[Mr. Lucky]

I’m sure you intended no offense, but Joe Rosenthal’s Pulitzer prize wining photograph of the flag waving on Mt. Suribachi was definitely not staged. You will notice that the flag originally raised was much smaller than the one in the more famous photo. After the original flag had been raised, a Sergeant came running up the hill with the more famous flag and relayed his orders; something to the effect of: Colonel Johnson wants this flag run up so every son of a bitch on this whole cruddy island can see it.

If the Marines seem in a hurry, it's not because they were play acting; they were under enemy fire.

James Bradley's book Flags of our Fathers includes an excellent description of the whole event. unfortunately, the movie of the same name was virtually all fiction.

[cpanter]

You are absolutely correct - it was not a setup and it’s a disservice to Rosenthal and the marines as well, to say so.

And, I will add, Flags of Our Fathers is a fantastic book. I just read Flyboys by Bradley last month. Very good but not as good as FOOF.