We just keep losin' 'em.....
Larry A
Full Version: Ray Jacobs Died
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Marine radioman Raymond Jacobs of California died Jan. 29 at age 82. He was the last known Iwo Jima vet to take part in the first flag raising atop Suribachi.
We just keep losin' 'em.....
Larry A
We just keep losin' 'em.....
Larry A
May he rest in peace.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...6/BA2BURVDK.DTL
Last Marine in Iwo Jima Photo Dies at 82
Associated Press - Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Raymond Jacobs, a former Bay Area television newsman believed to be the last living Marine photographed during the flag-raising on Iwo Jima during World War II, has died. He was 82.
Mr. Jacobs died Jan. 29 of natural causes at a hospital in Redding, according to his daughter, Nancy Jacobs.
He was born in 1926 in Bridgeport, Conn. He retired in 1992 from KTVU-TV in Oakland, where he worked 34 years as a reporter, anchor and news director.
Mr. Jacobs spent his later years working to prove that he was the radio operator photographed gazing up at the American flag as it was being raised by other Marines over Mount Suribachi on Feb. 23, 1945.
Newspaper accounts from the time show he was on the mountain during the initial raising of a smaller American flag, though he had returned to his unit by the time the famous AP photograph taken by Joe Rosenthal of a flag-raising re-enactment later the same day.
The radioman's face isn't fully visible in the first photograph published by Lou Lowery, a photographer for Leatherneck magazine, leading some veterans to question Mr. Jacobs' claim. But other negatives from the same roll of film show that it is in fact Mr. Jacobs, said retired Col. Walt Ford, editor of Leatherneck.
"It's clearly a front-on face shot of Ray Jacobs," Ford said.
Annette Amerman, a historian with the Marine Corps history division, said in an e-mail statement that "there are many that believe" Mr. Jacobs was the radioman. "However, there are no official records produced at the time that can prove or refute Mr. Jacobs' location."
The man with a radio on his back had usually been identified as Pfc. Gene Marshall, a radio operator with the 5th Marine Division who died in 1987. The other men involved in the raising all have died.
Mr. Jacobs was honorably discharged in 1946.
Last Iwo Jima flag veteran dies
BBC
A soldier believed to be the last survivor of a group of marines pictured raising the US flag on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima in 1945 has died.
Raymond Jacobs died of natural causes at the age of 82 last week, his daughter told the Associated Press.
The capture of Iwo Jiwa, more than 1,000km (621 miles) south of Tokyo, followed one of the key battles of World War II.
The flag was raised on Mount Suribachi on 23 February 1945.
Mr Jacobs had always maintained that he was the radio operator seen looking up at the flag, in a picture of the first flag-raising, taken by a photographer for Leatherneck magazine.
Some veterans had questioned his claim as his face is not fully visible in the photograph.
But newspaper reports and negatives from the same roll of film suggest he was on the mountain during the flag-raising ceremony.
He is said to have returned to his unit by the time a more famous Associated Press photograph of a second flag-raising was taken later the same day.
Territory captured
Jacobs later fought in the Korean conflict in 1951 before retiring as a sergeant. He went on to work as a reporter, anchor and news director in local television in Oakland.
The battle of Iwo Jima saw 100,000 US troops attack 22,000 entrenched Japanese soldiers.
The island was the first Japanese territory attacked directly by ground troops in the war.
Most of the Japanese soldiers died in battle rather than be taken prisoner.
The Americans occupied the island after the war, and returned it to Japan in 1968.
The island has now been renamed Iwo To, as it was known before the war, to reflect the wishes of its original inhabitants.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...6/BA2BURVDK.DTL
Last Marine in Iwo Jima Photo Dies at 82
Associated Press - Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Raymond Jacobs, a former Bay Area television newsman believed to be the last living Marine photographed during the flag-raising on Iwo Jima during World War II, has died. He was 82.
Mr. Jacobs died Jan. 29 of natural causes at a hospital in Redding, according to his daughter, Nancy Jacobs.
He was born in 1926 in Bridgeport, Conn. He retired in 1992 from KTVU-TV in Oakland, where he worked 34 years as a reporter, anchor and news director.
Mr. Jacobs spent his later years working to prove that he was the radio operator photographed gazing up at the American flag as it was being raised by other Marines over Mount Suribachi on Feb. 23, 1945.
Newspaper accounts from the time show he was on the mountain during the initial raising of a smaller American flag, though he had returned to his unit by the time the famous AP photograph taken by Joe Rosenthal of a flag-raising re-enactment later the same day.
The radioman's face isn't fully visible in the first photograph published by Lou Lowery, a photographer for Leatherneck magazine, leading some veterans to question Mr. Jacobs' claim. But other negatives from the same roll of film show that it is in fact Mr. Jacobs, said retired Col. Walt Ford, editor of Leatherneck.
"It's clearly a front-on face shot of Ray Jacobs," Ford said.
Annette Amerman, a historian with the Marine Corps history division, said in an e-mail statement that "there are many that believe" Mr. Jacobs was the radioman. "However, there are no official records produced at the time that can prove or refute Mr. Jacobs' location."
The man with a radio on his back had usually been identified as Pfc. Gene Marshall, a radio operator with the 5th Marine Division who died in 1987. The other men involved in the raising all have died.
Mr. Jacobs was honorably discharged in 1946.
Last Iwo Jima flag veteran dies
BBC
A soldier believed to be the last survivor of a group of marines pictured raising the US flag on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima in 1945 has died.
Raymond Jacobs died of natural causes at the age of 82 last week, his daughter told the Associated Press.
The capture of Iwo Jiwa, more than 1,000km (621 miles) south of Tokyo, followed one of the key battles of World War II.
The flag was raised on Mount Suribachi on 23 February 1945.
Mr Jacobs had always maintained that he was the radio operator seen looking up at the flag, in a picture of the first flag-raising, taken by a photographer for Leatherneck magazine.
Some veterans had questioned his claim as his face is not fully visible in the photograph.
But newspaper reports and negatives from the same roll of film suggest he was on the mountain during the flag-raising ceremony.
He is said to have returned to his unit by the time a more famous Associated Press photograph of a second flag-raising was taken later the same day.
Territory captured
Jacobs later fought in the Korean conflict in 1951 before retiring as a sergeant. He went on to work as a reporter, anchor and news director in local television in Oakland.
The battle of Iwo Jima saw 100,000 US troops attack 22,000 entrenched Japanese soldiers.
The island was the first Japanese territory attacked directly by ground troops in the war.
Most of the Japanese soldiers died in battle rather than be taken prisoner.
The Americans occupied the island after the war, and returned it to Japan in 1968.
The island has now been renamed Iwo To, as it was known before the war, to reflect the wishes of its original inhabitants.
Semper Fidelis soldier...now go knock a couple back with some of your fellow leathernecks up in the Pearly Gates
As mentioned above there is still some dispute as to whether or not Jacobs was actually there at the first flag raising. Here is a first hand account of the event from Ray Jacobs himself....
Iwo Jima - In Ray Jacobs Own Words
Jacobs identifies himself as the Radioman looking up at the flag in this picture.
Iwo Jima - In Ray Jacobs Own Words
Jacobs identifies himself as the Radioman looking up at the flag in this picture.
Rest in Peace!!
Rest in peace, trooper
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