Raymond Jacobs

Raymond Jacobs, who was believed to be the last surviving member of the original party of Marines who raised the flag on Mount Suribachi after the Battle of Iwo Jima, died on January 29, 2008. The flag raising is best remembered by the photograph that Joe Rosenthal took of a second group of Marines raising the flag later that day.

During February and March of 1945, the United States Marines fought the Japanese in Iwo Jima. It was during the Pacific portion of World War II. Fighting on the ground took place over a period of 35 days, from February 19 to March 26.

On February 23, the Marines raised the United States flag on top of Mount Suribachi.

In total, the US lost over 6,000 Marines, with over 19,000 wounded. The Japanese suffered a loss of over 20,000, with 216 captured.

• Topix.net: Raymond Jacobs
• Google News: Raymond Jacobs
• ABC News: Death of an Icon: Last Iwo Jima Marine Dies (February 4, 2008)
• Redding.com: Redding Marine Helped Raise First Iwo Jima Flag (February 1, 2008)
  • Jacobs described the flag raising as follows: "Marines on the ground, still engaged in combat, raised a spontaneous yell when they saw the flag...Screaming and cheering so loud and prolonged that we could hear it quite clearly on top of Suribachi...The celebration went on for many minutes...It was a highly emotional, strongly patriotic, moment for all of us."
• San Diego Union Tribune: "Ex-Marine Claims a Piece of History" (Fenbruary 21, 2005)