(CNN)Seventy years ago, on February 23, two American flags were planted on the peak of Mount Suribachi, located on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima. Coming five days into one of the most ferocious battles of World War II, the first flag-raising, by a group of United States Marines, was emotional, and a Marine photographer captured it. But a U.S. commander thought the flag was too small to be seen at a distance. And so, a few hours later, five more Marines and one Navy medical corpsman carried out orders to haul a much larger flag up to the top. Again photos were shot, along with a film. No one thought to record this bit of everyday war business in the daily log.
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Photos were taken of two flag-raisings on Iwo Jima
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Ben-Ghiat: One photo became iconic, representing tragedy and triumph of the war
The @placeholder endured inhuman conditions underground, without food, water, and medical supplies, and their no-surrender policy created more unburied corpses in the tunnels as the war went on.