In Flags of our Fathers, by James Bradley, a venture of six strangers is conveyed through text. Flag of Our Fathers details the different backgrounds of each of the six men in unforgettable imagery and gives a history of the war. It enlightens the unknown details of a heroic picture regarded and taught to many. James Bradley, the son of one of the flag raisers, travels and researches the true stories of John Bradley, Franklin Sousley, Harlon Block, Ira Hayes, Rene Gagnon, and Mike Strank.
Although these six men are the greatest symbol of the battle at Iwo Jima it is mainly because of the image not their stories. There were other heroes of the war and this is one reason why John Bradley did not say much about his experiences at Iwo Jima. John believed he was not the hero, that the heroes were the men lost in battle. Curiosity was a primary reason James Bradley decided to research this topic. Bradley explains why John never said a word about what happened, including never mentioning an award he received. He wanted to know why his father never spoke of war and why they only learned about what happened after he had passed. James’ interest pushed him to learn if the other five men affected by this image shared the same beliefs as his father. …show more content…
Five marines and one corpsman. Sousley was only eighteen when he left for war and was remembered mostly as a kind and innocent young man. Block, not facing the camera, was innocent and taken from his youth to join the battlefield. Hayes, was a mystery to many and joined the war, hoping to find his place. Gagnon, hidden by Bradley, a ladies man with the most defined life joined the marines after being drafted by the navy. Lastly, Strank, the “old man” of the group was the leader and helped define each man, not by battle, but by courage and wisdom in the