photo #9434940

Atop Mount Suribachi, amidst fierce fighting in the Pacific, six United States Marines raised a flag that would become one of the most famous symbols in World War II history. This photograph by Joe Rosenthal captures a moment that transcended the battlefield. Behind the waving flag lies the courage, sacrifice, and struggle of the soldiers facing one of the most difficult battles of the war against Japan. The identities of the six flag raisers have now been verified through historical research. They were Michael Strank, Harlon Block, Franklin Sousley, Ira Hayes, Harold Schultz, and Harold “Pie” Keller. Three of them, Strank, Block, and Sousley, died in battle on Iwo Jima. Their names are part of a story of sacrifice that continues to be remembered today. A photograph freezes a moment in history, but the courage and sacrifice behind it will live on in the memories of future generations. Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, February 23, 1945.