Iwo Jima, Plus 71 City Makes Plans
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www.boonecountyjournal.com In Our 20th Year 815-544-4430 The Boone County Journal March 4th 2016 1 FREE COUNTY LOCAL NEWS, OPINION & HISTORY Real Journalism for a Real Democracy www.boonecountyjournal.com Published Every Friday • March 4th, 2016 • Vol 20 • Issue 42 No. 1030 American. He had a difficult life after the war dying of alcoholism and exposure on January 24, 1955. The Navy corpsman was John Bradley (70) of Antigo, Wisconsin. He was the last surviving member of the group that raised the flag on Iwo Jima. Joe Rosenthal (94) was born of Jewish immigrants who came to America and settled in Washington DC. It is odd but he was deferred from serving during World War II because of his poor sight. In 1941 he attended the University of San Francisco and was hired by AP as a photographer. He worked at other jobs and was later rehired by AP in 1944 and was went to the Pacific Theatre of the War to follow the Marines as they moved toward the Japanese mainland. Joe Rosenthal served as an AP photographer on Hollandia, New Guinea, Guam, Peleliu, Angaur and Iwo Jima. After the War he left the AP and became a photographer for the San Francisco Chronicle where he worked for 35 more years before retiring in 1981. The Journal wants to recognize Associated Press for holding the copyright on the photograph shown here. We also want to recognize the estate of Joe Rosenthal. Further, extensive research material used to write this piece was obtained from a number of sites within the network of sites found under Wikipedia.com the “Internet Encyclopedia,” the United States Marine Corps and the Library of Congress. City Makes Plans By James Middleton A decision was made in the Boone County Board meeting that met the goal of the majority of their elected members, but that decision did not pass muster with everyone. The decision that occurred was for County Board officials to sever an Intergovernmental Agreement (Agreement) that had sustained for decades. That Agreement had the City of Belvidere and Boone County that created the island centuries earlier. The top of the equally sharing and using planning services. After the mount was 546 feet above the shore and was located on move by the county, the Agreement had 90-days more to Iwo Jima, plus 71 the southern quadrant of the island. Lieutenant Colonel By James Middleton continue unless a renegotiated agreement could be reached. Chandler Johnson led “Easy Company” of the 5th Marine Last week, February 23, 1945, marked the 71st The longer this process moves, though, the less likely such Division who ordered a platoon to capture the summit. anniversary of the date when perhaps the most famous a result could occur. First Lieutenant Harold Shirer led that platoon. It was photograph from World War II was shot. The photograph The question of what the city would do after this Shirer who planted the first flag on the summit. The flag was shot on the Pacific atoll of Iwo Jima by Associated result was formally known came for consideration as the was attached to a pipe and Staff Sergeant Louis Lowery a Press photographer Joe Rosenthal. The picture that he last item on the Belvidere City Council committee of photographer for Leatherneck Magazine was credited with captured had five Marines and one Navy corpsman working the whole agenda for their February 22nd meeting. The shooting the first photograph of the flag raising. However, together to raise the American flag atop Mount Suribachi meeting opened, though, with a comment made by a the first flag was deemed too small for such a moment and on Iwo Jima. former Belvidere Alderman, Andy Racz. Mr. Racz had was taken down in preparation for a second raising of the The soldiers who fought there after the invasion on represented the First Ward for many years before losing flag. February 19, 1945 called the volcanic island, “a large gray his post in a reelection effort. Her spoke during the public The second effort to raise the flag gave Rosenthal the pork chop.” The name stuck because of the trapezoid comment portion at the opening of the meeting. opportunity to capture his iconic shot. He heard that the shape with Mount Suribachi highlighting the center. Iwo He opened his comments by recounting what the flag was being raised on the Mount. Rosenthal, Private Jima was not a unique destination but it was simply one County Board had done, then he added, “The city has Bob Campbell who was also a photographer and Sergeant more island that American forces had to take as they made worked with the county dating from the Agreement in William Genaut, a motion picture photographer climbed their relentless march toward the Japanese mainland for 2006,” and he said, “this allowed for ‘one-stop’ shopping the hill together. When they reached the summit they were what was planned to be a final invasion that would end the for cooperation and the community.” Mr. Racz also said told that a second larger flag would replace the smaller flag Pacific Theatre of World War II. that the joint planning services had worked well for the city that was still blowing in the wind. Joe Rosenthal was a photojournalist, a title that only a and the county and that the joint department “was good for Men who were there claim that Rosenthal did not pose few years earlier had come about with the work of Robert the people of Boone County.” the picture but caught the photograph at the precise instant Cappa. He and others had earned fame from their daring He rejected the idea that the city and/or the county that is seen. It must be noted, camera gear in 1945 did not photographic work during the early years of World War could save money by severing the Agreement and he allow for multiple shots to be captured in an instant. Shutter II. It was Robert Cappa who was quoted as saying, “If added, “Savings can only be reached when the city and speeds and lens openings had to be set by hand, there was your shots are not good enough you are not close enough.” the county cooperate.” Mr. Racz emphasized that planning no automatic photo equipment in that day. Rosenthal and Rosenthal and his brethren subscribed to Cappa’s approach was only one area where the city and the county has Cappa felt fortunate to have a hand-held camera, such as to photojournalism; always get closer. cooperated. The city and the county continues to hold a a Leica to use instead of a cumbersome view camera with There are some critics who claim that Rosenthal’s joint relationship with the operation and expenses of the glass plates that was used in the American Civil War by shot was the most perfectly composed photograph from city/county Public Safety Building. Ms. Racz closed his Matthew Brady. the entire war. Those critics had forgotten the iconic comments by offering his thanks to the soon-to-be former The photograph that Joe Rosenthal shot on February photograph by Cappa showing the Spanish “anarchist interim director of planning, Kathy Miller. 23, 1945 was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for photography. militiamen,” Federico Borrell Garcia falling the instant he Just prior to adjournment of the committee of the whole Of the men shown in the photograph, five of the six were was shot and killed at Cerro Muriano in Spain. The factual meeting, the agenda item arose to discuss the city’s plan for Marines and the other was a Navy corpsman. The Marines record has it that Rosenthal’s work occurred during the creating their own planning department. Belvidere Mayor included Harlon Block (20) of Yorktown, Texas. Harlon second effort by the soldiers to raise the flag on that day. Michael Chamberlain led the discussion by explaining that set the flagpole into the ground on Mount Suribachi in the Only four days earlier, after a heavy naval bombardment, the city, has for some time, known that this move would photograph. He was killed a week later in action on Iwo Marines landed on Iwo Jima and fierce fighting led to the occur. Jima. Another Marine was Franklin Sousley (19) of Hill moment when Rosenthal had his camera ready. Many elected officials on the County Board and in the Top, Kentucky who survived on Iwo Jima until March Because the island was the first area of the Japanese city have known that the Chairman of the County Board, 21 before he too was killed. He was first buried on Iwo homeland that American forces attacked the island was Bob Walberg (District 1), has wanted to end the Agreement Jima after the battle but he was later reinterred in Elizaville heavily fortified and the Japanese forces were ordered by the sustained the joint planning department. Some sources Cemetery, Kentucky. Another man who raised the flag was their imperial government to hold the island at all costs indicated that when the vote came in the February County Marine Michael Strank (25) of Jerebina, Czechoslovakia. and to not surrender. The Japanese forces were dug into Board meeting the result was anti-climactic. He too died one week after the raising of the flag. caves and tunnels and the work of the Marines was led by Mayor Chamberlain was clear, “There is no changing Two Marines survived the Iwo Jima battle. One Marine men carrying flame-throwers to burn whatever was found what the County Board has decided to do.” He said that was René Gagnon (54) of Manchester, New Hampshire.