Harold G . Schrier Harold George Schrier ( October 17 , 1916 – June 3 , 1971 ) was a United States Marine Corps career officer . A combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War , he was a recipient of the Navy Cross , the nation ' s second highest military award for valor . He is best known for being the Marine officer who led a 40 - man patrol up to the top of Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima , to capture it and to raise the first United States flag on Iwo Jima , on February 23 , 1945 . Early years . Harold Schrier was born in Corder , Missouri . He attended high school in Lexington , Missouri . U . S . Marine Corps . He enlisted in the Marine Corps on November 12 , 1936 . After training in San Diego , California , he was sent to China to guard the US embassy in Beijing . He also served in Tientsin and Shanghai . He became a drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in August 1940 . During World War II , Schrier served on Midway Island . He saw action as a rifle company platoon sergeant with the 5th Marine Regiment during the Battle of Guadalcanal from August 1942 to February 1943 . He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the field on February 28 , 1943 . Afterwards , he joined a Marine Raider unit . Schrier was awarded the Legion of Merit for his reconnaissance patrolling on Vangunu in the New Georgia Campaign . He later saw action on Bougainville . Schrier and his company landed on the beach during the assault on Iwo Jima on February 19 , 1945 . On February 23 , 1945 , he volunteered to lead a 40 - man combat patrol up to the top of 556 - foot Mount Suribachi and raise an American flag at the summit to signal that the mountaintop was captured . About 10 : 20 to 10 : 37 a . m . , a flag measuring 54 - by28 inches ( 137 - by - 71 cm ) taken from the attack transport USS Missoula by the battalion adjutant was raised and flagstaff firmly planted on top of Mount Suribachi and photographed by Marine Staff Sergeant Louis R . Lowery , a photographer with " Leatherneck " magazine who accompanied the patrol . Others present at the flag raising included Plt . Sgt . Ernest I . Thomas , Jr . , Sgt . Henry O . " Hank " Hansen , Cpl . Charles W . Lindberg , Pfc . James Michels , Pfc . Raymond Jacobs , Pfc . Louis Charlo , and PhM2c John Bradley . Schrier was awarded the Navy Cross . The flag on Mount Suribachi was considered too small to be seen easily from the nearby landing beaches and ships and was replaced shortly before 1 p . m . by a larger American flag with a heavier and longer flagstaff , the raising of which became famous due to a photograph taken by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal . Schrier was in charge of both of the flag raisings on Mount Suribachi . He became the commander of Company D , 2nd Battalion , 28th Marines after the flag raisings . He was awarded the Silver Star Medal for gallantry in action on March 24 , 1945 , leading a counterattack against a fanatical Japanese attack upon his lightly manned command post . Schrier served in San Diego from July to October , 1945 , then in Seal Beach , California , Samar , Philippines , and in Yokosuka , Japan . He returned to the U . S . in 1949 and was assigned as a technical advisor ( appeared as himself ) in the 1949 motion picture movie , " Sands of Iwo Jima " , starring John Wayne . The Korean War broke out on June 25 , 1950 , and Schrier was sent to Korea with the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade in July 1950 . He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his actions in August and September 1950 , as Adjutant during the Battle of Pusan Perimeter . Afterwards , he became company commander of Company I , 3rd Battalion , 5th Marines , 1st Marine Division . He was wounded in the neck by enemy small arms fire on the night of December 1 , 1950 during an all - night hill fight at Hill 1520 with Chinese Communist Forces ( CCF ) in North Korea during the breakout from the Chosin Reservoir and was evacuated to Japan . Schrier was Marine Corps Recruiting officer in Birmingham , Alabama and a Provost Marshal l at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot , San Diego , California . He retired from the Marine Corps as a lieutenant colonel . He died at Bradenton , Florida and is buried in Mansion Memorial park in Ellenton , Florida . Portrayal in film . Sands of Iwo Jima ( 1949 ) Capt . Harold G . Schrier . . . himself ( as 1st Lieutenant Harold G . Schrier , U . S . M . C . ) Flags of Our Fathers ( 2006 ) , Schrier was played by actor Jason Gray - Stanford .