<P> The photograph was first published in Sunday newspapers on February 25, 1945 . It was extremely popular and was reprinted in thousands of publications . Later, it became the only photograph to win the Pulitzer Prize for Photography in the same year as its publication, and came to be regarded in the United States as one of the most significant and recognizable images of the war . </P> <P> Three Marines in the photograph, Sergeant Michael Strank, Corporal Harlon Block (misidentified as Sergeant Hank Hansen until January 1947), and Private First Class Franklin Sousley were killed in action over the next few days . The other three surviving flag - raisers in the photograph were Corporals (then Private First Class) Rene Gagnon, Ira Hayes, and Harold Schultz (misidentified as PhM2c . John Bradley until June 2016). Both men originally misidentified as flag raisers had helped raise a smaller flag about 90 minutes earlier, and were both still on the mountaintop and witnessed--but were not part of--the specific moment of raising the larger flag that was captured in the Pulitzer Prize - winning photo . All men were under the command of Brigadier General Harry B. Liversedge . </P> <P> The image was later used by Felix de Weldon to sculpt the Marine Corps War Memorial, which was dedicated in 1954 to all Marines who died for their country and is located in Arlington Ridge Park, near the Ord - Weitzel Gate to Arlington National Cemetery and the Netherlands Carillon . </P> <P> On February 19, 1945, the United States invaded Iwo Jima as part of its island - hopping strategy to defeat Japan . Iwo Jima originally was not a target, but the relatively quick fall of the Philippines left the Americans with a longer - than - expected lull prior to the planned invasion of Okinawa . Iwo Jima is located halfway between Japan and the Mariana Islands, where American long - range bombers were based, and was used by the Japanese as an early warning station, radioing warnings of incoming American bombers to the Japanese homeland . The Americans, after capturing the island, weakened the Japanese early warning system, and used it as an emergency landing strip for damaged bombers . </P>

Where is the statue of the soldiers raising the flag