Lot 270

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Description:

World War II



Rene Gagnon Iwo Jima flag raiser WWII signed letter, w/signed envelope, "the war's got to end sometime and when it does, we'll be back together"

 

Four page autograph letter signed, 8" x 10.5". Extensively penned in green ink on lightly lined paper. Dated " 29 December 1943", and signed by Gagnon as "Rene". Accompanied by the autographed and signed mailing envelope with abraded flap to verso. Letter near fine with mailing folds.

 

Gagnon was one of the six soldiers pictured in "Raising The Flag on lwo Jima", arguably the most famous photograph of all time. In the autograph letter signed, Gagnon writes to girlfriend Pauline Harnois on 29 December 1943, while guarding the Naval Prison Camp in Charleston, South Carolina:

 "...it's been...years and the war is still on. Remember when I used to think the war would end too soon and I wouldn't have time to get in the service, I guess I didn't realize what it would be like to be away from you and home...everyone else was getting [into the service so, I wanted to be like the rest...when I stand four hour watches at night I have a lot of time to plan things for the future...its a lot of fun thinking about that little cottage with the green shutters, and the kids running around...they can't stop me from dreaming...the war's got to end sometime and when it does, we'll be back together again...the bugler is sounding 'Taps' that means lights out...Rene xoxoxo".

Written only a few years before the famous flag raising at IWO Jima. On February 23, Bradley and Navy corpsman, PhM2c. Gerald Ziehme (replaced PhM3c. Langley who was wounded in action on February 21), were part of the 40-man combat patrol (mostly from Third Platoon, Easy Company) were sent to climb up the east slope of Mount Suribachi to seize and occupy the crest and to raise an American flag to signal that the mountaintop was captured. On top, the Marines found a steel pipe to attach the flag unto. The flagstaff was taken to the highest position on the crater.  Seeing the raising of the national colors immediately caused loud cheering from the Marines, sailors, and Coast Guardsmen on the beach below and from the men on the ships near the beach. After the flag was raised, Bradley, who was with the group of Marines near the flagstaff, pitched in to help the flagstaff stay vertical in the terrific winds on the volcano.

Rene  Gagnon is best known for being one of the six flag-raisers who helped raise the second U.S. flag at IWO Jima; which was the one memorialized by the Pulitzer prize winning photo, and initiated using a larger flag in order for the American flag to be seen more easily from the ships, beaches, and land off and around Mount Suribachi. Marine Sgt. Michael Strank was ordered to ascend Mount Suribachi with Marines from his squad and raise the replacement flag and return with the first flag that was flying on top.

 

The IWO Jima flag raising was a moment of enormous historical importance.  Of the six men who participated in the raising of the flag, three were killed in action and died over the next few days and did not come back.



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