The Flag, The Battle and The Man
At the Ticonderoga Historical Society our mission is to preserve the past for the future. To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the ending of WWII we have installed new WWII themed exhibits and are preparing for a special day of WWII related programs and events to celebrate this anniversary on the Hancock House lawn – Saturday, August 29th – with our memorial ~ “When the Lights Come on Again,”
As part of our WWII mission plan ~ in preserving the stories of the WWII era from our regional point of interest , ~ we are re-printing a 1957 Ticonderoga Sentinel article that was originally reported by Holly Henry in Florida’s Bradenton Herald.
“Few Manatee Countians, outside of near neighbors and mutual friends, are aware of the fact that a World War II hero and his dark-haired wife are now permanent Bradenton residents.
Like any other newcomers, they take pride in their new home, spend many hours working in their yard. During leisure time they take off for some fishing in their trim craft, tied up paractically at their front door which faces the Braden River in Tropical Shores.
Such a casual way of life is defininitely a decided contrast for Lt. Col. Harold G. Schrier, U.S. Marine Corps, retired, who led a 40 man patrol on Iwo Jima to secure Suriachi and participated in the raising of the first U.S. flag over the volcano.
This is the first flag raising on the top of Mt. Suribachi. The famous flag-raising photo was taken when the second flag was put up later that day. This photo was taken by Leatherneck’s Lou Lowery.
A modest person, Colonial Schrier is not one to elaborate on facts and like most war heros is reluctant to talk about his exploits, especially his part in the seizure of Suribachi which placed him and his men in the spotlight of national fame. His action in the tough fighting Marines encountered on Iwo in taking honeycomb of defensive positions and artillery posts earned him the Navy Cross, second highest award, and the Silver Star. His other decorations are the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Purple Heart with three clusters.
He admits the flag-raising on Suribachi was terrific “morale booster” for the thousands of Marines on the beachhead below, remembers vividly the cheers of the fighting men, the shrill shrieks of whistles sounding from ships in the harbor.
At the time Schrier, then a lieutenant and executive officer of E Company, 28th Regiment, Fifth Division, was made commanding officer by Col. Chandler Johnson, 2nd Battalion commanding officer to lead his men to the summit of Suribachi.