Rating: 
Summary: The True Meaning of a Heroe
Review: After reading this book, I bought the video, Iwo Jima, and continue to watch the flagraising scene over and over. I gaze at the film footage of the eighteen smiling men who poise with the flag afterwards, which includes four of the flagraisers, knowing that fourteen will be casualties. This book should be required reading not only for all high school students but for every immigrant who moves into this country. I never thought I could become infatuated with someone who died so many years ago until reading about Mike Strank, the poor Czech immigrant who was not a U.S. citizen, who volunteered to enter the war, and is one of the six flagraisers who didn't come home. Considered a Marine's Marine, a boy that everyone looked up to, I could not help wondering 'what if he had survived. .. " He surely would have had a bright future. After experiencing combat and on leave visiting his parents, who ask if he could secure a postion in the States, he replied, "Dad, there's a war going on out there. Young boys are fighting that war. And Dad . . . they need my help." His photo, his courage, the stories of him and by the men who served with him, his prophecy that he would die at Iwo Jima, still fill me with emotion. This book is also a tribute to the U.S. Marines who produced such incredible men as these, a tribute to the U.S. government at a time when "we were one". The enormous amount of strategic planning in terms of men and supplies to fight an enemy so far away, the teamwork of the Americans on the homefront supporting the war effort -it will leave you breathless. It is the poignant, 'real' stories, however, of the fighting men at Iwo that will make you weep. This book is not just a war book, it is also a book about mothers and the bond with their sons. It is an inspiration to read about these women and sadly demonstrates the true meaning of the word sacrifice. The story of Iggy made me cry even more. If anyone still questions the dropping of the atom bomb on Japan, you will be thankful they did after reading this book and wished they had done it sooner, before Iwo. The stories of Japanese cruelty will shock you. John Bradley, the medic, exemplifies to me a truly outstanding American and an outstanding human being. He always insisted he was not a heroe, but after reading about his actions on Iwo, his civilian life, his simplicity, how he handled the burden of the Photograph, makes one think otherwise. In this day of selfish celebrity worship, sports "heroes" being put in jail again, this book will prove to you what a real heroe is. Mr. Bradley, you have done the world a favor by publishing this book. We must never forget what these men went through. Thank you,thank you, thank you.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Movie to Come...
Review: I was right on after having read 'The Perfect Storm', and I believe I am right on here with 'Flags of Our Fathers'. Both have the makings of Great Movies. The interaction of real lives under severe stress just cannot be overlooked by a good producer. I'll be watching the big screen for hopefully another great American classic.
Rating:
Summary: Heroism at it's best!
Review: This is by far the absolute best book I have ever read. Experience what these young men went through and then silently thank them for your freedom. I have always respected veterans, now I respect them even more. This book should be required reading for every high school history class in America. This book will enlighten you as to what the term "sacrifice" really means.
Rating:
Summary: Makes These Boys Real!
Review: Tear-your-heart-out battle story that transforms the image of these war-hardened soldiers to one of terrified young boys who were sent there by their country, yes; but were fighting only to save their own tortured lives. The story takes down the myth of the photo and statue and replaces it with the reality of the specific human individuals caught up in war's most horrific inevitable consequences. And now what? Bradley has given us the real personalities that are represented by the 35 foot figures of the statue in Washington, figures that represent all marines. They were anonymous men before he told us their stories. But now they can no longer be anonymous. We should all support the author's latest efforts to insist that the U.S. Dept. of Monuments and Memorials now chisel the names of these six individuals onto the base of that great image. They didn't seek attention for their acts when they were living, but their virtue may be lost forever if we don't make every effort to personalize it in the way the book does so very effectively.
Rating:
Summary: Has the attributes of a classic for future generations.
Review: After I read "Flags of Our Fathers", it was my feeling that this book was in the same genre as Stephen Crane's, "The Red Badge of Courage", but more complete. It brought back the bone rattling terror and horror of the battle. These images are still with me as fresh as yesterdays trip to the barbershop. Over 55 years ago, while squatting in a foxhole with my back to Suribachi, the marine in the next foxhole yelled, "someone's put the flag up on the f.....g hill". Sure enough there old glory was waving in the wind. We felt at the time that the battle would soon be over. Only the euphoria was over soon. The battle continued for another month. I found few errors in the book and they were of no consequence to the content of the storyline. For anyone who wishes to get the feel of combat and its terrible effects on the human psyche, this book will help in that understanding.
Rating:
Summary: Required reading for anyone asking for American citizenship
Review: As I sat on the beach in Carlsbad, California reading this book tears streamed down my cheeks. I heard the CH-53s somewhere in the distance. Here I sat on leave from the Pentagon, a Marine for 25 years, feeling so proud to be a Marine. These boys gave their lives so that I could sit here reading this book in peace. I have never felt so proud to be an American and a Marine. I could not see the CH53s, but I could hear them and as I continued to read, I couldn't help thinking the phrase that is posted on the gate to Marine Corps Air Station, New River, North Carolina, "Pardon Our Noise, it's the Sound of Freedom." This book says it all. It should be required reading for anyone asking for American citizenship and for all high school students. These were the heroes of our world; those young boys who gave up their lives on Iwo Jima AND those who fought to save them. Just make sure you keep a box of kleenex nearby...you'll need it.
Rating:
Summary: An ACCURATE reference source for the younger generation
Review: In this day and age of history books being printed with so many errors and placed in schools as a teaching tool, this book has become an addition to my own reference library. Maybe someday a grandchild will learn from it. To 'get to know' even a few of the "everyday" people who gave their youth for our country brings history to life and with it a better understanding of just what it was really all about. Hopefully schools will include it in their library along with all the books that have been recently published!
Rating: 
Summary: Great story, not so great writing
Review: A moving and poignant book that reveals Iwo Jima for the slaughter it was, and how that slaughter left its scars on the survivors that lasted for decades. For some reason, this epic battle has fallen into second place in the public consciousness behind the Normandy invasion, even though it was far more difficult, lengthy and dramatic. With any luck, this book will help bring the same deserved recognition showered on the Normany invaders to the Iwo Jima veterans. Why only four stars? --much of his language is strained and purple, and he tries to build melodrama instead of letting the natural drama of the story take hold. He's also redundant in many places, telling us the same facts or personality traits over and over again, sometimes on facing pages. --factual and stylistic inconsistencies. For instnace, in some places, he says the photographer who took the famous photo is 5' 3'', in other places 5' 5''. He varies in his casualty count of the battle, saying the Japanese lost 21,000 on some pages, 22,000 on others. --he also seems to have an axe to grind against Mary Elson, a Chicago Tribune reporter. I wish he would have left his personal vendettas out. Nevertheless, don't let these stop you from reading this book and learning about a hugely important moment in U.S. history.
Rating:
Summary: Excellently written, well balanced, Great Book
Review: Bradley puts an honest story forward about one of the most moving and famous photographs ever taken. I have, am and will always be moved by this famous photo. Now I know the truth these boy flag-raisers. Stephen Ambrose is one of my favorite historian authors. He endorsed this book. My wife purchased it for me because she saw his endorsement. I say thank you to Mr. Ambrose and my wife. I say thank you to Mr. Bradley for this wonderfully important book. I say thank you to the Marines and other American soldiers who fought in World War II and every conflict America has been involved in. Read this book. It will move you to tears.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible Story - I Started to Cry
Review: I read this book during a week long vacation and it far exceeded my expectations. I literally could not put it down. I picked it up when I had only a few extra minutes, just to read a few paragraphs. The story of the men who had the courage to walk onto Iwo Jima and face almost certain death is a piece of history that must never be forgotten. The way Doc Bradley dealt with surviving Iwo Jim after all he witnessed and endured is a great lesson in humility and courage. This book filled me with perspective! Doc Bradley and his fellow Marines were courageous people from a great generation.
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