On February 23, 1945, during the fierce Battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines from the 3rd Platoon, E Company, raised the U.S. flag atop Mount Suribachi. Marine photographer Louis Lowery documented the moment, prompting cheers from fellow Marines. Later, a larger flag was raised, captured by Joe Rosenthal’s iconic photograph of six Marines hoisting it, which won a Pulitzer Prize. Iwo Jima was strategically vital for the U.S. aerial campaign against Japan, leading to the battle’s initiation on February 19, 1945.
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