The last survivor of the first American flag-raising over Iwo Jima has died

[mitchedwards]

RICHFIELD, Minn. (AP) The last survivor of the first American flag-raising over Iwo Jima during World War Two has died.

Charles Lindberg of Richfield, Minnesota, was 86. He grew up in Grand Forks.

Lindberg died yesterday at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina (ee-DYE'-nuh), according to the director of the funeral home that's handling arrangements.

Lindberg spent decades explaining that it was his patrol, not the one captured in the famous photograph by Abe Rosenthal of The Associated Press, that raised the first flag over the island.

In the late morning of February 23rd, 1945, Lindberg fired his flame-thrower into enemy pillboxes at the base of Mount Suribachi and then joined five other Marines fighting their way to the top.

He was awarded the Silver Star for bravery.

After his discharge in January 1946, Lindberg went home to Grand Forks until 1951, when he moved to Richfield and became an electrician.

In an interview with the A-P in 2003, Lindberg recalled two of the men found a big, long pipe there, "tied the flag to it, took it to the highest spot we could find and we raised it." The moment was captured by Sergeant Lou Lowery, a photographer from the Corps' Leatherneck magazine, but three of the six men never saw his photos. They were among the 59-hundred Marines killed on the island.

Last month, Lindberg attended groundbreaking at the site of a new veterans memorial in Richfield.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

[saildog]

Just saw this and oddly enough, I've been watching Band of Brothers all morning. I realize this was a different theater of WWII, but all morning I kept thinking about how remarkable the WWII Vets are and how we lose so many of them everyday. Just open up a paper each morning and almost without exception there is an obit for a WWII Vet. They are disappearing fast.

Sad to lose the last one from one of the most historic moments every captured on film.

RIP, Mr. Lindberg, and enjoy being with your buddies again.

[txteach]

He was definately in the greatest generation ever in the U.S.. Rest in peace hero!

[Adam West]

Did I hear that the last U.S. WWI veteran died this past year or am I just imagining things?

My grandfather fought in that war and was gassed in the trenches of Ardenne. He died around 1976 or so.

[toys2cool]

wow that's sad,I was just watching Flags of our fathers the other day,great movie if you haven't seen it
RIP buddy

[EmergencyIan]

May he rest in peace.

And, yes, "The Flags Of Our Fathers" is a really good movie. I recommend it, as well.

- Ian

[saildog]

Did I hear that the last U.S. WWI veteran died this past year or am I just imagining things?

My grandfather fought in that war and was gassed in the trenches of Ardenne. He died around 1976 or so.

Four or five left in the UK, at least one in Canada, and three known in the US.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm..._oldvet28.html

[theantiquetiger]

Did I hear that the last U.S. WWI veteran died this past year or am I just imagining things?

My grandfather fought in that war and was gassed in the trenches of Ardenne. He died around 1976 or so.

I think one of the remaining 17 died in the last few months, not the last.

[Hulk]

RIP Mr Lindberg.

Been meaning to watch the "Flags of our Fathers" movie. Does that movie address this guy, or just the men in the famous photo?

[Sideshow Spock]

I saw it a few months ago, and if I recall correctly (which is iffy), it depicts the first raising (and taking down), then the second. And the rest of the story mostly follows the men who raised it a second time, and how the govt exploited them (and the picture's huge popularity) to raise money for the continuing war effort, with little consideration for their various issues and post-traumatic stress.