Today In History February 23rd

On February 23, 1945, during the bloody Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II, American forces raised two flags on Mount Suribachi.

The first flag was raised in the morning by a group of Marines following a grueling and dangerous climb to the top of the mountain. The raising of the flag was captured in a now iconic photograph taken by Joe Rosenthal, which would later become one of the most famous images of the war.

However, the Marines were ordered to replace the small flag with a larger one so that it could be seen more clearly from all over the island. Later in the day, a second flag was raised by a different group of Marines, which was also captured in a photograph by Louis Lowery.

The raising of the flags on Iwo Jima was a morale-boosting moment for American forces and the image of the second flag raising became a symbol of American victory in the Pacific theater of World War II. The Battle of Iwo Jima would continue for another month, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides, but the image of the two flags waving on Mount Suribachi would endure as a powerful symbol of American courage and determination.

Source:
History. Com