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Bill Genaust

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called out but were unable to get his attention. An interpreter, a lieutenant, was brought in to speak to the soldier in Japanese, but he received no response. As the patrol leader got ready to go underground to investigate, he asked Genaust for his flashlight. Genaust said he would go in himself and talk to the Japanese soldier. Two-thirds of the way into the cave Genaust was shot by machine-gun fire coming from a hidden entrance. The lieutenant ordered the cave closed, and Genaust's body was buried in the blast.
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newspapers on February 25. Similar still photographs were also taken on top of Mount Suribachi by Campbell and other photographers including a U.S. Army and U.S. Coast Guard photographer. Genaust's film also captures other Marines on the summit as they gaze up at the flag during the second flag raising. These Marines are not visible in Rosenthal's famous photograph.
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way up, Rosenthal, Genaust, and Campbell met Lowery coming down who told them about the first American flag raising. Once on top, another Japanese pipe was found and the second and larger U.S. flag was attached unto it which would make a single flag on top more visible from any point on the island. After the three got on top, Genaust with his
129: 33: 585:. Bill said he would go in with them. They crawled in and Bill flashed his light around. There were many Japs still alive and they immediately opened fire. Bill dropped without a sound. As the bearer of the light he had been the first target for a number of bullets. I feel sure he never knew what happened to him. 418: 515:
on February 19 (he went back and forth from a ship each day), but missed the first flag raising on top. The three photographers proceeded to climb up Mount Suribachi together as four Marines from Second Platoon, E Company, also climbed up with orders to raise a large replacement flag on top. On the
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gave some detail on the circumstances around Genaust's death. He reported that, because of poor lighting conditions on Iwo Jima, Genaust had joined an infantry team clearing caves and tunnels. At one cave, a Japanese soldier was found sitting at a table and shuffling routine paperwork. The Marines
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The Sergeant William Genaust Award is presented each year by the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, one of a series of awards to both Marines and civilian community members recognizing their work in advancing and preserving Marine Corps history. It is given for a documentary and short subject (15
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Genaust's film captured the six Marines getting in place to raise the larger flag, the raising of the flag/flagstaff, and the securing of the bottom of the flagstaff with rocks. Rosenthal became famous for taking the black and white photograph of the second flag raising which appeared in Sunday
488:, who had volunteered to take over the platoon and raise the battalion's small American flag to signal the volcano was captured. The flag, which was attached to a Japanese iron water pipe, was raised approximately 10:30 a.m., by Schrier, his platoon sergeant 424: 422: 419: 423: 520:
Auto Master Filmo 16mm Motion Picture Camera, stood at the left side of Rosenthal, and filmed the second flag being hoisted by six Marines. Under Lt. Schrier's orders, the larger flag was raised as the smaller flag was lowered.
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were located with orders to capture the mountaintop. There he teamed with Marine still photographer, Private First Class Bob Campbell, and proceeded to take more film action at the base of Suribachi.
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in a force of approximately 70,000 servicemen which included about 60 Marine cameramen training to assault Iwo Jima. Genaust would accompany the Marine infantrymen riding in and on
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Despite renewed search efforts in 2007, the body of Genaust has not been recovered. He is among 250 Americans listed missing on Iwo Jima, although most of those were lost at sea.
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charges were quickly placed at the cave mouth and exploded. The whole cave mouth was blocked with earth from the explosion and Bill's body was completely buried by it.
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The Marines forced the Japs deeper into the cave but could not get them out. More men would have been killed in carrying out of the narrow cave Bill's lifeless body.
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were thrown in one cave and it was believed all the enemy were killed. The Marines wanted to double check and asked Bill if they could borrow his
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were ordered to climb up Mount Suribachi and seize and occupy the summit. The patrol was led by E Company's executive officer, First Lieutenant
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Around noon, Marine photographers Sergeant Genaust and Private Campbell were ordered to go up Mount Suribachi. On the way there, they met
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climbing to the top of Mount Suribachi, the Marines tying the flag on the pipe, and the men around the flagstaff after it was raised.
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after he was shot in a large cave at or around Hill 362-A, located on the northern part of Iwo Jima. On March 4, he was ruled
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in Minneapolis on February 11, 1943, at the age of 36, to be a combat cameraman. After recruit training, he was sent to
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Genaust was assigned to help train Marine photographers on how to film in a combat zone. There were three Marine
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Platoon Sergeant Ernest Thomas was interviewed by CBS broadcaster Dan Pryor on February 25, 1945, aboard the
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Hill 362A on Iwo Jima looking at top and north face, with dotted lines indicating the Japanese tunnel system
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Genaust received a posthumous Certificate of Appreciation from the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General
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On February 23, 1945, a 40-man patrol consisting primarily of members of Third Platoon, E Company,
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U.S. Marine cinematographers Bill Genaust (left) and Atlee S. Tracy on Iwo Jima (February 24, 1945)
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minutes or less) dealing creatively with U.S. Marine Corps heritage or Marine Corps life.
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Portion of Genaust's footage of the second flag-raising on Iwo Jima used in the 1945 film
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Genaust's plaque at the Mount Suribachi Memorial, site of the flag-raising on Iwo Jima
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You Tube, Smithsonian Channel, 2008 Documentary (Genaust films) "Shooting Iwo Jima"
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War Shots: Norm Hatch and the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Cameramen of World War II
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As I understand it, a group of Marines were clearing caves of die-hard Japs.
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Investigating Iwo: The Flag Raisings in Myth, Memory, and Esprit de Corps
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Telegram received by Genaust's wife, stating he was missing in action
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Genaust's military decorations and awards include the following:
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where he was wounded on July 9, 1944. He was recommended for the
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best known for filming the second U.S. flag-raising on top of
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In 1995, a bronze plaque honoring Genaust was placed at the
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United States Marine Corps personnel killed in World War II
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The Winding Journey of Bill Genaust's Flag Raising Footage
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accompanied the patrol and photographed the Marines and
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Official Military Personnel File for William H. Genaust
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Letter to Genaust's widow, with an account of his death
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William Homer Genaust was born on October 12, 1906 in
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United States Marine Corps non-commissioned officers
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January 1945 984: 982: 980: 199:(October 12, 1906 – March 4, 1945) was an American 174: 138: 123: 115: 103: 93: 83: 59: 39: 23: 1136:Shadow of Suribachi: Raising the Flags on Iwo Jima 1133: 1104:Shadow of Suribachi: Raising the Flags on Iwo Jima 923:Shadow of Suribachi: Raising the Flags on Iwo Jima 915: 913: 911: 1356:Military personnel from Sioux Falls, South Dakota 1284:Chlosta, SSgt Matthew, U.S. Army (July 6, 2007). 211:on February 23, 1945, which was immortalized in 441:Genaust (left, with motion picture camera) and 240:motion picture camera which used 50-foot color 967: 357:in September 1945, for heroic actions using a 965: 963: 961: 959: 957: 955: 953: 951: 949: 947: 8: 1302:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( 1026:National Archives and Records Administration 1089:USMC Statement on Marine Corps Flag Raisers 260:, and his remains have not been recovered. 31: 20: 1079:: "Three of us actually raised the flag". 511:, who first arrived on Iwo Jima with the 882:, site of the flag-raising on Iwo Jima. 772: 324:and motion picture camera photographer. 236:operating a then-modern and lightweight 907: 565:On March 3, 1945, Genaust was reported 1295: 7: 1243:"The Sergeant William Genaust Award" 445:capturing what became known as the " 399:Volcano and Ryukyu Islands campaign 281:Entire reel of Genaust's surviving 14: 1351:Missing in action of World War II 1132:Albee, Parker Bishop Jr. (1995). 1101:Albee, Parker Bishop Jr. (1995). 920:Albee, Parker Bishop Jr. (1995). 345:and was posthumously awarded the 1046:Collins, Sanne (July 20, 2012). 989:Robertson, Breanne, ed. (2019). 763: 754: 748: 741: 731: 722: 715: 708: 697: 691: 681: 675: 647: 635: 623: 551: 537: 127: 1366:Photographers from South Dakota 1140:. Praeger Publishers. pp.  1107:. Praeger Publishers. pp.  926:. Praeger Publishers. pp.  811:Navy Presidential Unit Citation 379:Navy Presidential Unit Citation 828:Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal 1: 1371:Journalists from South Dakota 218:Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima 1193:Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania 854:Certificate of Appreciation 478:2nd Battalion, 28th Marines 320:, to become a Marine Corps 256:nine days later during the 1387: 1346:American war photographers 846:World War II Victory Medal 310:United States Marine Corps 230:United States Marine Corps 110:United States Marine Corps 1336:American photojournalists 1223:. Fox News. June 27, 2007 896:Marine Corps War Memorial 844: 826: 821: 814: 809: 804: 784: 775: 671: 431:To the Shores of Iwo Jima 252:. Genaust was reportedly 246:Marine Corps War Memorial 53:Sioux Falls, South Dakota 30: 880:Mount Suribachi Memorial 602:Photo section commander 377:. He also shared in the 98:United States of America 1187:Jones, Charles (2011). 823:American Campaign Medal 974:Retrieved July 5, 2015 875: 816:Navy Unit Commendation 450: 434: 414: 337:Genaust served in the 289: 873: 490:Ernest Ivy Thomas Jr. 440: 427: 412: 308:. He enlisted in the 280: 215:'s famous photograph 197:William Homer Genaust 116:Years of service 1292:on November 5, 2011. 1052:Rural Florida Living 806:Combat Action Ribbon 862:on April 26, 1984. 513:4th Marine Division 482:5th Marine Division 471:5th Marine Division 463:4th Marine Division 383:4th Marine Division 250:Arlington, Virginia 16:American journalist 1341:Battle of Iwo Jima 876: 786:Purple Heart Medal 451: 435: 415: 405:Battle of Iwo Jima 361:in a firefight on 355:Purple Heart Medal 322:still photographer 290: 258:Battle of Iwo Jima 156:Battle of Iwo Jima 88:body not recovered 1206:978-0-8117-0631-5 1005:978-0-16-095331-6 851: 850: 777:Bronze Star Medal 771: 770: 567:missing in action 518:Bell & Howell 425: 347:Bronze Star Medal 328:U.S. Marine Corps 287:National Archives 278: 194: 193: 1378: 1307: 1301: 1293: 1274: 1259: 1258: 1256: 1254: 1239: 1233: 1232: 1230: 1228: 1217: 1211: 1210: 1184: 1178: 1177: 1175: 1173: 1162: 1156: 1155: 1139: 1129: 1123: 1122: 1098: 1092: 1086: 1080: 1069: 1063: 1062: 1060: 1058: 1043: 1037: 1036: 1034: 1032: 1016: 1010: 1009: 997: 986: 975: 969: 942: 941: 917: 840: 839: 835: 798: 797: 793: 773: 767: 758: 752: 745: 735: 726: 719: 712: 701: 695: 685: 679: 669: 668: 651: 639: 627: 571:killed in action 555: 541: 505:Associated Press 426: 387:Battle of Saipan 333:Battle of Saipan 300:, and raised in 283:Iwo Jima footage 279: 254:killed in action 201:war photographer 164: 151:Battle of Saipan 131: 105: 66: 50:October 12, 1906 49: 47: 35: 21: 1386: 1385: 1381: 1380: 1379: 1377: 1376: 1375: 1311: 1310: 1294: 1283: 1272: 1268: 1263: 1262: 1252: 1250: 1249:on June 5, 2013 1241: 1240: 1236: 1226: 1224: 1219: 1218: 1214: 1207: 1199:. p. 175. 1197:Stackpole Books 1186: 1185: 1181: 1171: 1169: 1164: 1163: 1159: 1152: 1131: 1130: 1126: 1119: 1100: 1099: 1095: 1087: 1083: 1070: 1066: 1056: 1054: 1045: 1044: 1040: 1030: 1028: 1018: 1017: 1013: 1006: 995: 988: 987: 978: 970: 945: 938: 919: 918: 909: 904: 892: 868: 837: 833: 832: 795: 791: 790: 760: 759: 753: 746: 703: 702: 696: 687: 686: 680: 664: 662:Military awards 659: 658: 657: 656: 655: 652: 644: 643: 640: 632: 631: 628: 619: 618: 611: 563: 562: 561: 560: 559: 556: 547: 546: 545: 542: 531: 417: 407: 381:awarded to the 339:Pacific Theater 335: 330: 268: 266: 209:Mount Suribachi 186: 170: 160: 89: 78:Japanese Empire 74:Volcano Islands 68: 64: 51: 45: 43: 26: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1384: 1382: 1374: 1373: 1368: 1363: 1358: 1353: 1348: 1343: 1338: 1333: 1328: 1323: 1313: 1312: 1309: 1308: 1281: 1267: 1266:External links 1264: 1261: 1260: 1234: 1212: 1205: 1179: 1157: 1150: 1124: 1117: 1093: 1081: 1077: (AGC-11) 1064: 1038: 1011: 1004: 976: 943: 936: 906: 905: 903: 900: 899: 898: 891: 888: 867: 864: 860:Paul X. Kelley 856: 855: 849: 848: 843: 841:" bronze stars 825: 819: 818: 813: 808: 802: 801: 783: 769: 768: 761: 747: 740: 739: 738: 736: 728: 727: 720: 713: 705: 704: 690: 689: 688: 674: 673: 672: 663: 660: 653: 646: 645: 641: 634: 633: 629: 622: 621: 620: 616: 615: 614: 613: 600: 599: 592: 591: 587: 586: 557: 550: 549: 548: 543: 536: 535: 534: 533: 532: 530: 527: 486:Harold Schrier 406: 403: 334: 331: 329: 326: 265: 262: 242:film cassettes 224:Genaust was a 192: 191: 176: 172: 171: 169: 168: 167: 166: 153: 142: 140: 136: 135: 125: 121: 120: 117: 113: 112: 107: 101: 100: 95: 91: 90: 87: 85: 81: 80: 67:(aged 38) 61: 57: 56: 41: 37: 36: 28: 27: 24: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1383: 1372: 1369: 1367: 1364: 1362: 1359: 1357: 1354: 1352: 1349: 1347: 1344: 1342: 1339: 1337: 1334: 1332: 1329: 1327: 1324: 1322: 1319: 1318: 1316: 1305: 1299: 1291: 1287: 1282: 1279: 1275: 1270: 1269: 1265: 1248: 1244: 1238: 1235: 1222: 1216: 1213: 1208: 1202: 1198: 1194: 1190: 1183: 1180: 1167: 1161: 1158: 1153: 1151:0-275-95063-8 1147: 1143: 1138: 1137: 1128: 1125: 1120: 1118:0-275-95063-8 1114: 1110: 1106: 1105: 1097: 1094: 1090: 1085: 1082: 1078: 1076: 1068: 1065: 1053: 1049: 1042: 1039: 1027: 1023: 1022: 1015: 1012: 1007: 1001: 994: 993: 985: 983: 981: 977: 973: 968: 966: 964: 962: 960: 958: 956: 954: 952: 950: 948: 944: 939: 937:0-275-95063-8 933: 929: 925: 924: 916: 914: 912: 908: 901: 897: 894: 893: 889: 887: 883: 881: 872: 865: 863: 861: 853: 852: 847: 842: 829: 824: 820: 817: 812: 807: 803: 800: 787: 782: 778: 774: 766: 762: 757: 751: 744: 737: 734: 730: 729: 725: 721: 718: 714: 711: 707: 706: 700: 694: 684: 678: 670: 667: 661: 650: 638: 626: 612: 608: 605: 597: 594: 593: 589: 588: 584: 580: 576: 575: 574: 572: 568: 554: 540: 528: 526: 522: 519: 514: 510: 509:Joe Rosenthal 507:photographer 506: 501: 499: 498:Navy corpsmen 495: 491: 487: 483: 479: 474: 472: 468: 464: 460: 459:landing craft 456: 448: 444: 443:Joe Rosenthal 439: 433: 432: 411: 404: 402: 400: 396: 392: 388: 384: 380: 376: 372: 368: 364: 360: 356: 352: 348: 344: 340: 332: 327: 325: 323: 319: 315: 311: 307: 303: 299: 295: 288: 284: 263: 261: 259: 255: 251: 247: 243: 239: 238:16 millimeter 235: 231: 227: 222: 220: 219: 214: 213:Joe Rosenthal 210: 206: 202: 198: 189: 184: 180: 177: 173: 165: 163: 157: 154: 152: 149: 148: 147: 144: 143: 141: 137: 134: 130: 126: 122: 118: 114: 111: 108: 102: 99: 96: 92: 86: 82: 79: 75: 71: 63:March 4, 1945 62: 58: 54: 42: 38: 34: 29: 22: 19: 1290:the original 1253:November 16, 1251:. 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Index


Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Iwo Jima
Volcano Islands
Japanese Empire
United States of America
United States Marine Corps

Sergeant
World War II
Battle of Saipan
Battle of Iwo Jima

Bronze Star
Combat 'V'
Purple Heart
war photographer
World War II
Mount Suribachi
Joe Rosenthal
Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima
sergeant
United States Marine Corps
Pacific War
16 millimeter
film cassettes
Marine Corps War Memorial
Arlington, Virginia
killed in action
Battle of Iwo Jima

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