Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley with Ron Powers (2000)

Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley with Ron Powers

                I was convinced I knew what I wanted to write when I sat down to begin this review. I was going to mention how everyone can recognize the photo used on the cover of this book. That it’s an example of patriotism and a symbol of World War II. It represents the integrity of the men fighting on the small island of Iwo Jima and an ode to those who lost their lives. But it’s so much more than that. That image was used as propaganda to extract more bonds from Americans in the war effort. The image was falsely portrayed and the truth pushed to the side because the image itself was so well done that the story framed around it simply had to be true. Many didn’t want to listen to the true story behind the image, the raising of the second flag on top of Mount Suribachi. That the original picture of the first flag being raised was never used and is barely even acknowledged. Flags of Our Fathers uses this image to explain what really happened on Iwo Jima, the lives that were lost, the sacrifices made, the horror endured in the name of war. Marines stood side by side fighting to the death to secure that island while Navy Corpsman like Doc Bradley would go from man to man trying to save their lives.

                Bradley wrote a book not only about the history of his father but about the many Marines and Navy sailors who fought and died on Iwo Jima. This book was well researched, well told and glaring in its ruthlessness. But war is brutal and the campaign in the Pacific was extremely brutal. This was a type of warfare Americans had never seen and weren’t prepared for. I found Bradley’s account endearing. The love for his father was obvious as was his need to understand the role that his father played. John “Doc” Bradley never wanted to talk about the war, Iwo Jima or The Photograph. It “happened a long time ago” he would say or “the heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who didn’t come back.” James Bradley wasn’t even aware of the fact that his father had received the Navy Cross for his service at Iwo Jima. By learning the history of his father and writing this story not only about him but about the men who stood by his side I feel like he was honoring his father in a way he couldn’t when he was alive.

                I’m giving this book 4 out 5 stars. I thought it was captivating and captured the horror of war while telling the story of boys becoming men. Now with that being said I must provide a disclaimer. I was less than a hundred pages from finishing this book when I came across an article stating that James Bradley was not sure if his father was actually in the The Photograph on the top of Mount Suribachi. Yeah, how about that for a mind blowing tidbit of information. Now keep in mind his father said he was in the picture. John Bradley took part in the bond tour that took place, with two other flagraisers. He was used as a propaganda piece. What does any of that mean though if he wasn’t actually in the photo? It means a lot of other things may have been in play. Especially if he wasn’t in the picture and the other two men on the tour Rene and Ira, knew he wasn’t in the photo and yet they all took part in the tour. When reading the tail end of this book all of these thoughts were in my mind and I still haven’t come to a conclusion. Does this new information change how I look at this book? Absolutely. James Bradley didn’t purposely falsify his dad’s role. This new information came out within the last two years and he just verified this in May of 2016. It leaves question about the man and the solitude he was seeking once the tours were over. It begs the question of whether there was more to his silence then the horror of the war and the losses of life he witnessed.