NOW THE "REST OF THE STORY": THE RAISING OF THE FLAG AT IWO JIMA
The most enduring image of the capture of Iwo Jima is the Marines raising the American flag on Mt. Suribachi. Although the story of the flag raising has been told many times, there is a portion of the story that is relatively neglected. This part of the story is the Coast Guard's small contribution to this historic event.
After the initial landings on 19 February, LSTs began landing at the base of Mt. Suribachi to unload supplies for the advancing American troops. One of these ships was the Coast Guard manned LST-758. On 23 February, after several days of intense fighting, a forty-man detachment of the 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division scaled the volcano and after a short firefight, secured the top of the mountain. LT Harold Schrier and his men from the 28th Marine Regiment lashed an American flag to a piece of iron pipe and raised it on Mt. Suribachi at 1020. The flag, however, was too small to be seen for any distance. Later Schrier procured a larger flag, borrowed from the Navy LST-779. This flag, however, was very large and there was no pipe long enough to fly it properly. Schrier then sent a Marine runner down the mountain to find a more appropriate flag. According to Robert Resnick, the quartermaster on duty on board the LST-758, Rene Gagnon from 28th Marine Regiment boarded the LST and requested an American flag. Resnick issued Gannon a number 7 American flag from the ship's bunting box. Before leaving, Gannon was also given a 21-foot-long piece of steamfitter's pipe to serve as the flagpole.
After Gannon struggled to the top of Mt. Suribachi, the marines hoisted this flag and Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal was there to capture the event. This image, as everyone knows, became one of the most famous photographs of the war and will forever symbolize the American victory at Iwo Jima.
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"Semper Paratus" (Always Ready)
U.S. Coast Guard
