Marine (1925 - 1979)
In the wrong place at the right time, Manchester's Rene Gagnon was among 110,000 Marines who arrived in 880 ships in the costly World War II battle at Iwo Jima, Japan. With five fellow Marines, he raised the flag of victory. Captured on film and designed into a massive bronze sculpture, the scene has become one of the most memorable in the nation's history.
Gagnon was the youngest of the six flag-raisers and - with John Bradley and Ira Hayes - one of three survivors. Gagnon posed for his likeness in the famous Washington, DC memorial, and played himself in two Iwo Jima films, one starring John Wayne. It was Gagnon who carried the flag up Mt. Suribachi after the famous moment was recorded. A modest man by all accounts, Gagnon is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. He and the other five flag-raisers are the subject of the book "Flags of Our Fathers" by James Bradley, son of one of the survivors.
A real NH war hero, this Marine
raised the famous Iwo Jima flag
More Famous NH People
RENE GAGNON LINKS
BIOGRAPHY
Honoring My Dad
An homage from Rene Gagnon, Jr. to his father
Flag Raisers Bios
Rene Arthur Gagnon, Corporal, United States Marine Corps
IWO JIMA HISTORY
IwoJima.com
An amazingly complete site, appears to be by author James Bradley
Iwo Jima Today
The Bradley family returns to the site of battle
Historical Facts and Figures
The First and Second Flag Raisings
First and Second Flag Raising
Same pictures, but more info
Iwo Jima Personal History Page
USS Enterprise History Page
The First Battalion of the 28th Marines on Iwo Jima
The USS Iwo Jima Association
BOOKS & MOVIES
"Flags of Our Fathers" by James Bradley
The NY Times bestseller by the son of a survivor that traces the stories of all the flag raisers in the famous photo. This is the author's web site.
The Film: "To the Shores of Iwo Jima"
Short documentary in which surviving flag raisers play themselves
The Film "Sands of Iwo Jima"
1949 classic film starring John Wayne. Gagnon played himself.
The Film "The Outsider"
1961 movie starring Tony Curtis as flag-raiser Ira Hayes
Rene Gagnon, Actor
Listed in film database for twice playing himself in films above
Iwo Jima 55th Reunion Videotape
Online Iwo Jima Videos
Iwo Jima Books & Videos Online
PHOTOS
(from IwoJima.com )
Flag Raising
Survivors Raising Flag for 1.4 Million Spectators
The Survivors in 1949 with Gagnon
Gagnon with Sculptor Felix DeWeldon
Gagnon in Later Years
3 Cent and 43 Cent Iwo Jima US Postage Stamp
HISTORIC SITES TO VISIT
Grave of Rene Gagnon at Arlington Cemetery
U.S.M.C. War Memorial, Washington DC
Official page of the National Park Service, George Washington Memorial Parkway
Flag Raising Statue, Arlington Guide
The Boys at Iwo Jima
Typical of many home-made patriotic web pages on the statue
Visit Iwo Jima Memorial
Another private fan site
National Iwo Jima Memorial
Raised in Newington, CT by the Iwo Jima Survivors Assoc. in memory of 6,821 fallen comrades, sculpted by Joseph Petrovics
Wright Museum, Wolfeboro , NH
Has Rene Gagnon Room, but site not operational
Arlington Cemetery (Official Web Site)
Where Renee Gagnon is buried
Arlington National Cemetery (Private Web Site)
Friends of Iwo Jima Air Force Memorial
MARINE CORP LINKS
Headquarters US Marine Corps
Marine Corps History Division Online
Marine Corps Legacy Museum
Marine Corps Links
Art's Iwo Jima Flag History Web Page
The Few: Marines Online Guestbook
The Marine Corps Wives Web Site
More Famous NH People
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