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|| SportsShooter.com: News Item: Posted 2007-02-12
Review: 'Uncommon Valor, Common Virtue'
What Photographers Should Be Reading
By Jim McNay, Brooks Institute of Photography
Photo by Eric Risberg / Associated Press
Joe Rosenthal
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Uncommon Valor, Common Virtue: Iwo Jima and the Photograph That Captured America, by Hal Buell, published in 2006 by Berkley Publishing Group, New York.
With this book Hal Buell, the former top photography manager at Associated Press, has added to the well-deserved history of Iwo Jima and the troops who fought there. He has also fleshed out the story of Joe Rosenthal's famous picture and the tale of the men in it. Along the way Buell addresses many of the myths about the picture being arranged and provides important background on the many rumors, how they started and how untrue each of them is.
The facts of Iwo Jima to the newcomer are staggering:
Some 100,000 soldiers fought over this eight square mile island. This frequently meant hand-to-hand combat.
Seven thousand Americans and 20,000 Japanese died during this battle. Another 21,000 Americans were wounded.
Twenty-seven Medals of Honor were awarded to participants of this battle.
There was a seven-day bombardment of the island by U.S. forces before the invasion. Once on the island the battle lasted 36 days, though Rosenthal's picture was taken on the fifth day of the conflict.
In his time on the island, Rosenthal took 65 pictures, only four of which were of the flag raising activities.
Three of the six men who raised the famous flag died on Iwo Jima, as did the motion picture photographer Bill Genaust who shot the movie footage of the raising.
Rosenthal covered three other invasions besides this one: Guam, Peleliu, and Anguar.
When he tried to enlist in the armed forces for World War II, Rosenthal was rejected-for having poor eyesight.
Iwo Jima was judged to be worth the high casualty cost because the U.S. wanted control of the two airbases on the island. These airstrips could provide a launch area to attack Tokyo. In addition, damaged returning U.S. aircraft could have a place to land instead of having to ditch in the ocean. For all these reasons, the Japanese fought fiercely to defend the island. Their soldiers knew they were there to fight to the end. There would be no relief, reinforcements or surrender.
One of the benefits of Buell's book is the vast collection of photographs printed of the conflict. Mostly we know of Rosenthal's one great picture. However there were many excellent photographs taken in Iwo Jima that help us understand the nature of events here. This book allows us to see them.
Like the three surviving flag raisers, Rosenthal too was called home and sent on a war bond fundraising tour, although a separate one from the soldiers. Their experience is told in the recent motion picture by Clint Eastwood, Flags of Our Fathers.
Buell also reminds us of the massive impact the picture had on the public. The image was reproduced repeatedly in many forms. It lifted morale across the nation and helped raise funds for the war. For the first and only time, the Pulitzer Prize committee decided to grant the award in the year the picture was made instead of waiting for the next year as provided by their normal competition schedule.
In addition to his narrative and the inclusion of many photographs, Buell includes contemporary newspaper clippings from the days of these events. Also there many quotations from those who fought on the island, adding the insider's look to conditions during the battle.
A DVD included with the book includes interviews and other additional material. Most fascinating is the comparison of the film footage of the famous flag raising and the match-up with Rosenthal's still picture, showing how both were part of the same spontaneous event.
Unless one is a history buff, this story of Iwo Jima is largely unknown. Buell has provided a real service to photographers and historians alike in writing and assembling the elements of this story. It is all worth knowing.
Photographers, particularly those in school or seeking to break into the photojournalism, are welcome to send ideas for future columns to Jim McNay at jim.mcnay@brooks.edu.
Questions about getting started in photojournalism that might be answered in future columns are also welcome.
Related Links:
Book: Uncommon Valor, Common Virtue
Jim McNay's Member Page
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