On February 23rd, 1945, after four days of fighting on the Pacific island of Iwo Jima, United States Marines from the 28th Regiment of the Fifth Division took the high ground on Mount Suribachi. There had been a flag-raising atop the hill earlier that day but it was then taken down because it was thought too small. A short while later six servicemen began raising a much larger flag. As they lifted the staff Joe Rosenthal, a photographer with the Associated Press who had been attached to the American forces as a field correspondent, snapped the following photograph:
It's being reported this afternoon that Joe Rosenthal has died at the age of 94. His photo of the raising of the flag atop Suribachi on Iwo Jima will forever be regarded as the most well-known image ever taken during the long conflict of World War II.
What a wonderful piece of history this photograph conveys to all of us who were utterly over joyed back then; the war was over at last! I was only tweleve years old at the time and living in Springfield Mass.I remember the huge crowds of people that had gathered on Main Street to celebrate; it was so crowded with people waving flags and screaming for joy that you could hardly move at all. Service men kissed every pretty girl that crossed their path and the girls loved it! I will never forget that day, nor will I ever forget all those who lost their lives so we could be free!
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