Most scenes together: Bud Gerber & Ira Hayes (3), Bud Gerber & John "Doc" Bradley (3), Ira Hayes & John "Doc" Bradley (2)
Oh my Lord, that's Harlon!
Belle's Young Son: Where?
Right there. Planting that flag, that's your brother.
Belle's Young Son: Ma, all you can see is his behind.
And that's his. I powdered and diapered it, I know my son. That's him. Go get your father.
Belle's Young Son: Daddy, Ma's got a picture of Harlon's keister in the paper!
Hey, you know what? I don't give a shit. You're in the picture, you raised the flag, that's the story we're selling, boys.
Are you deaf? Hank isn't in the picture. Harlon is in the picture.
Well, who the **** is Harlon?
Harlon Block. That's whose mother who should be here if anyone's should be. You know, I think this whole damn thing is a farce, you ask me.
Our target, Island X, is an ugly, smelly, dirty little scab of rock called Iwo Jima. It means "Sulfur Island," which accounts for the smell. Looks sort of like a burnt pork chop if you ask me. After twenty straight days of bombing, you won't find a blade of grass or a twig on it. It wasn't that pretty to start with.
Hank wasn't in the picture.
Sorry?
Hank didn't raise that flag. He raised the other one. The real flag.
The what? The real... the real flag? There's a real flag?
Yeah, ours was the replacement flag. We put it up when they took the other one down.
Am I the only one getting a headache here? You know about this?
It was after it was already in the papers. The mothers had already been told by then.
Aw, that's it, that's beautiful. Yeah, that's beautiful. Yeah, why tell me? I'm only the guy that has to explain it to a hundred and fifty million Americans. Who is in the goddamn picture? Are any of you guys in the goddamn picture?
Yeah, we're in the goddamn picture.
Six guys raising a flag over Iwo Jima. Victory is ours. You're three of them, right?
This was the fifth day, sir. The battle went on for thirty-five more.
Well, what'd you do, raise a goddamn flag every time you stopped for lunch?
I know it's a good thing, raising the money and that, 'cause we need it. But, I can't take them calling me a hero. All I did was try not to get shot. Some of the things I saw done, things I did, they weren't things to be proud of, you know? Mike... Mike was a hero. You ever meet him?
No.
Best Marine I ever met.
You know, Chief, I think if Mike was sitting here instead of you, he'd be saying the same thing about himself, not being a hero.
Maybe. He was a good guy, but I think that he'd be ashamed of me, seeing me the way I am.
I finally came to the conclusion that he maybe he was right. Maybe there's no such thing as heroes. Maybe there are just people like my dad. I finally came to understand why they were so uncomfortable being called heroes. Heroes are something we create, something we need. It's a way for us to understand what's almost incomprehensible, how people could sacrifice so much for us, but for my dad and these men, the risks they took, the wounds they suffered, they did that for their buddies. They may have fought for their country but they died for their friends. For the man in front, for the man beside him, and if we wish to truly honor these men we should remember them the way they really were, the way my dad remembered them.
Hey, it took a lot of talented folks a long time to make that thing. Just wait till tonight when it's lit properly and there's thousands of cheering people in the stands, it's gonna look a lot better. So, stadium lights come down, spotlight comes up, you get your cue, you charge up this thing with the flag, you plant it at the top. You smile, you wave, you know the drill.
You want us to plant the flag on a pile of papier-mache.
Hey, that's showbiz. And try to stand how you stood the first time you planted it. Just, you know, pretend the other three guys are with you.
The dead guys.
Who are these "Gold Star Mothers?"
That's what we're calling the mothers of the dead flag-raisers. You present each mother with a flag, they say a few words, people will shit money. It'll be so moving.
Chief, I had very little to do with Sitting Bull's death, so maybe you could stop taking it out on me.
Different tribe. The Pimas fought on the side of the white man.
See, now that's smart.
That is smart.
Yeah. Worked real good for us.
You actually chose the Marines because they had the best uniforms?
No sense being a hero if you don't look like one.
Any man that doesn't have his masturbation papers in order better get them signed by tomorrow night or he ain't going overseas.
I got mine already.
Oh, yeah, I'm square.
Wait, wait. Why am I just hearing about this?
That's horseshit, Franklin! I don't have to repeat everything twice for you.
No, I didn't hear nothin' about no masturbating papers!
Heard they were running short.
You know, nobody tells me nothing. That's real nice, guys!
All right, get your ass over to the officer in charge of records. Maybe he's got some more left. Leave your smokes. I'll play for you.
Franklin Sousley Thanks, Mike.
Mike Strank Listen, if he calls you an idiot, you take it like a man, okay? Just do not leave without signing them.
Being an Indian, you are a truer American than any of us. Bet your people are proud to see you wear that uniform.
Corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman! For God sakes, corpsman! Corpsman! Corpsman!
General "Howlin' Mad" Smith: [on the telephone] I was promised ten days of shelling. You're giving me three and saying that's the best you can do?... I don't give a shit! My men hit that beach with less than ten, and I'll be taking them home to their mamas in buckets!... Yeah, I know exactly why. Because every Navy man with scrambled egg on his chest wants to offload us here and sail to Japan so they can be there for the big finish, tell their kids they captured the Emperor all by themselves. Well, you aren't going to Japan unless we take this piece of shit island! These little pricks are dug in... Okay, appreciate that, Jim. Three days is a **** beautiful thing.
Nobody even noticed that second flag going up. Everybody saw that damn picture and made up their own story about it. But your dad and the others knew what they had done, and what they had not done. All your friends dying, it's hard enough to be called a hero for saving somebody's life. But for putting up a pole?
