Urban legend perpetuated by the ignorant.
You need to watch FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS.
The “first” flag up on Suribachi was indeed on the fly. A reenactment of sorts was staged to same scene, those participating reported.
Think we are both partially correct, but I'll be happy to reconsider from your proof.
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq87-3l.htm .
Quote: Interviewer: I understand this is the second flag raising that occurred there.
John Bradley: That's right. The first flag was a smaller flag and it was put up by Platoon Sergeant [a Staff Noncommissioned Officer rank above that of sergeant] Ernest I. ["Boots"] Thomas of Tallahassee, Florida. He was the Platoon Sergeant in charge of the 40-man patrol [not factually correct - PlSgt Thomas was the senior enlisted man in the platoon and his duty was to assist the Platoon Commander, a commissioned officer]. He put up that flag about one half hour before this larger one was put up. It was so small that it couldn't be seen from down below so our Battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Chandler W. Johnson [USMC] sent a four-man patrol up with this larger flag which is the flag you see on the poster for the 7th war Loan Drive.