This Day in History: <br />U.S. Flag Raised <br />on Iwo Jima February 23, 1945 After taking the crest <br />of Mount Suribachi — Iwo Jima's most <br />strategic position — U.S. Marines raise <br />the U.S. flag to the cheers of American soldiers. Several hours later when a <br />second and larger flag was raised, <br />the moment was captured by <br />AP photographer Joe Rosenthal. Of the three photos Rosenthal<br /> took, one would win the Pulitzer <br />Prize and become the most <br />reproduced photo in history. Three of the six soldiers seen <br />in the photo were killed before <br />the end of the Battle for <br />Iwo Jima in late March. Defeating the 22,000 Japanese defenders <br />on the tiny volcanic island was an important <br />strategic World War II victory for the U.S. Only 200 of the defenders were <br />captured alive, 6,000 U.S. soldiers <br />were killed and 17,000 U.S. soldiers <br />were wounded in the battle.
