S Marines, Ira Hayes, Rene Gagnon, Franklin Sousley, Michael Strank, Harlan Block, and one U.S Corpsman John Bradley. Of these Sousley, Strank and Block would all be killed in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the photograph had been circulated around the world and had caused a sensation. It was to win for Rosenthal the Pulitzer Prize for 1945. The surviving members of the flag raising were hailed as heroes and returned to America to be decorated, feted, and to help with the 7th War Bond Drive.
Upon their return, Gagnon misidentified Hank Hansen as one of the flag raisers instead of Harlan Block. Hansen had in fact been one of the raisers of the first flag and had also been killed later in the battle. Gagnon had only arrived late on the scene and couldn’t be absolutely sure who was present. This upset Ira Hayes greatly and he reported the mistake to the military authorities but was ordered to remain silent as the names had already been released. Gagnon and Hayes were very different men and Hayes disliked Gagnon intensely.
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