Rare vintage 10 x 8 photo of three of the men captured in the historic photograph of the American flag being raised at Iwo Jima, shown examining the tattered flag, signed in fountain pen by all three: “Ira H. Hayes, Pfc., U.S.M.C.,” “John H. Bradley, Ph. M. 2/c,” and “Pfc. R. A. Gagnon.” Notation on reverse in an unknown hand reads: “The three survivors of the flag raising on Iwo Jima with the original flag. Boston, Mass. May 14, 1945.” In very good to fine condition, with scattered creasing and rippling, adhesive remnant to top right corner, a bit of light silvering, and some irregular ink adhesion to Gagnon’s signature. Bradley, Gagnon, and Hayes were three of the six US soldiers who planted the American flag atop Mount Suribachi on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima—an event captured on film by photographer Joe Rosenthal, which became one of the most familiar images of World War II. With three of the enlisted men killed in action within a month of the flag-raising, President Franklin D. Roosevelt transferred the survivors to Washington, DC, and ordered them to participate in the Seventh War bond drive. Following orders, the trio toured the nation with the tattered American flag they helped raise; the photo offered here was obtained during that fund-raising campaign. A phenomenal image of three unlikely heroes who, along with their fallen comrades, became the collective ‘face’ of World War II. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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