Wednesday Wide Smile

LESSONS IN HUMILTY…the lives and actions of the six men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima…66 years ago today. We remember them and their fellow soldiers who fought so gallantly.

Following the video is an updated list of the six men who raised the second larger flag followed by a quote about each man. Original source for this post was The Flag Raisers whose website is no longer available. Source for update is: Marine Corps again corrects who was in iconic Iwo Jima flag-raising photo | The FBI-led analysis ensures no more corrections are needed. |
By Luis Martinez, dated October 17, 2019

The October 17, 2019 article ended with: ” ‘Regardless of who was in the photograph, each and every Marine who set foot on Iwo Jima, or supported the effort from the sea and air around the island is, and always will be, a part of our Corps’ cherished history,’ the statement said. ‘In the words of General David H. Berger, Commandant of the Marine Corps,’ “they are all heroes.” ‘ “ We agree.

Update as of October, 2019, the six flag raisers in the famous photo are identified as: Sgt. Mike Strank, Cpl. Harlon Block, Pfc. Franklin Sousley, Pfc. Ira Hayes, Cpl. Harold P. Keller and Pfc. Harold Schulz (the latter two replacing Pfc. Rene Gagnon and Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class John Bradley, respectively.

Sgt. Mike Strank – b. 1919 Jarabenia, Czechoslovakia – d. 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan
Mike’s right hand is the only hand of a flagraiser not on the pole. His right hand is around the wrist of Franklin Sousley, helping the younger man push the heavy pole. This is typical of Mike, the oldest of the flagraisers, always there to help one of his boys. Two months before the battle Mike’s Captain tried to promote him but Mike turned it down flat: “I trained those boys and I’m going to be with them in battle,” he said.

Cpl. Harlon Block – b. 1924 Yorktown, TX – d. 1945 Iwo Jima, Japan
When his mother Belle saw the Flag Raising Photo in the Weslaco Newspaper on Feb. 25, she exclaimed, “That’s Harlon” pointing to the figure on the far right. But the US Government mis-identified the figure as Harry Hansen of Boston. Belle never wavered in her belief that it was Harlon insisting, “I know my boy.” No one–not her family, neighbors, the Government or the public–had any reason to believe her. But eighteen months later in a sensational front-page story, a Congressional investigation revealed that it was Harlon in the photo, proving that indeed, Belle did “know her boy.”

Pfc. Franklin Sousley — b. 09/19/25 Hilltop, KY –d. 03/21/45 Iwo Jima, Japan
“My regiment took the hill with our company on the front line. The hill was hard, and I sure never expected war to be like it was those first 4 days. Mother, you can never imagine how a battlefield looks. It sure looks horrible. Look for my picture because I helped put up the flag. Please don’t worry and write.”

Pfc. Ira Hayes –b. 01/12/23 Sacaton, AZ –d. 01/24/55 Bapchule, AZ
When Ira learned that President Roosevelt wanted him and the other survivors to come back to the US to raise money on the 7th Bond Tour, he was horrified. To Ira, the heroes of Iwo Jima, those deserving honor, were his “good buddies” who died there.

Correction per Cpl. Harold P. Keller instead of Pfc. Rene Gagnon — b. 03/07/25 Manchester, NH — d. 10/12/79 Manchester, NH
Rene was modest about his achievement throughout his life.

Correction: Pfc. Harold Schulz instead of Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class John Bradley — b. 07/10/23 Antigo, WI –d. 01/11/94 Antigo, WI
Bradley, a quiet, private man, gave just one interview in his life. In it he said . . .
“People refer to us as heroes–I personally don’t look at it that way. I just think that I happened to be at a certain place at a certain time and anybody on that island could have been in there–and we certainly weren’t heroes–and I speak for the rest of them as well. That’s the way they thought of themselves also.”

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!