Meliton Kantaria - Soviet flag raiser over the Reichstag in Berlin, 1945.

Mikhail Yegorov - Soviet flag raiser over the Reichstag in Berlin, 1945.

Indeed, nobody who was anybody in the Marines seemed to care very much about the original flag raisers.

Once Wells reached the base of Mt. Suribachi he was helped to the summit by one of the flag raisers, Charles Lindberg.

Rene Gagnon, U.S. Marine flag raiser on Iwo Jima (b. 1925)

Doc notices that Hank's mother is on the list of mothers of the dead flag raisers.

The bond drive begins, and the three flag raisers are sent around the United States to raise money and make speeches.

In 1954, the USMC War Memorial is dedicated and the three flag raisers see each other one last time.

He appeared in the 1949 John Wayne film, Sands of Iwo Jima, along with fellow flag raisers John Bradley and Rene Gagnon.

He was to be returned to Washington, D.C. for a War bond tourwith the other five flag raisers after the Marines secured the island.