Provenance

Mary and Dan Solomon, Monarch Beach, CA; gift to NGA, 2018.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

on verso, upper right stamped in red ink inverted: JUN 1 1945; lower center printed in purple ink on applied paper inverted: MARINE WHO MADE MOVIE OF FAMOUS / IWO JIMA FLAG-RAISING DIES IN ACTION / THE COMBAT MARINE PHOTOGRAPHER WHOSE / MOVIE CAMERA RECORDED THE FAMOUS FLAG- / RAISING ATOP MOUNT SURIBACHI WAS KILLED / IN ACTION ON IWO JIMA ON MARCH 4, MARINE / CORPS HEADQUARTERS HAS ANNOUNCED. HE IS / SGT. WILLIAM H. GENAUST, OF MINNEAPOLIS, / MINN. CLIPS FROM THIS FIGHTING CAMERAMAN'S / MOVIE, ABOVE, SHOW THE SEQUENCE OF ACTION / LEADING UP TO THE THRUSTING OF THE FLAG / STAFF INTO THE ROCKY EARTH AS DEPICTED IN / THE STILL PICTURE WHICH ASSOCIATED PRESS / PHOTOGRAPHER JOE ROSENTHAL MADE WHILE / STANDING BESIDE GENAUST DURING THE EPIC / CEREMONY. GENAUST HAD BEEN WOUNDED ON / SAIPAN LAST JULY. WHILE RETURNING FROM A / PHOTOGRAPHIC MISSION, HE AND TWO OTHER / MARINES KILLED 10 JAPANESE AND LATER HELD / OUT AGAINST POWERFUL ENEMY FIRE FROM A / CLIFFSIDE. GENAUST WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE / STAR FOR HIS "OUTSTANDING COURAGE AND / COOLNESS." / 760292 -- PHOTO NO. 4 SHOWS THE JOB / COMPLETED, AND THE FLAG BILLOWS IN THE / BREEZE. THE MOMENT OF THE GREAT PICTURE / IS OVER, AND THE MEN, WHOSE STRAINING AND / PULLING BODIES MADE THE PICTURE SO GOOD, / RELAX. SEE PHOTOS NO. 760292 (1), (2), / AND (3). / CREDIT (ACME) 5/21/45