IWO JIMA

Joe Rosenthal/AP

The photo was snapped in the midst of battle, the photographer never got anybody's name.  The Marine Corp later identified the personnel as: John Bradley, Rene Gagnon, Ira Hayes, Harlon Block, Michael Strank and Franklin Sousley.

It seems there is now some doubt as to the identification of John Bradley and it may in fact be a PFC named Harold Henry Schultz.

You can find out why here: MSN  

My opinion, no offense to those hoisting the flag, is that the identity of the individual members of the group is irrelevant as anything other than a historical footnote. The image is representative of all American serviceman who were fighting in the Pacific theater at the time, and in fact representative of American servicemen past, present and future.  By focusing on the individual soldiers, sailors, and marines you miss the point, forest for trees so to speak.

What do you think?