Final Word On The Iwo Jima Photo - Great Article On Cnn

Very interesting Steven! Thanks!

I read Flags of Our Fathers years ago. It was a pretty good story, which Eastwood made into a serviceable movie. It was instantly an iconic shot and I do believe it was spontaneous, I really don't care whether it was or not. No one can take away the power of that photo.

Steven, Thank you so much for posting that this link to the flag raisiing on Iwo Jima. As I read it I got chills and goose bumps.

In 1969 I was a corporal in the United Staes Marines assigned to the art dept. of Leatherneck Magazine across the river from Washington, DC. Lou Lowery had retired from the Marines but was also working at Leatherneck as a civilian and was head of the photo dept. As one of two Marines who pasted up the articles for the magazine every month, (long before computer generated copy) I worked with Lou on an almost daily basis.

It was problably a couple of months that I had worked there before someone mentioned to me that Lou had taken the photo of the first flag raising at Iwo and, like so many people to this day, I wasn't even aware that there had been two flags raised on Iwo. Upon a suggestion. I went down the hallway to ask Lou about it and he obliged me by telling me the whole story first hand pretty much as told in the above CNN story.

I never forgot that story and have often felt Lou never really got the attention and credit for what he had done. Not only did he take the photo of the first flag raising-the one that really counted as far as the Marines doing the fighting were concerned, but if Lou hadn't encouraged Rosenthal to continue up to the summit we would never have had the "famous" shot of the flag raising which, by the way I heard a while back, that it is the most reproduced photo in the history of photography.

By the way, for anyone who would like to read a facinating account about the men who raised the replacement flag and what happened to them afterwards read "Flags of Our Fathers" by James Bradley, the son of the only flag raiser whose face can be seen in Rosenthal's famous photo.

Thanks again, Steven for posting the link here so more people wil know who Lou Lowery was. Semper Fidelis!

Bill Tomsa

http://billtomsa.blogspot.com/

Hey Steven - obviously not much interest in one of the most famous photos in history of photography?

Yes, just the sight of the men at the top raising the flag that day must have had one heck of an impact for all of those who participated in that battle. I cannot imagine how relieved and proud everyone there that day must have been.

Then the immediate impact and swell of hope for victory in the Pacific to all Americans back home, was so desperately needed at that time.

If ever a photograph was worth a thousand words... this one surely was.

Tri State Art

"Yes, just the sight of the men at the top raising the flag that day must have had one heck of an impact for all of those who participated in that battle."

If you're referring to the "men at the top raising the flag" as the ones in the "famous" photo then you really need to read "Flag of Our Fathers" or at least go back a few posts and read my first post on this subject. The Marines on Iwo Jima cheered the FIRST flag raising. The second flag raising (the one in the famous Rosenthal photo) was pretty much ignored by the Marines doing the fighting. But don't feel bad this is a very common misconception. I'm only trying to set things straight when I can. By the way if I misunderstood your comment I apologize in advance.

Bill Tomsa

http://billtomsa.blogspot.com/