On February 23, 1945, United States Marines secured
Mount Suribachi on the island of Iwo Jima and were able to raise a small
flag on the mount. The flag seemed to small to mark such a momentous ocassion, so a tired and dirty Marine boarded the LST-779, which was beached closest to Mount Suribachi and asked for a larger American flag. Soon, a
photograph reached the United States showing battle
weary Marines raising the flag in triumph atop Mount Sribachi. Nearly 6,000 Navy men and Marines had died fighting to secure that little island. Countless more lives would be saved by establishing an American airbase on Iwo Jima.
At the sight of that now famous photograph,
war weary Americans rededicated themselves to the war effort. Soldiers and citizens alike were inspired and invigorated by the sight of victory the photo evoked. Joe Rosenthal's photograph later won a Pulitzer Prize.
After the flag flew on Iwo Jima, the Marines preserved it for future generations to enjoy. Today it is in the U.S. Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Virginia proudly on display for anyone who desires to view it. This national treasure has become a very cherished and important symbol of the American war effort during World War II.
The Navy man who gave the famous flag to a dirty battle weary Marine to fly on Mount Suribachi, went on to work in the newly developed American Space Program as a graphic artist for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. Al Wood eventually became part of the Public Affairs Division of JPL being responsible for developing status reports of major space shots. Wood became known as the voice of the JPL. He interpreted missions such as Voyager and Galileo both for the media and for the general public.
These men each had a part in creating one of the most memorable and symbolic moments in American history.
More summaries about the Iwo Jima: It's Heroes and Flag