As I mentioned in a comment to yesterday’s post on the flag-raising on Iwo Jima, I decided to read James Bradley’s Flags of Our Fathers
I’m about three-quarters of the way through the book — including the flag raising, which was on day five of the 35-day battle. I highly recommend Bradley’s book if you have any interest in this event, the Marines, World War II or military history. Bradley tells the story of the six flag-raisers and the battle. Bradley’s father was one of the six in the photograph, a Navy medic and the longest-surviving of the six, three of whom died later in the battle on Iwo Jima. Altogether 6,821 Americans were killed and another 19,217 wounded.
EIght-four marines were awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II. Twenty-seven were for action on Iwo Jima.
Marine Sergeant Bill Genaust had a movie camera that day. This film — and the famous photograph — were taken when the second, a replacement flag was raised. Secretary of Navy James Forrestal (present at the battle) requested the first flag that had been raised 90 minutes earlier to the cheers of the marines on the beaches below. A battalion commander sent up a second, much larger flag. The first was taken down as the second was raised — but the first flag was stored in the battalion safe, not given to Forrestal. It, the significant but less famous flag, is now on display at the Marine Museum. The iconic flag seen here was, according to Bradley, shredded by the wind after a few weeks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPXZD_20Wa0
Thanks to Jill for pointing me in the right direction.
I’ve watched this film several times. It makes the event seem so different from the famous photo.
For a second in the middle of the film you can see the end of the pipe (makeshift flag pole) as the marines off camera to the right are removing the first flag. Also note the aircraft high in the sky at the end. The war on Mount Suribachi wasn’t even over, let alone the battle for most of the island. The killing had just begun on Iwo Jima. The marine who shot the film was dead a few days later, his body never found.