Iconic Image 2

 Welcome back viewers

This month's iconic image is...

Raising the Flag at Iwo Jima (Part 2)

Intro:

This image was taken by photographer Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press. It depicts six American marines raising the Stars and Stripes over Mount Surabachi. This image would ultimately become the most famous photo ever taken of American servicemen during World War II. It would come to symbolize the American war experience in the final months of the War in the Pacific and turn the American marines of Iwo Jima into legends.

Part I

At this point in the battle, Mount Surabachi had finally been captured. A small American flag had already been raised by a group of marines and navy corpsman who bravely ascended the mountain and killed the remaining Japanese defenders. For four hours, the small Stars and Stripes flew over the mountain, inspiring the thousands of American servicemen on the ground, in the air, and on the water. Unfortunately, not all of those on Iwo Jima could see the flag. It was too small to be seen by the marines on the Northern side of the mountain (where severe fighting was still occurring).

After realizing this, Colonel Chandler Johnson ordered the small Stars and Stripes to be replaced by a larger flag. Pfc. Rene Gagnon carried the new American flag up the side of Mount Surabachi and handed it to Sgt. Michael Strank. With five other marines, Sergeant Strank lowered the first flag, attached the new one to the pipe, and raised it on Mount Surabachi. It was at this moment that the most image of World War II in the Pacific was captured by photographer, Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press. 

Part II

A total of six men are depicted in the image. For a long time, the press struggled to discover their identities. As of 2019, all six men have been identified. They are (left to right): Pfc. Ira Hayes, Pfc. Harold Schultz, Sgt. Michael Strank, Pfc. Franklin Sousley, Pfc. Harold Keller, and Cpl. Harlon Block. Almost immediately after raising this flag, they left the mountain and resumed the fight for Iwo Jima. On March 1, Sergeant Strank and Corporal Block were KIA. Twenty days later, Private first class Sousley was fatally wounded by a Japanese sniper.

The day after the flag raising, Rosenthal boarded a plane and flew to the island of Guam. Once there, it was printed. The pictures were then given to photo editor John Bodkin (also of the Associated Press). Bodkin took one look at the image and immediately realized it's value. It showed strength and courage during one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. It was the spitting image of American victory. The American public immediately became entranced by the image, which ultimately became the most iconic photograph of American servicemen in World War II.

Part III

Among those to view the photograph was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was so impressed by the image that he immediately ordered the six servicemen to be brought home. However, when it was revealed that three of the men had already been KIA, the rush to identify the three survivors highly intensified. Unlike the previous flag-raising image (from Sgt. Lowery) the faces of the six servicemen in Rosenthal's image could not be viewed to easily. And in the hurry to rush the three surviving heroes home, mistaken identities were made.

The three surviving servicemen were identified as Pfc. Ira Hayes, Pfc. Rene Gagnon, and PhM2c. John Bradley (of the US Navy). Bradley had been severely wounded while treating the wounds of a wounded marine (he would receive the Navy Cross for his valor) and needed to use crutches. All three were then taken on war bound tours across the country, made to reenact the famous flag-raising, and called heroes by the public. 

However, the three servicemen were continually experiencing severe PTSD during the bonding tours. Although they were successful in raising more than 26 billion dollars for the war effort, all three heartily disliked the spotlight and hated being singled out as heroes. Once the war was over, they found it very difficult to live with the fame that had been thrust upon them.

Epilogue

In the seventy five years since the image was taken new evidence was unearthed that revealed the real identities of two of the servicemen in the flag-raising. In 2017, it was revealed that while John Bradley had taken part in the first flag-raising, he was not present in the more famous Rosenthal image. Two years later, it was found that Rene Gagnon (who had brought the replacement flag up the mountain) was not in the photo either. The two men actually were, Pfc. Harold Keller and Cpl. Harold Schultz. Neither Keller nor Schultz wished to be recognized and died in anonymity. 

Today, a memorial now stands in Arlington National Cemetery that depicts the flag-raising on Iwo Jima. It lists all six marines who took part (all six have since passed away). Two of them (Strank and Hayes) are buried not far from the monument in Arlington (Gagnon is also buried there). Despite the identification mishaps surrounding it, Joe Rosenthal's photograph remains the most memorable image ever taken of American servicemen during the World War II. To this day, it continues to symbolize their struggle, their valor, their brotherhood, and finally their victory.

http://100photos.time.com/photos/joe-rosenthal-iwo-jima-flag-raising

https://www.livescience.com/iwo-jima-flag-raising.html

https://www.pulitzer.org/article/joe-rosenthal-and-flag-raising-iwo-jima

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/75th-anniversary-iconic-photo-iwo-jima-flag-raising/story?id=69133758

http://www.manythings.org/voa/usa/475.html

Hero of the Week 96

 Welcome back viewers

This week's hero is...

Medgar Evers 

Medgar Evers was born on July 2, 1925, in Decatur, Mississippi. He grew up experiencing racism on a daily basis. When he was 12, he witnessed a family friend get lynched by a mob and was forced to run from gangs of white thugs looking for black kids to jump. These experiences helped to harden his resolve. One day, Evers would stand up for his country and make a critical difference in it's destiny.

However, his first attempt to fight against racism was delayed by America's entry into World War II. In 1943, Medgar and his older brother (Charles Evers) enlisted in the US Army. He served in the Invasion of Normandy where he delivered supplies and ammunition to men on the front lines. After the end of the war, Evers received an honorable discharge for his service. Although many of his comrades decided to stay in the army (where their treatment was slightly better than at home), Evers decided to return to Mississippi to fulfill a promise he had made to himself. His brother Charles later said that Medgar had told him, "When we get out of the Army, we're going to straighten this out". For him, another war had begun.

Once he returned to Mississippi, Evers enrolled in Alcorn State University. He majored in business administration and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1952. A year earlier he married a fellow classmate named, Myrlie Beasley. After graduating, Evers joined the National Association for the advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He began working on the desegregation of schools in Mississippi. With the growing Civil Rights Movement, Evers organized boycotts and sit-ins. One of his greatest achievements was the desegregation of the University of Mississippi. He also galvanized support for investigations into the murder of Emmet Till and the release of Clyde Kennard (an activist falsely accused of traffic violations). However, Evers' successes also made him a target.

The fact that Evers had successfully defied segregation many times made him a public enemy for white supremacist groups (including the KKK). At least two attempts were made on Medgar Ever's life in the year of 1963. At one point, a molotov cocktail was thrown at his home. Just a month later, a car attempted to run him down as he was leaving the NAACP building. Despite these threats on his life, Evers refused to back down to the threats and continued his work. 

Members of the KKK became so determined to eliminate Evers that they placed him on the top of their hit list. Just after midnight on June 12, 1963, Evers pulled into his driveway. As he walked to his house, a gunshot rang out. Evers fell to the ground and crawled into his house with a severe wound to his back. His wife drove him to an all-white hospital where doctors tried to save his life. Sadly, the bullet (fired from a sniper rifle) had struck his heart and he died on the operating table. Medgar Evers was only 37 years old.

Just nine days later, the FBI identified a suspect. He was a fertilizer salesman named, Byron De La Beckwith. Like Evers, Beckwith was a decorated veteran of World War II. Unlike Evers, Beckwith was an ardent racist who had joined the Ku Klux Klan in 1954. The FBI found his finger prints on the sniper rifle recovered from the scene of the crime. He was put on trial for the murder twice. However both juries (all-white) failed to convict. In 1994, Beckwith was put on a trial a third time. On February 5, a diverse jury finally returned with a conviction of first-degree murder. Byron De La Beckwith was sentenced to Life in Prison without the possibility of parole. He died in prison on January 1, 2001.

Although they were grief-stricken by his death, Ever's family decided to carry on his legacy. His brother Charles joined the NAACP a year later and continued his brother's work. In 1985, Charles Evers was elected, Mayor of Fayette, Mississippi (the first black man to ever hold that position). He died on July 22, 2020, at the age of 97. Myrlie Evers (Medgar's widow) also joined the NAACP and served as chair of the National Board of Directors. She continues to advocate for social justice today.

Medgar Evers was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. More than 5,000 people attended his funeral. Today he is praised as one of the greatest figures of the Civil Rights movement. In 2013, statue was erected in his honor at Alcorn University. He and Myrlie's home was designated as a historical landmark in 2017. It remains a solemn reminder of a brave man who fought two wars and defied racism. A man who gave his life for freedom, justice, and equal rights for all.

https://www.naacp.org/naacp-history-medgar-evers/

https://www.biography.com/activist/medgar-evers

https://www.mec.cuny.edu/history/life-of-medgar-evers/

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/06/05/188727790/fifty-years-after-medgar-evers-killing-the-scars-remain

Hero of the Week 95

 Welcome back viewers

This week we will honor a team of heroes

They are:

John Paulding, Isaac Van Wart, and David Williams

These three men were soldiers who fought in the American Revolution. All three of them had fought very bravely in the name of independence in liberty. However, their greatest contribution would not be on any major battlefield. Instead it would be on a solitary backroad trail in Westchester County, New York. The small but important action that took place here would ultimately save the American Revolution.

Early on the morning of September 17, 1780, Paulding, Van Wart, and Williams were walking in the woods searching for some lost cattle. All three were experienced yet exhausted soldiers who had seen heavy combat. And they all were wishing they could be home with their families. Little did the three know, they were on a collision course with immortality.

At approximately 9 AM, the three soldiers noticed a rider galloping towards them. They quickly stopped the rider and told him to identify himself. The rider identified himself as, John Anderson, a businessman from New York. However, Paulding became suspicious when the rider commented on how the three must be from the "lower party" (a term for American loyalists in New York). After a bit of small talk, Paulding succeeded in getting the rider to admit that he was a British officer riding between the lines. Upon hearing this, the three patriots quickly placed the officer under arrest and searched is clothing. 

After pulling off his boots, they discovered a sheath of paper. One of six sheets of paper contained a diagram of the fortifications of West Point. The patriots quickly deduced that this man was a spy in possession of sensitive information. They quickly pocketed the information and took the officer to the nearest patriot fortification. Before entering, the British officer attempted to bribe the three with money. Paulding angrily refused saying, "No, by God, even if you give us ten thousand guineas, you should not stir a step!". The three turned the prisoner and the six sheets over to LtCol John Jameson. After reading the documents, Jameson discovered something shocking.

 

The officer was identified as, Maj. John André. He was carrying documents that gave valuable intelligence to the structure of West Point. Most disturbing of all, was that they had been given to André by West Point's commanding officer. His name was, Benedict Arnold. He was a highly decorated soldier and personal friend of George Washington. However, due to his disfavor with the American Congress, Arnold had decided to betray the American cause and turn over West Point (while Washington was present) to the British Army. 

Upon learning of the treachery, Washington was so furious that he ordered Arnold's arrest and a court martial to be prepared. Unfortunately, by the time the order went out, Arnold had already learned of André's capture and quickly fled to British lines. Washington sent an envoy to General Sir Henry Clinton of the British Army. He offered to exchange Major André for Benedict Arnold. Although Clinton had very little regard for Arnold, he declined the offer. Since André had been captured while disguised as a civilian, he was classified as a spy and sentenced to hang. On October 2, 1780, John André was executed.

As for the three patriots who had captured André, George Washington immediately ordered them to be brought to him. Washington was so grateful that he ordered Paulding, Van Wart, and Williams to each receive a lifetime pension of $200 a year, for preventing "one of the severest strokes that could have been mediated against the revolution". All three received the first ever military decoration awarded by the American Congress (the Fidelity Medallion) as well as the Thanks of Congress. Once the Revolution ended, the three were all given 200 acres of farmland by the New York legislature. John Paulding passed away on February 18, 1818, Isaac Van Wart on May 23, 1828, and David Williams on, August 2, 1831. All three were buried with full military honors.

During the American Revolution, there were numerous incidents that changed the course of history. The capture of Major John André was one of them. By performing their duties to their country, these three men had prevented a terrible betrayal and saved the revolution.

https://www.hudsonrivervalley.org/john-paulding

https://www.americanheritage.com/three-forgotten-heroes

https://www.ushistory.org/march/bio/andre.htm

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPcap/1999-10/12/050r-101299-idx.html

https://thehudsonindependent.com/how-the-headstone-of-the-son-of-a-revolutionary-war-hero-was-returned-to-its-rightful-place/

Hero of the Week 94

 Welcome back viewers

This week's hero is...

Leo Bretholz 

Leo Bretholz was born on March 6, 1921, in Vienna, Austria. He grew up as the son of Polish immigrants who had come hoping to make a better life. All of that changed in March of 1938, when the country of Austria was forcefully annexed by Nazi Germany. On March 12, 1938, the armies of the Third Reich marched though the streets of Vienna in was would be known as the Anschluss (joining). For Leo, this would be the beginning of seven year fight to stay alive. 

Due to the rising levels of anti-semitism after the Anschluss, Leo's mother sent him to live with relatives in the country of Belgium. He lived there without incident for the next eighteen months and studied to be an electrician. However, all of that changed in May of 1940, when Nazi German launched it's blitzkrieg against Belgium. On May 9, Leo entered a hospital in Antwerp to be treated for a hernia. All of a sudden, bombs began to explode all around the city. Leo was forced to run from the hospital without before a bomb landed directly in the middle of the building. A day later, he was arrested by the Belgian police as an enemy alien (since he was Austrian) and sent to an internment camp in France.

However, Leo had no intention of remaining and escaped by crawling under the barbed wire fence. After reaching a safe-house, he hid with some of his relatives in France. But just a month later, the Nazis invaded and took over France. Within just days, they began to arrest and deport it's Jewish population. By October 1942, Leo decided to take a chance and cross the border between France and Switzerland. Unfortunately, he was caught be a Swiss patrol and turned over to the Nazis. He spent the next month in French prison camp at Drancy before being put on a convoy. It's destination was, Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The convoy officially departed from Drancy on November 5, 1942. The cattle-cars that were carrying the prisoners were incredibly unsanitary and filthy. The car that was holding Leo was filled with at least two dozen people. By the second day, the floor was covered in feces and urine that made many people sick. However Leo was determined not to reach the train's destination. He noticed that the car had one window with two iron bars running horizontally across it. He tapped a friend he had made in Drancy (Manfred Silberwasser) and told him that they could attempt to escape through the window. After some pep talk from an elderly woman, Leo and Manfred decided to take a chance.

They pulled at the two bars, but they wouldn't budge. Leo realized that they needed pry the bars open with a rope like object. He and Manfred took off their sweaters, dipped them into the urine that was sloshing around on the floor, wrung the sweaters out, wrapped them around the bars, and began to twist. As the hours ticked by, they began to feel rust particles on their arms. They quickly sped up their work. After about five hours, they felt the bars beginning to bend and move. By 7 PM, the bars had bent enough and now there was space to climb through. Leo then squeezed through the small opening and found himself on the side of the cattle car, Manfred joined him about a minute later. They waited until the train slowed down at a curve in the tracks and jumped into the darkness. 

Leo's ordeal was far from over. For the rest of the war, he continued to run and hide from the Nazis and their collaborators (he didn't get surgery for his hernia until 1944). By the time the war ended, he had successfully escaped his pursuers an incredible total of seven times. In 1947, he immigrated to the United States and settled in Baltimore, Maryland where he worked as a book retailer and raised a family. In 1962, he learned that his mother and two sisters had been deported to Auschwitz 20 years earlier and were never heard from again. 

In 1998, Leo published a memoir of his experience titled, Leap into Darkness, which recounted the story of his incredible fight to stay alive. It instantly became a best seller. He spent the rest of days contributing to Holocaust research projects and giving interviews of his experiences. He finally passed away on March 8, 2014, at the age of 93.

Leo Bretholz's story is one of the greatest tales of survival in human history. He faced an evil group of people who were determined to take his life. But because of his daring defiance and will to stay alive, they failed. He truly is someone to be held in high regard. 

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/id-card/leo-bretholz

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/leo-bretholz-holocaust-survivor-and-activist-dies-at-93/2014/03/10/922225ea-a867-11e3-8599-ce7295b6851c_story.html

Bretholz, Leo; Olesker, Michael (1998). Leap into Darkness: Seven Years on the Run in Wartime Europe. Baltimore, MD: Woodholme House Publishers.