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The Picture
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Easy Company take the flags up Mt. Suribachi.
Easy Company had been fighting 4 days. They had 40% casualties to date. |
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The first flagraising atop Mount Suribachi, February 23, 1945. Hank Hansen (without helmet), Boots Thomas (seated), John Bradley (behind Thomas) Phil Ward (hand visible grasping pole), Jim Michaels (with carbine) and Chuck Lindberg (behind Michaels).
Photo by Lou Lowery. 10AM, Feb. 23, 1945 |
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The first flag comes down as the second flag
goes up.
Photo by Bob Campbell. |
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This is the original photograph by Joe Rosenthal. It was later cropped (see next picture) to become the photo we all know. | |
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Here's the second flag raising as seen in
the the most reproduced photograph in the history of photography.
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Here's Rosenthal snapping a posed shot minutes after the second flag raising. | |
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Four of the Flag Raisers (Bradley, Hayes, Sousley & Strank) appear with their jubilant buddies. Strank, Sousley and many of these boys would soon be dead. | |
 Click to see a large view. |
"In that moment, Rosenthal's camera recorded
the soul of a nation."
. . .Editors of US Camera Magazine. "It was like shooting a football game. You never knew what you got on
film."
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28 CommentsLeave a comment |
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Site created by: John H. Bradley
Hello Richard,
My mother, who was born in Marathon, Wi. in 1908, always told us that she was related to John Bradley. Her aunt Frances on her mother's side lived in antigo, wisconsin; her married name was Frances Lukowicz. Frances' husband's first name was either Tom, John or Joe. As far as I recall, I believe that Aunt Frances' daughter or niece was John Bradley's wife. Do you happen to know what John Bradley's wife's maiden name was? I know her first name was Kathryn.
Many thanks for this information!
I recently found a stash of some really old pictures that my grandfather took while he was there. One has the flag raising but I don't know if its real but the others sure are. I'll try and get them scanned and uploaded.
I have just finished reading the book Flags of Our Fathers. This is an awsome book. James Bradley did some amazing research. I can see how he can be so proud of his father. I have the movie based on the book. Seeing some of the battle scenes and what these brave men went thru, makes me even more proud to be an American. I served in the U.S.Navy during Viet Nam. I had an older brother that was a Marine, as well as my oldest son. I am always proud to say they were Marines. To all the men of Iwo Jima, I say Thank You. To the families of those that didn't return,I'm sorry for your loss. May God Bless those men and all men and women of WW2.
God Bless this great nation of ours.
Hi this is a really great help to find these pictures i am doing a project in Class and this is what i got.
Thanks a North Garland High School Student
These are all really great comments and I would like to follow up on some of these. I am working on an Iwo Jima project. Anyone who would like to participate, please contact me. I am looking for survivors, pictures, stories, etc.
Thank you.
nice
the man left side holdind helmet up and behind I.Hays is Howard L Dutton. He lives in Pocatello Idaho . He may be the last one alive (second flag 18 men) GOD BLESS THEM ALL
My Uncle posed for the flag raising. Is there anyway to post these pictures on here?
ira hayes is my great great great great grandfather
Here from little Denmark, maybe a little bit too late, we thank all the brave american marines who risked their lives to free the world for Adolf Hitler and his japanese friends. I have just seen the film of the battle of Iwo Jima med the famous photo of the flagraising. I am proud to read, that an american soldier with the same very danish sirname as mine, Hank Hansen, is on the photo. It is Hank Hansen who has no helmet on his head. Here from Denmark - lots of honour and regards to Hank and his brave pals.
Kurt Wagn Hansen
Copenhagen, Hvidovre
Denmark
www.prudentis.dk
TO BOTH GROUPS OF MEN THAT RAISED OUR FLAG I SALUTE YOU AND THE OTHER MARINES THAT SECURED THAT ISLAND.TELL A MARINE DO GET SOMETHING DONE AND IT GETS DONE. I WAS A LITTLE YOUNG FOR THE 2ND WORLD WAR BUT WHEN I BECAME OF AGE I JOINED THE MARINE CORP DURING THE KOREAN CONFLICT. AGAIN MY DEEPEST APPRECIATION GOES OUT TO ALL MARINES THAT SERVED BEFORE ME AND ALSO TO THE ONES NOW CARRYING ON THE TRATATION OF THE CORP. GOD BLESS---SEMPER FI
ON THE PICTURE OF THE FLAG RAISING DOES THE MARINE AT THE LEFT ALMOST TOUCHING THE FLAG HAVE A BAYONET ON HIS RIGHT SIDE AND A RIFLE SLUNG OVER HIS BACK WHICH I THINK THE STATUE IN DC SHOWS
Jackie
John Bradly was my mothers cousin and she was from Antigo also.
John seldom talked about the flag raising but my family always knew that the famous photo was the second one taken . John was a corpsman and was about to go back down the mountain when Rosenthal beckoned him back to pose for the most famous photo of the two. He never took any credit for being there and the story was never told until after his death. the fact is that we ALL owe a debt to ALL the heroes no matter their role. God Bless America
Amazingly I have come across pictures that were my father's - he served in the Marines from 1944 - 1945 in Iwo Jima - and the collection of pictures includes two of the ones on this page - the one of the flag raising and the group picture once the flag was fully raised... these seem to be original prints - wondering if they should be specially archived? He kept these pictures from his 5 children and never spoke about the war... my brother has had them since 1988 when my father passed away. How I wish he was here now so we could learn more about his term of duty... we are so proud.
my grand daddy was in the navy when this battle took place he never talked about the war much he was in both theaters i am trying to find info on him about battles and other ships the only one we where told of was hit by kami kazis in pearl harbor i watch the movie flags of our father and thought it was great then tonight i watched laetters from iwo jima and i mean u think we had it bad they where told to commite suicide now thats hard but i love my country and would die for it i am just saying these r 2 great movies on this battle
Jackie
Hello;
My Great Uncle lost his legs in Okinawa, he was friends with Joe Rosenthal, Joe visited My Uncle in the hospital, and gave my uncle the first picture off the original negative "to the second standing" Amazing to have sort of a connection to something so historical.
Bob
thank you for fighting for us, it means alot to me and the united states
Brought tears to my eyes when I was there in 1995. I was in the Marines stationed on Okinawa, Japan. I am very PROUD to be a
U.S. Marine.
you must be very proud of him! You come from a brave, patriotic, and committed family. thanks
Im in 8th 2 and i think that it is awsome that you all remember the struggle the marines had to capture this island
I am in the 8th grade and i have done research projects on this and it is just incredible to see what those men did for us and i am really thankful for them and what they did.
This is my favorite battle of all time it is cool bcause of how all the marines were willing 2 give their lives instantly i dont think i could do that
THE SECOND PICTURE IS OF THE FIRST FLAG RAISING WITH THE SMALL FLAG
THE MAN THAT IS HOLDING THE CARBINE IS MY GRANDFATHER JIM SPERBER
WHO NOW IS NO LONGER WITH US, HE WAS PART OF THE ORG. CREW THAT
WAS THERE FOR THIS MOMENT, IT HAS BOTHERED ME FOR MANY YEARS THAT NO ONE REALLY KNEW THE TRUTH ABOUT THE FLAG RAISING BECASUE EVERYONE I WOULD TALK TO WOULD TELL ME I DID NOT KNOW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN I TOLD THEM MY GRANDFATHER WAS AT THE RAISING OF THE FLAG AND THEY WOULD SAY HIS NAME WAS NOT ON THERE, I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT JIM SPERBER WAS THAT MAN IN THE PICTURE.
THANK YOU
JACKIE ANDERSON
ONE OF MANY GRANDCHILD
YOUR RIGHT MY MAN
GOD BLESS U GUYS U SACRIFICED UR LIVES FOR US THANKYOU DO YOU WATCH PHINEAS AND FERB
My uncle is in that picture when they are raising the flag. He is the one with his hand not touching the flag but attempting to touch it. <3
God rest those mens souls who sacrificed all they had.
I feel so proud of these men who had the courage to fight for a better nation!!!! I am also sorry for all they went through!!!
FABULOUS. THESE MEN WERE SUCH A STRONG UNIT, THEY FACED HORRIFIC SCENES, SOMETHING I WILL NEVER WITNESS IN MY LIFETIME. THEY GAVE THEIR ALL, TO MAKE CERTAIN OUR FUTURE CITIZENS WERE FREE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR EFFORTS!
I AM SO VERY PROUD OF ALL OF YOU!