Raising The First Flag
The famous photograph taken by Joe Rosenthal actually captured the second flag-raising event of the day. A U.S. flag was first raised atop Suribachi soon after it was captured early in the morning (around 10:20) of February 23, 1945. Captain Dave E. Severance, the commander of Easy Company (2nd Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division), ordered First Lieutenant Harold G. Schrier to take a patrol to raise an American flag at the summit to signal to others that it had fallen. After a fire-fight, a 54-by-28 inch (137-by-71 cm) flag was raised, and photographed by Staff Sergeant Louis R. Lowery, a photographer with Leatherneck magazine. Others present at this first flag raising included Corporal Charles W. Lindberg, Platoon Sergeant Ernest I. Thomas Jr., Sergeant Henry O. "Hank" Hansen, and Private First Class James Michels. However, this flag was too small to be seen easily from the nearby landing beaches, and the second, larger, flag was raised four hours later simultaneous with the lowering of the first flag. It was the photograph of this second flag being raised that was seen around the world. Lindberg also stated that his battalion commander, Colonel Chandler E. Johnson, ordered the first flag replaced and safeguarded because he was worried someone would take it as a souvenir.
Read more about this topic: Charles W. Lindberg
Famous quotes containing the words raising the, raising and/or flag:
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