[Rollei] Iwo Jima

[Marc James Small <msmall >]

At 03:28 PM 9/4/01 -0700, Richard Knoppow wrote:
> The Marine Corps may deny it but the event was repeated several times for
>newsreel cameras. I think the original raising may well have been
>spontaneous but it was repeated several times for news cameras. 
> See: _History of the American Newsreel_ Raymond Fielding for more (I don't
>have publication details right now but the title and author should be
>enough for electronic library data bases.)

Richard

I really dislike arguing with you, but, if the book says this, it is flatly
wrong.  These guys were UNDER FIRE when the flag-raising occurred.  Here is
a rough sequence of events:

- -- party reaches summit, receive Japanese fire
- -- first flag put up
- -- the party on the summit digs in and takes cover
- -- folks on beach radio up that they cannot make out the flag with their
naked eyes;  the senior officer on the summit asks to have a larger
("battle") flag sent up, and one is sent up by runner
- -- when the larger flag arrives, a small party leave cover and erect the
flag.  The picture is taken.
- -- everyone resumes cover to avoid the Japanese fire.

Rosenthal was present through all of the events and denies that there were
more than two flag-raisings.  He was interviewed a decade back on this by
the Marine Corps and his interview is available.  A number of others
present were also interviewed and not one ever said there were more than
two flag-raisings.  One and one make two, and two were all the
flag-raisings which occurred on Iwo Jima that day.

When FADM King saw the picture, he grinned at the Commandant of the Marine
Corps, and said, "this means there will be a Marine Corps for the next
thousand years" and it is hard to argue with such insightful photographic
criticism!

Marc

msmall    FAX:  +540/343-7315
Cha robh bàs fir gun ghràs fir!

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