Editor’s note: This story was originally published on Feb. 23, 2025.
A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.
On Feb. 23, 1945, during World War II, U.S. Marines on Iwo Jima captured Mount Suribachi, where they raised two American flags.
The second flag-raising was captured in an iconic photograph by Joe Rosenthal of The Associated Press.
The image showed five Marines and a Navy corpsman raising an American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima.
Here is The Associated Press account of that day in 1945:
“Hard-fighting United States marines, who have paid the Pacific’s highest price for 58 hours of battle with 5,372 casualties at Iwo, wrested 546-foot Mt. Suribachi on the south tip of the island from the Japanese today.
“The United States Flag was raised on the crater’s rim at 10:35 a.m. by the 28th Regiment, signaling the end of one phase of the five-day-old struggle.”
Later in the account: “Adm. Chester W. Nimitz announced the victory in a brief communique soon after one which had reported only minor advances through Thursday against fierce opposition.
“The earlier communique, covering marine casualties only through 6 p.m. Wednesday, disclosed that 644 marines had been killed, 4,168 wounded and 560 were missing. Since then severe battles have raged.
“In the same 58-hour period, a total of 1,222 enemy dead were counted.”
The Deseret News reported on the fighting on Feb. 23, and the iconic photo was displayed on the front page of the Sunday Deseret News and thousands of other newspapers on Feb. 25.
The photo won the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for photography and has come to be regarded in the United States as one of the most recognizable images of World War II.
Why 2 flags?
Per most accounts, the flag raising occurred in the early afternoon, after the mountaintop was captured. It was larger and more permanent. Three of the six Marines in the photograph — Sgt. Michael Strank, Cpl. Harlon Block and Pvt. Franklin Sousley — would be killed in action during the same battle. The other three Marines in the photograph were Cpl. Ira Hayes, Cpl. Harold Schultz and Cpl. Harold Keller.
The identities of the soldiers were often misidentified through the years.
The first flag-raising was a smaller flag that the Marines who first topped the mountain had with them. Staff Sgt. Lou Lowery is credited with taking that photograph.
And in 2007, Japan changed the name of the island to Iwo To or Io to.
Here are some stories from Deseret News archives about World War II experiences in the Pacific, the Battle of Iwo Jima and the iconic photo:
“Sights, sounds of Iwo Jima live on for Utahn”
“Veterans of Iwo Jima return to hallowed ground”
“Iwo Jima vet, Okinawa survivor wrestle with WWII legacy”
“Associated Press was there: 70 years ago, Marines raise flag on Iwo Jima”
“Iwo Jima still inhabited by Japanese and U.S. military after 5 decades”
“Japanese leader visits WWII battlesite Iwo Jima”
“Japan changes name of Iwo Jima to Iwo To”
“Op-ed: A wise people will learn from the sacrifices at Iwo Jima”