Flags of Our Fathers Charles Lindberg Autographed Photo

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Flags of Our Fathers Charles Lindberg Autographed Photo Framed Black and white 8x10 photo of the original 6 men who captured Mt Suribachi on Iwo Jima and raised the American Flag for the 1st time over Japanese soil has been hand signed by Marine Charles Lindberg. Autograph is in perfect condition with no smudges. Arrives framed with story card and certificate of authenticity. At 8 a.m. on February 23, a patrol of 40 men from 3rd Platoon, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines, led by 1LT Lieutenant Harold G. Schrier, assembled at the base of Mount Suribachi. The platoon's mission was to take the crater of Suribachi's peak and raise the U.S. flag. As a member of the first combat patrol to scale Mount Suribachi, Cpl Lindberg took his 72-pound flamethrower and started the tortuous climb up the rough terrain to the top. As they reached the top, the patrol members took positions around the crater watching for pockets of enemy resistance as other members of the patrol looked for something on which to raise the flag. Present at the crest were six Marines of a 40-man patrol. They were 1LT Lieutenant Schrier, Sergeant Thomas, Sergeant Hansen, Private First Class Charlo, Private First Class Michels, and Corporal Charles W. Lindberg. At approximately 10:20 a.m., the flag was hoisted on a steel pipe above the island. The sight of the small American flag flying from atop Mount Suribachi thrilled men all over the island. And for the first time during WWII, an American flag was flying above what was considered traditional Japanese territory. This symbol of victory sent a wave of strength to the battle-weary fighting men below, and struck a further mental blow against the island's defenders. Marine Corps photographer Sergeant Lou Lowery captured this first flag raising on film just as the enemy hurled a grenade in his direction. Dodging the grenade, Lowery hurled his body over the edge of the crater and tumbled 50 feet. His camera lens was shattered, but he and his film were safe. As Cpl Lindberg would later remark, "Suribachi was easy to take; it was getting t that was so hard!" Of the 40-man patrol, thirty-six were killed or wounded in later fighting on Iwo Jima including Lindberg himself who would be shot through the stomach and arm a week later on 1 March, 1945. For his heroism Lindberg would receive the Purple Heart and Silver Star Medal with the citation reading in part: "Repeatedly exposing himself to hostile grenades and machine-gun fire in order that he might reach and neutralize enemy pill-boxes at the base of Mount Suribachi, Corporal Lindberg courageously approached within ten or fifteen yards of the emplacements before discharging his weapon, tby assuring the annihilation of the enemy and the successful completion of this platoon's mission. While engaged in an attack on hostile cave positions on March 1, he fearlessly exposed himself to accurate enemy fire and was subsequently wounded and evacuated." When the battle was over, 6,821 American Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers, along with an estimated 20,000 plus Japanese defenders had died on this 8-mile square island. The fighting that took place during the 36-day assault would be immortalized in the words of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander Pacific Fleet / Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas, who said: "Among the Americans who served on Iwo Island, uncommon valor was a common virtue." Buyer to pay $6 UPS insured shipping. read more

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