1955 ... and he would have been really pi$$ed off, had he lived to see the movie ...
Bradley’s book—and official Marine Corps records for 60 years before that—were based on the best information available. John Bradley, a Corpsman who won the Navy Cross on Iwo, participated in the first flag-raising and may have confused the events.
According to his son, the elder Bradley suffered severe PTSD from his experiences in the battle; he rarely discussed the war and only gave one interview about Iwo and the flag-raising—and only because a Chicago Tribune columnist “ambushed” him at the Wisconsin funeral home he owned. Indeed, his widow and children did not learn about the Navy Cross until after his death, when they found it in a shoe box in the back of a closet.
All of the surviving flag raisers were reluctant participants. Bradley and Ira Hayes were ordered to participate in War Bond drives, and Hayes’ confirmation in the flag raising came only through Rene Gagnon, who was directed (by Marine officers) to identify the men in Rosenthal’s photograph. As I recall, Ira Hayes threatened to kill Gagnon if he identified him, but Private Gagnon didn’t really have a choice. Ironically, Gagnon was the only survivor who remotely discussed trying to leverage his fame, but had the good sense not to follow-up on that option.
Gagnon dropped dead of a heart attack (while working as a school janitor) in the late 70s, and Ira Hayes died from alcoholism (directed related to his war experiences) in the early 50s. So, John Bradley was the only surviving flag raiser for many years, and he did not want to relive his war experiences, for obvious reasons. Apparently, Private Schultz felt the same way; as indicated in today’s NYT article, he only mentioned his participation once, at the end of his life and never requested an official inquiry to document his participation.
There was a lot of “fog” surrounding Iwo and the iconic flag-raising. Three of the Marines in Rosenthal’s photo never made it off the island (Sergeant Mike Strank, Harlon Block and Franklin Sousley). The NCO originally identified in connection with the event was Sergeant “Boots” Thomas, who was directed to leave the front lines and participate in a CBS radio interview from a Navy ship offshore. Boots Thomas was killed in action just a few days after his 21st birthday.
They are all truly heroes.
thanks for the additional info.
minor detail - you don’t “win” the Navy Cross