MONTICELLO, FL — This weekend veterans will be gathering in Monticello to celebrate the 80th Anniversary Commemoration of the First United States Flag raised on Iwo Jima, Japan.
The celebration is this Sunday, February 23rd at 2:00 p.m. at the “Boots” Thomas Veterans
Memorial Park. World War II veterans will be celebrated at the ceremony.
The public is invited to the ceremony.
Below is how the City of Monticello says Sargent Earnest I "Boots" Thomas accomplished this historic moment:
On February 23, 1945, after his Platoon Officer was put out of action by injury, twenty-year-old Sargent Thomasled his squad fighting their way to the top of Mount Suribachi and raised the first United States Flag on Japanese soil. Then the amphibious invasion fleet sighted the flag they began to sound their ship’s horns.
Later Sgt. Thomas was transported to the Flag Ship and commended for his squad’s
contribution. The flag raising was captured on photographs by his squad mates and
many still exist today and the flag raising feat was widely reported in Florida
newspapers.
His Squad’s U.S. Flag was a small and a decision was made to replace it with a larger flag. Boots was killed in action several days later justshy of his twentyfirst birthday. After the war his body was returned home and is interred in Roseland Cemetery in Monticello.
The Veteran Administration Clinic in Tallahassee is named after Sgt. Boots Thomas.
Several hours after Boots had raised his flag, another squad raised a larger US
Flag. The second flag raised was captured by photographer Rosenthal and his
photograph made it back to the States before the Thomas Squad’s photographs.
The Marine Corps Monument at Arlington is based on Rosenthal’s photograph of the second flag raising.
