75th Anniversary Ceremony First Flag on Mount Suribachi, Honoring Sgt Ernest “Boots” Thomas

& WW II Veterans

“BOOTS” THOMAS VETERANS MEMORIAL February 21, 2020 10:00 AM 930 W Washington St., Monticello FL

Sponsored By: Jefferson County Historical Association, American Legion Post 49, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 251 The City of Monticello, Florida and The Jefferson County Tourist Development Council [email protected] (850) 997-5007 Cell 850-321-6975 Sgt. ERNEST “BOOTS” THOMAS

IWO JIMA VETERANS MEMORIAL

75th Anniversary of the First Flag Raising on Mount Suribachi

On February 23, 1945, Sergeant Ernest “Boots” Thomas, USMCR, led his platoon to raise the first Flag atop Mount Suribachi on the Japanese Island of Iwo Jima. Iwo Jima was the first Japanese Territory taken in World War II. On March 3, 1945, Ten (10) days after earning the Navy Cross for Heroism (Previous action), Eight (8) days after the raising the First Flag, and a week before his 21st Birthday, Sergeant Thomas was killed on the battlefield.

On February 19, 1945, after months of bombardment, culminating 74 days of continuous air strikes, the largest Marine Combat Force ever assembled landed on the eight square mile Japanese Island of Iwo Jima. At the Southern tip was a 550' volcano, Mount Suribachi, that gave the Japanese a commanding view of the Marine beachheads. The base of Suribachi was surrounded by U.S. Marines on Dday+3 and the next day at 10:20 A.M. Marines from Company E, 3rd Platoon, raised the Stars and Stripes atop Suribachi. Thomas’ Platoon took photographs as they proceeded up Suribachi which still had pockets of Japanese infantry dug into its many caves. These are the only photographs of their climb up Suribachi and of the First Flag raising. At the time these photographs were widely published by newspapers in Florida.

Several hours later another group of Marines, who had been ordered to do so, raised a larger second flag. The photograph of the larger Second Flag being raised has become one of the most famous single photographs ever taken. It has been widely circulated and was used to cast the Marine Corps Iwo Jima Memorial at Arlington.

On March 26, 1945, following 36 days of the bloodiest battle in Marine History, the most heavily fortified island in the world was secured. The victory had cost 6,821 U.S. Marine lives and more than 20,000 Japanese lives. Iwo Jima was the first Japanese Territory conquered and was of paramount importance for refueling aircraft and as a base of operations for bombing raids of the main Japanese Islands and .

The story of “Boots” Thomas leading his 3rd Platoon to the summit of Suribachi, raising the First U.S. Flag and fighting to hold Suribachi, would have been lost to history, if not for the unwavering efforts of a boyhood friend, Dr. James Sledge. Dr. Sledge has been instrumental in keeping this story from fading away by honoring his memory, courage and valor with the “Boots” Thomas Veterans Memorial and also by collaborating with R.A. Sheats in her book “Call Me No Hero.” Actor and director, Clint Eastwood, told both stories, (First Flag and Second Flag) in his film “Flags of Our Fathers.”

“Boots” Thomas grew up in Monticello and was returned for burial in Monticello’s Roseland Cemetery.

“Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue”