Iwo Jima in LIFE Magazine — The Story Behind the Photograph
The Battle of Iwo Jima: February 19, 1945
On February 19, 1945, U.S. Marines landed on the volcanic island of Iwo Jima in the western Pacific. The battle would last five weeks and become one of the bloodiest engagements of World War II.
Four days after the landings — February 23, 1945 — a patrol climbed Mount Suribachi.
Machine-gun fire echoed across the ridgeline. Smoke drifted above the black volcanic sand.
A photographer followed.
Minutes later, a second American flag was raised above the island.
The image would travel home before many of the men did.
Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima by Joe Rosenthal
The photograph showed six Marines straining together to lift a flagstaff against wind and gravity. Their faces were turned away. The composition suggested momentum — shared effort captured at its most decisive angle.
Among them was Ira Hayes, a 22-year-old Marine from the Pima reservation in Arizona.
The image suggested culmination.
The reality was continuation.
The battle would rage for more than a month after the photograph was taken.
Three of the six Marines in the image would not survive the fighting.
Iwo Jima on the Cover of LIFE — April 9, 1945
LIFE magazine published Rosenthal’s photograph in March 1945.
Iwo Jima later appeared on the cover of the April 9, 1945 issue, with extended interior coverage documenting the battle and its cost.
That edition remains one of the most historically significant wartime issues of LIFE.
It captured not just the moment — but the magnitude of sacrifice behind it.
Available here:
https://www.originallifemagazines.com/product/life-magazine-april-9-1945/
What Iwo Jima Cost
The Battle of Iwo Jima cost nearly 7,000 American lives. More than 19,000 were wounded.
Hayes survived.
Once the identities of the flag raisers were confirmed, Hayes and two others were removed from combat and sent on a nationwide war bond tour. They appeared beneath enlarged reproductions of the photograph in stadiums and civic halls.
They were introduced as heroes.
The image had become a national instrument — a rallying point for morale and financing.
Hayes knew the cost behind it.
The Burden of Survival
After the war, Hayes returned to Arizona.
The public ceremonies ended. The photograph did not.
He struggled with alcoholism and the weight of recognition. He attended funerals of fellow Marines and visited the families of the fallen.
In 1955, at age 32, he was found dead near his home. The cause was listed as exposure.
The image endured.
The Marine within it did not.
Why the April 9, 1945 LIFE Issue Still Matters
Rosenthal’s photograph remains one of the defining visual records of the twentieth century.
It represents collective effort under fire.
But history gains depth when the individuals inside its symbols are restored to view.
On this anniversary of Iwo Jima, the photograph stands.
So does the record preserved inside the pages of the April 9, 1945 issue of LIFE magazine — documenting not just victory, but cost.
Own a Piece of WWII History
The April 9, 1945 issue of LIFE magazine featuring Iwo Jima remains one of the most important wartime publications ever printed.
Original copies are:
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100% authentic
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Complete
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Carefully preserved
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Ready for gifting or collecting
History you can hold.
👉 View the April 9, 1945 issue here:
https://www.originallifemagazines.com/product/life-magazine-april-9-1945/
Frequently Searched Questions
When did the Battle of Iwo Jima begin?
February 19, 1945.
When was the Iwo Jima flag raised?
February 23, 1945.
Which LIFE magazine issue featured Iwo Jima on the cover?
April 9, 1945.
Who was Ira Hayes?
Ira Hayes was one of the six Marines photographed raising the second American flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima.
The Perfect Milestone Gift
Original LIFE Magazines (1936–2000) are authentic vintage issues from the golden age of American photojournalism.
Whether for a WWII history collector, a military family, or a milestone birthday — these are not reproductions.
They are the originals.
Available now at OriginalLIFEmagazines.com
