The Most Famous Photo From WW2 🤯
A World War 2 veteran recounts the iconic flag-raising on Iwo Jima, explaining that the flag was mounted on a salvaged Japanese drainpipe rather than a proper flagpole. He describes the dramatic reaction from Allied ships in the bay and notes that the sight infuriated Japanese forces, causing them to fight harder. The veteran emphasizes the historic significance of planting the American flag on Japanese soil for the first time.
Summary
In this brief but powerful transcript, a World War 2 veteran provides a firsthand account of the famous Iwo Jima flag-raising, one of the most iconic moments in American military history. He reveals a little-known detail: the flag was not raised on a proper flagpole, but rather on a salvaged Japanese drainpipe that had been used to channel rainwater into caves. The veteran notes that American forces purified their water, unlike the Japanese who relied on this drainage system, which is how the pipe became available.
The veteran describes the moment the flag reached the crest of the mountain as a shocking and awe-inspiring spectacle. The sight of the American flag rising over Iwo Jima prompted an immediate and explosive reaction from Allied naval forces in the surrounding bay — ships fired tracers and rockets into the air in celebration, creating a dramatic display visible across the area.
However, the veteran also reflects on the unintended consequence of this moment: it deeply enraged the Japanese forces, who responded by fighting with even greater intensity. He emphasizes the profound historical significance of the event — it marked the first time an American flag had been planted on Japanese soil. When asked how close he was to the flag, he gestures to a photo on the wall, underscoring just how near he was to this historic moment.
Key Insights
- The veteran reveals that the famous flag was raised on a Japanese drainpipe, not a military flagpole, because no proper pole was available — the pipe had been used by Japanese forces to channel rainwater into caves.
- The veteran states that neither he nor those around him had any prior knowledge that a flag would be raised on the mountain that day, making the moment entirely spontaneous from his perspective.
- Allied ships in the bay responded to the flag-raising with an immediate and dramatic celebration, firing tracers and rockets into the air in a display the veteran describes as 'like a spectacle.'
- The veteran argues that the flag-raising had a negative tactical consequence — it infuriated the Japanese forces, who subsequently fought twice as hard against American troops.
- The veteran emphasizes the historic milestone that the Iwo Jima flag-raising represented: it was the first time an American flag had ever been placed on Japanese soil.
Topics
Transcript
[0:00] That was drain pipe that that flag was put on. And people don't know that. We have no pole for a flag. We didn't know anything about a flag going up on the mountain. So they found this drain pipe and they put it together. And the Japanese used it to get rain water down in the cave. They couldn't purify it like we did. We purified our water. Didn't taste too good, but it was pure. And when we get up to the crest and stand there, it goes up. Man, it was a shock. And everybody saw that flag go up out in the bay. All those ships out there let go in the air with tracers…
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