Marines correct ID of second man who raised flag at Iwo Jima
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Marine Corps has corrected the identity of another of the men who were photographed raising the American flag at Iwo Jima during World War II.
The Marines said in a statement Thursday that after questions were raised by private historians who studied photos and films, it determined that Cpl. Harold P. Keller was among the six men who raised the flag. The Marines say Pfc. Rene Gagnon had helped in the effort but for decades was mistakenly identified by the Marines as one of the flag-raisers.
Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal shot the iconic photograph atop Mount Suribachi during an intense battle between American and Japanese forces in 1945.
In 2016, the Marines corrected the identity of another man in the photo after historians raised questions.
NBC News, which first reported on the Marines’ decision, says Keller died in 1979 in Grinnell, Iowa.
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