Iwo Jima flag-raising photograph

Iwo Jima flag-raising photograph
Name	Iwo Jima flag-raising photograph
Date	February 23, 1945
Location	Mount Suribachi, Battle of Iwo Jima
Photographer	Joe Rosenthal
Medium	Photograph
Subject	Six United States Marines raising the American flag

Iwo Jima flag-raising photograph The photograph taken on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945, became one of the most reproduced images of the World War II era. The image captured six Marine servicemen raising the American flag and rapidly influenced public perception during the later stages of the Pacific War, the 1940s home front, and postwar memorialization.

Background and battle context

The photograph was made during the five-week Battle of Iwo Jima between the United States and the Empire of Japan on the volcanic island of Iwo Jima in the Bonin Islands. The offensive formed part of Operation Detachment, intended to secure airfields for USAAF operations supporting the Pacific Theater. The capture of Mount Suribachi provided a strategic vantage for naval gunfire support coordination and morale for units engaged in the fighting across the island, involving formations such as the 3rd Marine Division and elements of the 4th Marine Division.

Photograph and photographer

Joe Rosenthal, a photographer for the Associated Press, made the image while covering the United States Marine Corps assault on Mount Suribachi. Rosenthal used a Speed Graphic camera to record multiple frames during rapid events on the summit, producing a monochrome print that editors distributed via AP news wires. The photograph depicted six Marines—members of Easy Company, 28th Marine Regiment of the 5th Marine Division—raising the United States flag on an improvised flagstaff. Rosenthal’s image was distinguished from earlier photographs taken that day by other photographers including Louis R. Lowery and prints from military photographers attached to units such as United States Navy Photographic Section teams.

Identification and controversies

Initial identifications of the six flag-raisers included names widely publicized by DoD releases and contemporary media such as the New York Times and Time. Over decades, investigations by the Marine Corps History Division and independent researchers revised identifications of several figures, involving Marines and a United States Navy corpsman. Key individuals associated with identification disputes include John Bradley, Rene Gagnon, Ira Hayes, Harold Schultz, Harold Keller, and Franklin Sousley, among others. Forensic analysis, archival film review, and testimony prompted formal corrections announced by the Department of the Navy and the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, reflecting evolving standards in historical attribution and photographic provenance.

Impact and cultural significance

The photograph quickly entered national consciousness, influencing recruitment drives, war bond campaigns, and public commemoration during the final months of World War II. Reproductions appeared in outlets such as Life, The Saturday Evening Post, and poster campaigns coordinated by the Treasury Department for war bond drives. Sculptor Felix de Weldon used the image as the model for the Marine Corps War Memorial near Arlington National Cemetery, which became a site of annual observances involving figures such as the President of the United States, Secretary of Defense, and veteran organizations including the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. The photograph also informed cinematic portrayals in films like Flags of Our Fathers and inspired works by photographers, painters, and public artists engaged with American memory of World War II.

Reproduction, distribution, and legal issues

The Associated Press distributed Rosenthal’s photo globally via wire services, leading to extensive reproduction in newspapers, magazines, posters, and postage stamps. The image’s copyright and usage were subject to legal and institutional claims involving the Associated Press, private publishers, and the United States Postal Service. Litigation and licensing disputes touched on questions of authorship, public domain status, and permissions for commercial use by corporations, filmmakers, and publishers. The photograph’s presence in schoolbooks, memorial brochures, and government publications raised debates addressed by entities such as the Copyright Office and academic institutions studying media law and wartime propaganda.

Memorials and commemorations

The image’s most prominent physical commemoration is the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, inspired by Rosenthal’s composition and dedicated with participation from high-ranking officials and veterans. Annual ceremonies on Memorial Day and Veterans Day honor the fallen from the Battle of Iwo Jima and the wider Pacific War, with participation by organizations including the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, the National Park Service, and USO. Museums that interpret the battle and photograph include the National Museum of the Marine Corps, the National World War II Museum, and the Iwo Jima Museum at various memorial sites, which host exhibitions, oral histories, uniforms, and artifacts related to the photograph and its participants.

Category:World War II photographs Category:Battle of Iwo Jima Category:United States Marine Corps