Lot 436

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Description:

Rene Gagnon WWII signed letter, One Year Before Iwo Jima

Two page autograph letter signed on one leaf, 6" x 9.5". Extensively written on lightly lined paper. From, "Charleston, S.C", dated "Feb 23, 1944", and signed by Gagnon as "Love as ever Rene". Accompanied by the autographed and signed mailing envelope, abraded along the top edge, 5.5" x 3". Postmarked "Feb 23, 1944". Letter near fine with mailing folds, and 3 punch holes to left edge.

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, while guarding the Naval Prison Camp in Charleston, South Carolina:

"Well here we are a couple of days nearer to my furlough. I'm going down to see the Sargent again in the morning to see if I can have the beginning of March I mean about the 1st I can't stand it anymore being away from you I've just go to see you soon….

Darling I don't even think I will be able to leave you again when I get home … my dreams of the future, that little white cottage with green shutters and a little fifi dog for you and a big police dog for me…"

It is unclear if Gagnon managed to see his girlfriend, but what is clear is that only one year later after writing this warm, dreamy letter, Gagnon was to participate in one of the most brutal battles of World War II, and 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. 

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. 

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.

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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January 6, 2021 10:30 AM EST
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