In 1954, a week before Christmas Ira was arrested to the 51st time for being drunk. A month later he was found dead in a snow bank. Everyone thought it was because he got in a fight after a card game, some think it was because of his alcohol. Tons of people pay their respects and go to his funeral.
Rene worked as an airline clerk, an employee in Pauline's travel agency, then he fell do9wn to being a janitor. Their marriage suffered because she was emotionally abusive. He died of a heart attack at the age of 54, trapped in a janitors closet.
In 1979, Mary Elson, a Chicago Tribune write surprises John Bradley at his funeral home. He tells her that he wishes he wouldn't of helped put up the flag, and he only gives her a 10 minute interview.
In 1980 Dave Severance starts to plan reunions for the Marines who were apart of the battle on Iwo Jima. Jack doesn't go to any of them. He hates that people think he is a hero. He told his son that the hero's of Iwo Jima were the ones that didn't come back.
James Bradley (the author, and John's son) doesn't ask his dad about Iwo Jima until 6 years later. John begins to talk about how Iggy and how he died. He tells his son that after the war, he visited Iggy's parents and lies to them about how he died.
In 1994 John dies after a stroke. A lot of people went to him funeral, no one really remembered his for his part in the photograph, but for his role in the community. John Bradley was awarded a Navy Cross for his heroism.
Then end of the book includes a letter that James's 15 year old daughter wrote to her late grandfather. She asks him why he never told his family about the Navy Cross, and why he kept everything from Iwo Jima a secret.
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