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One of the most famous photographs in history was taken 81 years ago today...
Posted on 2/24/26 at 8:14 am
Posted on 2/24/26 at 8:14 am
Combat photographer Joe Rosenthal snapped the second flag raising atop Mount Suribachi, on the island of Iwo Jima, on February 23, 1945.


This post was edited on 2/24/26 at 8:15 am
Posted on 2/24/26 at 8:17 am to RollTide1987
Liberals in Minesota recently recreated it in protest of ICE
Minnesota Activists Recreate Iconic Iwo Jima Photo With State Flag
Minnesota Activists Recreate Iconic Iwo Jima Photo With State Flag
Posted on 2/24/26 at 8:18 am to RollTide1987
Great moment in history... But it was a photo op... Still doesn't take away from what it meant...
This post was edited on 2/24/26 at 8:21 am
Posted on 2/24/26 at 8:34 am to RollTide1987
Incredible that Suribachi, the island's dominant feature, was crested on D+4 but the island wasn't declared secure until over a month later. Just an absolute slog.
Posted on 2/24/26 at 8:37 am to RollTide1987
Of the six men who raised the second flag on Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945, three were killed in action shortly after the iconic photo was taken, while the remaining three survived the battle but faced life-long challenges, including PTSD and misidentification of their roles.
Fallen in Action (Killed on Iwo Jima):
Sgt. Michael Strank: Killed by shellfire (likely friendly) on March 1, 1945.
Cpl. Harlon Block: Killed by a mortar shell on March 1, 1945.
Pfc. Franklin Sousley: Killed by a sniper on March 21, 1945.
Surviving Flag-Raisers:
Pfc. Ira Hayes: A Pima Native American who struggled with survivors' guilt and alcoholism after the war. He died in 1955 of alcohol poisoning and exposure.
Pfc. Rene Gagnon: Worked various jobs after the war, struggling to escape the fame. He died of a heart attack in 1979.
Pfc. Harold Schultz: Misidentified for over 70 years, it was discovered in 2016 that he was in the photo, not John Bradley. Schultz rarely spoke of his role, lived a quiet life, and died in 1995.
ETA: John Basilone, Medal of Honor recipient from Guadacanal, was also killed on Iwo Jima where he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.
Fallen in Action (Killed on Iwo Jima):
Sgt. Michael Strank: Killed by shellfire (likely friendly) on March 1, 1945.
Cpl. Harlon Block: Killed by a mortar shell on March 1, 1945.
Pfc. Franklin Sousley: Killed by a sniper on March 21, 1945.
Surviving Flag-Raisers:
Pfc. Ira Hayes: A Pima Native American who struggled with survivors' guilt and alcoholism after the war. He died in 1955 of alcohol poisoning and exposure.
Pfc. Rene Gagnon: Worked various jobs after the war, struggling to escape the fame. He died of a heart attack in 1979.
Pfc. Harold Schultz: Misidentified for over 70 years, it was discovered in 2016 that he was in the photo, not John Bradley. Schultz rarely spoke of his role, lived a quiet life, and died in 1995.
ETA: John Basilone, Medal of Honor recipient from Guadacanal, was also killed on Iwo Jima where he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.
This post was edited on 2/24/26 at 2:06 pm
Posted on 2/24/26 at 8:48 am to RollTide1987
SFMF
in before a bunch of insecure army retards hop in here to talk about all the great things they did too
in before a bunch of insecure army retards hop in here to talk about all the great things they did too
Posted on 2/24/26 at 8:48 am to RollTide1987
I've always wondered how heavy that flag pole must have been to take 4 guys to place it.
Posted on 2/24/26 at 9:28 am to Hangover Haven
quote:
Great moment in history... But it was a photo op... Still doesn't take away from what it meant...
It was not a photo op. There are photos of the first flag going up earlier that day, so it's not like they were trying to recreate the moment. The history behind the photograph is well-documented. The Secretary of the Navy came ashore shortly after the first flag was raised over Mount Suribachi. He wanted the flag for himself. The Marines in the area brought up a second flag to replace the first. Joe Rosenthal just happened to be atop Mount Suribachi with a camera when the first flag came down and the second flag was raised.
Posted on 2/24/26 at 9:50 am to RollTide1987
I had a great-uncle at Iwo Jima, who spent a grand total of about six hours on the island. A Jap grenade shredded up his leg pretty bad, and was evacuated off the island. Even though he walked with a slight limp for the rest of his life, he said it was the luckiest thing that ever happened to him, because he got to spend the rest of the war in Guam and Hawaii "slapping nurses on the arse."

Posted on 2/24/26 at 9:50 am to Hangover Haven
quote:
But it was a photo op...
Not a photo op - first flag was small - they were told to erect a larger on so that it could serve as motivation for the fight
Posted on 2/24/26 at 9:58 am to Yammie250F
quote:
Pfc. Ira Hayes: A Pima Native American who struggled with survivors' guilt and alcoholism after the war. He died in 1955 of alcohol poisoning and exposure.
Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey drinking Indian
Nor the Marine that went to war
They battled up Iwo Jima Hill
Two hundred and fifty men
But only twenty-seven lived to walk back down again
And when the fight was over
And when Old Glory was raised
Among the men, who held it high
Was the Indian, Ira Hayes
Posted on 2/24/26 at 10:07 am to Yammie250F
quote:
Pfc. Harold Schultz: Misidentified for over 70 years, it was discovered in 2016 that he was in the photo, not John Bradley. Schultz rarely spoke of his role, lived a quiet life, and died in 1995.
I watched a whole program on how the identity of that soldier was found.
They were making a film of the battle and the photographer wanted everything to be as authentic as possible. He noticed something odd about Schultz and began a search to clear it up.
Was some tune, ago, but it had to do with one of the soldiers who turned out to be Shultz having the sling on his rifle attached differently and other things about his appearance not jibing between the two photos.
Took him a long time going thru records to ID the real soldier.
Wish I could recall more of the story - it was quite interesting, but my memory is not reliable anymore.
Posted on 2/24/26 at 10:10 am to TheFonz
quote:
I had a great-uncle at Iwo Jima, who spent a grand total of about six hours on the island. A Jap grenade shredded up his leg pretty bad, and was evacuated off the island. Even though he walked with a slight limp for the rest of his life, he said it was the luckiest thing that ever happened to him, because he got to spend the rest of the war in Guam and Hawaii "slapping nurses on the arse."
quote:
hours
My man!
Posted on 2/24/26 at 10:20 am to TheFonz
quote:
I had a great-uncle at Iwo Jima, who spent a grand total of about six hours on the island.
had an uncle that made the island hopping tour with Marines starting with Guadalcanal, not so much as a scratch until Iwo, sniper hit his first shot squarely on the knee cap, while he lay there uncovered the Jap kept pinging the same leg, docs told him he was going to lose the leg but he begged them to hold off, kept the leg, worked as a carpenter for forty or so years after rehab, terrible limp, never heard one word of complaint about it my entire life, he was a baw’s baw
ETA: could have spent time in the same hospital as your uncle, only time he flew on an airplane in his life, from Hawaii to the mainland for more surgeries trying to save his leg
This post was edited on 2/24/26 at 10:33 am
Posted on 2/24/26 at 11:00 am to RollTide1987
Just think, in actual moment...soldier probably says "hey, need a few of you to come help me plant the flag".
If me, I am probably out of camera shot tying my boot en rte to help plant the flag. I always miss the big moments.
If me, I am probably out of camera shot tying my boot en rte to help plant the flag. I always miss the big moments.
Posted on 2/24/26 at 11:07 am to RollTide1987
I remember reading that the volcanic ash black sand made it impossible for the Marines to dig foxholes for cover against the Japanese onslaught. One described it as coffee grinds consistency.
Posted on 2/24/26 at 11:39 am to RollTide1987
Great podcast episode on The Shawn Ryan Show with Don Graves, a flamethrower during the invasion of Iwo Jima. Incredible story. The man had balls of steel.
Posted on 2/24/26 at 12:51 pm to stout
Even the state flag in Minnesota is stupid
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