Flags Of Our Fathers, Chapters 17 and 18.

Ed and Belle Block move to Loma Linda, California. There was a large Seventh-Day Adventist presence. They mainly moved because of Harlen death, and his mom didn't to live in the valley anymore. Ed (her husband) only goes with so he can save their marriage. He doesn't like living there so he moves back without Belle.

In July of 1945 Winston Churchill, Harry Truman, and Josef Stalin plan the use of atomic weapons on Japan to end the war. Jack finally returns to Appleton, Wisconsin from treatment for his leg wounds. He has a date with Betty Van Gorp he has to have more surgery. She later becomes his wife. Rene returns to work in the mills in Manchester, New York with his new wife Pauline.

Ira goes back to his life on the reservation near Phoenix, Arizona and does odd jobs. Reporters always follow his around and stuff. He turns into a loner and drinks a lot.

In January 0f 1947 the government starts shipping back the remains of the Marines that died on Iwo Jima. Belle Block returns to the valley to see Harlon's funeral. Mike Strank is buried in the Arlington National Cemetery, and Iggy is buried at the Mational Military Cemetery in Rock Island. In 1949 the last two Japanese fighters finally surrender.

This is the Arlington National Cemetary.

 

The production for the film of “The Sands Of Iwo Jima” begins at Republic Studios. The three men didn't want to be in the film, but they are ticked into it. They are each told that the two other men want to be in it, and if they say no, then they will ruin the whole movie. None of the three men even get a big part. The flag raisers aren't in the news for awhile up unitl the time that Ira gets jailed for being drunk. He gets out, and goes home to continue drinking.

 

Felix de Weldon finishes a bronze status of the photograph in 1954. It is finally unveiled on November 10^th in Arlington. All of the flag raisers and their families are present. Joe Rosenthal is even there, and he realizes that he got no credit for the photo. The people that are in the statue aren't even on named. The only name that is in it is the sculptors name.