Iwo Jima flag raiser identified

One of the six Marines in the iconic flag-raising photo on Iwo Jima in World War II has been identified as Harold Schultz, a Marine Private 1st Class. The announcement by the Marines on Thursday corrects two mistakes attached to the Feb. 23, 1945, photo: the identity of Schultz, and the position of the men involved. In the picture, Schultz is in the front row, second from the left. Who the flag raisers are:

Ira Hayes

Marine Private 1st Class Ira Hayes, in the front row, left, was a Pima Indian from Sacaton, Ariz. He was one of three survivors of Iwo Jima. He died on Jan. 24, 1955.

Harold Schultz

Marine Private 1st Class Harold Schultz, second from the left, has now been identified as the flag raiser instead of John Bradley, a Navy Pharmacist's Mate 2nd Class. Schultz died in 1995. Franklin Sousley was originally identified as the second from the left.

Michael Strank

Marine Sgt. Michael Strank, back row, left, was born in Jarabiná, Czechoslovakia (now the Slovak Republic). He was killed on Iwo Jima on March 1, 1945.

Rene Gagnon

Marine Private 1st Class Rene Gagnon, back row, right, was from Manchester, N.H. He's been credited as carrying the famous flag up Mount Suribachi. He died in Manchester on Oct. 12, 1979.

Franklin Sousley

Marine Private 1st Class Franklin Sousley, front row, third from the left, was from Hill Top, Ky. He enlisted at age 17. He was killed on Iwo Jima on March 21, 1945. John Bradley, a Navy Pharmacist's Mate 2nd Class, was originally identified as the third from the left.

Harlon Block

Marine Cpl. Harlon Block, front row, far right, was born in Yorktown, Texas, and attended high school in Weslaco, Texas. He was killed by a mortar on Iwo Jima on March 1, 1945. He was also misidentified -- when the photo was first published, he was believed to be Marine Sgt. Harry Hansen of Boston. A congressional inquiry 18 months later correctly identified Block.

Back
Next