The Identification of John H. Bradley in the First Flag Raising
Below are a series of images by Dustin Spence that make a compelling case that flag raiser John H. Bradley also took park in the first flag raising on Iwo Jima.
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Below are a series of images by Dustin Spence that make a compelling case that flag raiser John H. Bradley also took park in the first flag raising on Iwo Jima.
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{ 102 comments… read them below or add one }
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My Dad was in Canadian Army my Mom in the English Army but I don’t think they ever mentioned the date of the raising of the flag .I realized a couple of years ago that the date was the day I was born in England. 23 Feb.1945. I will never forget & will pass this on to my descendants, as it all played it’s part in our peace we have today. The lost lives etc.
The marine in the flag raising picture (numbered as 1721flag/gif) is my father, Ralph Loretta. He is listed as unknown in the picture, but I am positive it is him. Does anyone know how I would go about getting his name listed as being on the picture? My father passed five years ago. As with most marines, hee rarely spoke of the war. I believe with all my heart that he deserves the honor of having his name listed on this picture with the other marines who raised the flag. If anyone can point me in the right direction, I would be eternally grateful. I have tried to contact the author of the book, James Bradley, several times, but have never received a reply from him. I can supply any proof that would be needed that this marine is my father. Thank you, and Semper Fi.
I would like to know as well. I think I had a great uncle that was among the marines that were there at that time. I sure would like to know for sure. It has been told down through the years that he was among those marines, but I have never ever really known. Thanks.
I wish people would stop calling Marines Soldiers!!!
If anyone runs across the name D.R. (Doc) Lawson, please let me know. He was a good friend and was at this first flag raising.
Thanks….
My father, J.D. Higginbotham, was there. He was a forward observer in the Marines. Why is there not a list of all those brave men that fought? I simply cannot find a site that lists them.
In the official picture, the second raising, he is front (to the right in photo) and in a foxhole. He cannot be identified because all one can see is his helmet and his gun pointing forward. I asked him why he didn’t get out and go help them raise that flag and he said, “Well, son, they were shooting real bullets at us…someone had to shoot back.”
Dad re-enlisted for the Korean War into the Army and became a Drill Instructor.
He went on from Private and made it to First Lieutenant before resigning eighteen years later in the Army National Guard, Clarksdale, Mississippi.
RIP and Semper Fi, Daddy. We miss you down here. Your son, Thomas A. Higginbotham – USAF – 1967 – 1971
I just wonder if we are related. I am a retired Marine Major General Geoffrey Higginbotham.
If anyone has ever come across the name PFC Robert H. Cooley, 5th Marine Division, I would greatly appreciate any and all information, I have been told via family members he too was a part of the 1st flag rasing at Iwo Jima, also recently found his name in Col. Robert W. Black’s book “The Battalion – The Dramatic Story of the 2nd Ranger Battalion in World War II.
Thank you,
I would be forever grateful if anyone could point me in the right direction concerning my grandfather, LaVerne J. Picha. He was supposedly in the first wave of the flag raising on Iwo Jima. A cousin told me that LaVerne’s mother received a letter explaining that my grandfather was part of the first wave. My aunt was also told by LaVerne(obviously her father) that he was there as well. But he never talked about it after.
Looking at his military records, during the time of the invasion at Iwo Jima, there was information that was blotted out. Was this normal to have that blotted out due to it being “classified”?
I wonder if there was a copy of that same letter that my great grandmother received anywhere in archives. Can anyone help point me in the right direction?
Also, looking at my grandfather’s military possessions, he had a Japanese flag that had many Marines’ autographs. If anyone is interested in finding out if their relative was on that flag, please contact me at packers7@hotmail.com I would be most happy to help anyone that I can.
So proud to be a granddaughter of a Marine!!
My grandfather, LaVern J Picha, was at Iwo Jima and a letter was supposedly written to his mother stating that he was one of the men in the first wave of the flag raising. We have no idea where that letter went. On his military records, that whole timeframe of Iwo Jima was blocked out as well. So we have a feeling something happened and that he was part of something.
I went through my grandfather’s things last summer and he did have a Japanese flag with a bunch of names of Marines on there. Let me know what I can do to help! This would be a true blessing to help us as well as many other Marines’ families!
(Joe) Elbert W. Hinkle was my step-father and my mother has a picture of the men that posed for the sculpture and also a type of carving of the flag raising. If you wish to get in touch with me email me at mossalbert1234@comcast.net Thank you, Buddy
my grandfather is in the same photo. i would love to trade stories if you are up for it?
my grandfather is in the “Celebration” photo. his name is Clarence Harding Garrett. his hand is on his knee and his rifle is in the air.
My father, Otha Franklin Stephens was at the first flag raising. He is crouched down with his helmet cocked towards the flag with part of his face shaded. If you are looking at the flagpole, there is a guy centered on the pole. The one right in front of him has his helmet raised in his right hand. The one in front of that guy to the right is my dad. He was a Chief Petty Officer and head chef at the time. The trauma of what happened during that war haunted him. Thank you to everyone for your serivce to maintain the freedom of the United States of America.
My Dad knew your Dad. I heard him talk about him a few times. I think I heard him mention that they gave your father the nickname “The Swede”. My father is in the same picture over on the right hand side.
You don’t happen to be from Chicago do you?
Hello everyone.
Could anyone either verify or correct me on the proposal that Harlon Block is in the photo of the marines having mass? The third man from the right in that picture looks a lot like Harlon to me, but I may be wrong. Thank you!
Ryan
My grand father Joe bozahara was one of the brave men who helped raise the first flag and I am very proud
Dan and Patrick, I am the grandson of Mildred Knowles Rupp, Howard Dutton’s stepsister. I would have liked to met Howard before he passed away. I have been in the Marine Corps since 1987. I enlisted in Pocatello ID. I only found out I was somehow related to Howard, to any other Marine for that matter, when my grandmother passed away a couple years ago. I am currently the Commanding Officer of Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 1 in Okinawa Japan. I recently visited Iwo Jima in December 2011, where I conducted a relief and appointment of our Squadron Sergeant Major atop Mount Suribachi. It was a humbling experience.
Mark Hacala (8/26+2811): There is one closeup of Bradley holding the flag pole with both hands and there doesn’t appear to be any harness showing by his neck/back. Another closeup shows he has a .45 and a holster seems to be on the 2nd Flag Raising photo.
The helmets I think have removable liners that could be mistaken for a cap.
Hansen (3rd Platoon) a first flag raiser with Schrier and Thomas (3rd Platoon), was mistaken for Block (2nd Platoon) by Gagnon (runner) and Bradley (3rd Platoon) went along with. Could be, since a Colonel ordered Hayes (2nd Platoon) to keep quiet about Block, the same order may have been given to Gagnon and Bradley (and Schrier). Evidently, Bradley didn’t know Block since they were in different platoons.
If that’s not Bradley in the 2nd Raising then who is it? And that would mean witnesses weren’t telling the truth, and why? On Schrier’s Navy Cross citation it credits Schrier and Thomas with the actual 1st flag (pole) “raising” when Hansen raised it too (not Lindberg or the others). Could it be Bradley “raised” the 1st flag? Lindberg called himself a “flag raiser” but it didn’t take six to raise the first flag (this explains the citation).
My brother was a combat platoon corpsman, he carried an engineer bag instead of a Unit 1 which couldn’t hold all the supplies he needed; 2 corpsmen per platoon. Bradley was with Langley, 3rd platoon, but Ziehme evidently took Langley’s (wia?) place for Suribachi.
Mark Hacala (8/26/11): As a former corpsman, you made a remarkable observation: that it doesn’t look like Bradley in the 2nd Raising photo. I believe a clearer photo of the 2nd Raising is available. The person doing the Bradley IDing here didn’t show that Bradley has a .45 in a first flag photo. There appears something on the right leg of the person ID’ed as Bradley in the 2nd Raising (knife/holster?).
Facts: Harlon Block was wrongly ID’d as Henry Hansen in the 2nd Raising by Gagnon and Bradley. Hayes complained, and was ordered to keep quiet throughout the 7th Bond Tour (he was transfered before it was over !). Hayes walked many miles from his home over a year later to tell Block’s dad that it was Block and not Hansen which led to an federal investigation and correction.
More facts: In the “Gung Ho”, 2nd Raising photo, L-R, #8, is Corpsman Gerald (Jerry) Ziehme who went up Mt. Suribachi with Bradley. Like Ray Jacobs, F/2/28 (Schrier’s radioman on Suribachi), Ziehme had to fight to get his photo recognition on Mt. Suribachi for many years. You can see Jacob’s and Ziehme’s photo/story on the Net. daviddddd@yahoo.com
Dave Wood (3/24/10): I read about Army Pfc George Burns from Yank Magazine who covered Marine amphibious landings and wondered if he was on the 40-man patrol? He took photos of the 1st U.S. flag [Flag Raisers-Schrier, Thomas, and Hansen(?)].
Army Sgt Reed did the Yank Magazine story (3/45) about Mt Suribachi with no mention of Pfc Burns(?), which is probably from Burn’s info/photos.
PS Pfc Burns is photoed/documented with the 1st U.S. flag.
daviddddd@yahoo.com
My husbands grandfather was there, when the first flag went up, he is in a couple of the pictures above.
Hi Ernest. Excited to know that you knew my father on Iwo Jima. He was always been very proud to be a marine. all marines that fought on iwo jima are definitely heroes to this country. can you shed any more light on how you knew my dad Nickolas Stengel. Do you have a email address i can write or a phone number i can call? i have some information you might be interested in abut iwo Jima.
My dad an Iwo vet just turned 87 on Nov. 14, 2011. I was taken aback by your post and let me say your dad was a hero and I’m glad he is your hero also. May he rest in peace.Semper Fi from one Iwo vet son to another.
Bill Pentangelo
NJ
My dad passed away November 16 2011, He was 86 years old, He was in the RECON Third Marine Division PFC. He was on top of Mt.suribachi only yards away from the flag raising, he was one of the guys in the Group Picture of the {3th. 4th. and 5th} marine divisions. He also served in the Korean war after the Marines in the U.S.Army as a corporal… He was a great guy… He is my Hero………..I will miss him dearly
Me either. I also tend to just look at them, walk aonrud a bit, admire the architecture, but don’t really look into the significance of all the features. Check back on Sunday for part two! (That’s where we’ll talk about my favorite memorials ) Thanks for reading!
The comment posted by Maira J. Adams (my wife) was about my father Lt. Eugene J. Adams, 5th Marine Division. “Gino” as he was called by friends, is the Marine in the “Faith Lives on Iwo Jima” picture who is on his knees recieving Holy Communion. This picture was published on the cover of Life magazine in 1945, the March issue, I believe. In the article that accompanied the picture, there are excerpts of a letter that my father wrote home to his mother Florence, in Santa Cruz, CA. Amoung other things, Eugene told his mother in the letter “We are giving the Japenese hell…” and “don’t worry about me, I’ll be alright.” Eugene was one of the 40 or so Marines who were at the top of Suribachi for the flag raisings. The one Navy Corpsman among the 6 “Flag Raisers” (Bradley, I believe) was assigned to my father’s platoon. Later in the Battle of Iwo Jima, my father was awarded a Bronze Star, which I still have. Like most of the men who fought on that horrible rock, Eugene declined to talk about his experiences there. While my brother and sisters and I have several items that he brought home from Iwo Jima, we never had the personal desriptions of that part of his life that we would have liked to have. Only after Eugene passed away did we begin to learn more of the details of what we always knew to be somewhat of a family legacy, if a little bit of a mysterious one. People around Santa Cruz will remember Eugene as a successful attorney, avid outdoorsman and family man. I suppose thats how he wanted to be remembered, rather than as a war hero. I will always be gratefull to the USMC for sending a color guard of Marines from Pendleton, in full Dress Blues, to give him a 21-Gun salute at his funeral. Rest in peace, Dad. TOM
Mr. Adams,
My father was also in the 5th Marine Division, and per family members was a part of the 1st flag rasing of Iwo Jima, if you have any information as to the names of others that were present, I would be greatful. My father’s name was PFC Robert H. Cooley.
I also found he was listed in “The Battalion -The Dramatic Story of the 2nd Ranger Battalion in World War II” by Col. Robert W. Black.
Again, any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance,
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