US soldiers rising american flag on mount Iwo Jima. World War 2 vintage poster

Raising the American Flag on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima is based on the iconic 1945 photograph of U.S. Marines raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Frequently reproduced as wartime posters and patriotic prints, the image became a powerful symbol of sacrifice, unity, and victory in World War II. Its dramatic composition—soldiers straining together to plant the flag against a barren battlefield—captured the determination of Allied forces and quickly became one of the most recognizable images of the twentieth century.

Joe Rosenthal (1911–2006) photographed the famous flag-raising on February 23, 1945. The image won the Pulitzer Prize and inspired war bond campaigns, memorials, posters, and countless reproductions. It remains a defining visual record of the Pacific War and a lasting tribute to the service of American military personnel during World War II.