Imagine yourself, sitting on one of the many transport ships heading towards an unknown island about to reveal yourself to an unknown amount of enemy troops. The morning before your arrival you are prepared a gourmet meal and briefed on how the plan was expected to go down. 7:00 strikes and you are now being guided down to your tractors to make the rest of the way to your destination, your mind is going wild with thought but you do know one thing for sure: you are part of a team, a band of brothers, and prepared to pay the ultimate price for any of them.
This was exactly the case for the thousands among thousands of Marines that showed themselves in the historic Battle of Iwo Jima. The book Flags of Our Fathers describes this brutal thirty-six day battle, and takes us in depth with 6 of our nation's heroes; “The Flag Raisers:” Cpl. Harlon Block, Navy Pharmacist's Mate John Bradley, Cpl. Rene Gagnon, PFC Franklin Sousley, Sgt. Michael Strank, and Cpl. Ira Hayes. Most people recall the photograph taken of the flag raising as being one of the most recognized photos in our military's history; though, according to the book, it became everything except the salvation of the boys who had performed it. …show more content…
The man in the middle of the photograph with both of his hands grasping the pole is John Bradley, the author's very own father. The men on the far side and behind him is Rene Gagnon and Franklin Sousley. The one leaning most towards the base of the pole is Harlon Block, the man almost completely hidden behind him grasping his hand was Mike Strank, and finally the man reaching up but not quite touching the pole was Ira Hayes. Only three of these six brave men lived to walk off of the hellish island, one carried by stretcher. John Bradley, the “serious Wisconsin small-towner,” was brought into this world and raised peacefully. The man did not have a single hateful bone in his body and was extremely respectful, the worst thing he had ever said was “dad gum.” He had the natural urge to help people since he could remember, prior to being enlisted he wanted to work in a funeral home and be able to calm down families who were grieving. So during his time away from home the letters he had wrote back were always cheerful and calm, the plan was to be able to keep his worried family hopeful for his return. When it became evident that there would be a nationwide draft John decided to join the Navy’s branch to be able to avoid land battle, but little did he know that his plan would soon backfire on him. Franklin Sousley, the “happy-go-lucky Kentucky hillbilly,” was born the second brother in his family, but didn't take long for him to become the only living son left. Franklin's brother, at just 5 years old, suffered a ruptured appendix and died in their mother's arms. With his mother grieving, she and he had gradually became closer and closer. By age nine he had found himself to be the man of the family, taking care of his once again grieving mother and one year old brother, proceeding his father's sudden death from diabetes. Through all of the grief suffered in his childhood, people had remembered him as “a big freckle-faced boy with bright red hair. A rambunctious young man, not afraid of anyone.” In his late teens he was working in a different state and was sending his mother most of his paychecks, then he got drafted. His fate was to be an Army infantryman, but in a sudden decision he decided that he wanted to become a US Marine. Harlon Block, the “whooping young texas cowboy,” was brought up being a crucial part of his family. He worked with his siblings milking dairy cows for the family business and being influenced by his mother's religious quirks. He was taught that he must never carry a weapon because God would provide all the protection that would ever be needed. He grew up confident, but also a stubborn
This was exactly the case for the thousands among thousands of Marines that showed themselves in the historic Battle of Iwo Jima. The book Flags of Our Fathers describes this brutal thirty-six day battle, and takes us in depth with 6 of our nation's heroes; “The Flag Raisers:” Cpl. Harlon Block, Navy Pharmacist's Mate John Bradley, Cpl. Rene Gagnon, PFC Franklin Sousley, Sgt. Michael Strank, and Cpl. Ira Hayes. Most people recall the photograph taken of the flag raising as being one of the most recognized photos in our military's history; though, according to the book, it became everything except the salvation of the boys who had performed it. …show more content…
The man in the middle of the photograph with both of his hands grasping the pole is John Bradley, the author's very own father. The men on the far side and behind him is Rene Gagnon and Franklin Sousley. The one leaning most towards the base of the pole is Harlon Block, the man almost completely hidden behind him grasping his hand was Mike Strank, and finally the man reaching up but not quite touching the pole was Ira Hayes. Only three of these six brave men lived to walk off of the hellish island, one carried by stretcher. John Bradley, the “serious Wisconsin small-towner,” was brought into this world and raised peacefully. The man did not have a single hateful bone in his body and was extremely respectful, the worst thing he had ever said was “dad gum.” He had the natural urge to help people since he could remember, prior to being enlisted he wanted to work in a funeral home and be able to calm down families who were grieving. So during his time away from home the letters he had wrote back were always cheerful and calm, the plan was to be able to keep his worried family hopeful for his return. When it became evident that there would be a nationwide draft John decided to join the Navy’s branch to be able to avoid land battle, but little did he know that his plan would soon backfire on him. Franklin Sousley, the “happy-go-lucky Kentucky hillbilly,” was born the second brother in his family, but didn't take long for him to become the only living son left. Franklin's brother, at just 5 years old, suffered a ruptured appendix and died in their mother's arms. With his mother grieving, she and he had gradually became closer and closer. By age nine he had found himself to be the man of the family, taking care of his once again grieving mother and one year old brother, proceeding his father's sudden death from diabetes. Through all of the grief suffered in his childhood, people had remembered him as “a big freckle-faced boy with bright red hair. A rambunctious young man, not afraid of anyone.” In his late teens he was working in a different state and was sending his mother most of his paychecks, then he got drafted. His fate was to be an Army infantryman, but in a sudden decision he decided that he wanted to become a US Marine. Harlon Block, the “whooping young texas cowboy,” was brought up being a crucial part of his family. He worked with his siblings milking dairy cows for the family business and being influenced by his mother's religious quirks. He was taught that he must never carry a weapon because God would provide all the protection that would ever be needed. He grew up confident, but also a stubborn