Description:

John H. Bradley
Bethesda, MD, July 9, 1945
John H. Bradley 1945 ALS on Iwo Jima Flag Raising
ALS

An autograph letter signed by John H. Bradley concerning the raising of the flag on Mount Suribachi. 1p, measuring 7.25" x 10.5", Bethesda, dated July 9, 1945. Signed "John H. Bradley" and addressed to Rev. Greenway. The letter answers some questions about the moment of the iconic raising the flag and the fate of some of the men involved. With flattened folds and scattered spotting and soiling. Light corner and edge wear, with a small tear on the upper left edge. Very good overall.

In full:
"I just returned from a 2 mos. Bond tour and received your letter dated May 8, 1945. In answer to your question you were correct. In that picture of the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi there were 5 Marines and One Navy Pharmacist mate. Three of the Marines were later killed. The flag raising took place on Feb. 23, 1945. Two Marines were killed March 1st and the third was killed March 19. Gagnon & Ira Hayes, two Marines were uninjured and I was wounded on March 12th. I am getting along fine, Hope this answers your questions."

John Henry Bradley (1923-1994) was a United States Navy Hospital corpsman who was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism while serving with the Marines during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Bradley was generally known as being one of the men who raised the second U.S. flag on Mount Suribachi on February 23, 1945, as depicted in the iconic photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima by photographer Joe Rosenthal. After the battle, Bradley and two Marines were identified as surviving second flag-raisers and were reassigned to help raise funds for the Seventh War Loan drive.

However, in 2016, the Marine Corps announced publicly (after an investigation) that Bradley was not in the photograph. The man long thought to have been Bradley was identified as Private First Class Franklin Sousley, who had previously been thought to be in another position in the photograph, and the man who had been originally identified as Sousley was identified as Private First Class Harold Schultz. Bradley is one of three men who were originally identified incorrectly as flag-raisers in the photograph (the others being Hank Hansen and Rene Gagnon).

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 7.25" x 10.5"
  • Medium: ALS

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