(1924-11-06)November 6, 1924 Yorktown, Texas, U.S.
Died
March 1, 1945(1945-03-01) (aged 20) Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, Japan
Buried
5th Marine Division Cemetery, Iwo Jima 1949: Weslaco Cemetery, Weslaco, Texas 1995: Marine Military Academy, Harlingen, Texas
Allegiance
United States
Service/branch
United States Marine Corps
Years of service
1943–1945
Rank
Corporal
Unit
E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division
Battles/wars
World War II
Bougainville Campaign
Consolidation of the Northern Solomons
Battle of Iwo Jima †
Awards
Purple Heart Medal Combat Action Ribbon
Harlon Henry Block (November 6, 1924 – March 1, 1945) was a United States Marine Corps corporal who was killed in action during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.
Born in Yorktown, Texas, Block joined the Marine Corps with seven high school classmates in February 1943. He subsequently became a Paramarine and participated in combat on Bougainville. After the Paramarines were disbanded in 1944, he was one of the Marines who raised the second U.S. flag on Mount Suribachi on February 23, 1945, as shown in the iconic photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima by photographer Joe Rosenthal.
The first flag raised over Mount Suribachi at the south end of Iwo Jima was deemed too small. Later that day, Block, a rifleman in the 5th Marine Division, was ordered up the mountain with three Marines to raise a larger flag. The second flag-raising photograph was an AP wirephoto that was widely reproduced and became famous. The second flag raising was also filmed in color.[1]
Block was not recognized as one of the second flag-raisers until the Marine Corps announced in January 1947 (after an investigation) that he was in the photograph and Sergeant Henry Hansen was not.[2][3] Block is one of three Marines in the photograph who were not originally identified as flag raisers.[4]
The Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, was modeled after Rosenthal's photograph of six Marines raising the second flag on Iwo Jima.
Harlon Henry Block (November 6, 1924 – March 1, 1945) was a United States Marine Corps corporal who was killed in action during the Battle of Iwo Jima...
Michael Strank, Corporal HarlonBlock, and Private First Class Franklin Sousley—would be killed in action during the battle; Block was identified as Sergeant...
offshore by an American ship. Cpl. HarlonBlock, Sgt. Strank's assistant squad leader, took command of the squad. Cpl. Block was killed later on the same day...
obtained from one of the ships docked on shore. Sgt. Strank selected Cpl. HarlonBlock, Pfc. Ira Hayes, and Pfc. Franklin Sousley. Capt. Severance also ordered...
Arizona to Edward Frederick Block, Sr.'s farm in Weslaco, Texas, to reveal the truth to Block's parents about their son Harlon being in Rosenthal's flag...
investigation which was initiated by one of the flag-raisers, that Corporal HarlonBlock was that Marine. Hansen is one of three men who were originally identified...
Mount Suribachi and raise the second flag. Sgt. Strank chose Corporal HarlonBlock, Private First Class Ira Hayes, and Private First Class Franklin Sousley...
Marines depicted in the photograph, Sergeant Michael Strank, Corporal HarlonBlock, and Private First Class Franklin Sousley, were killed in action days...
a larger flag on top of Mount Suribachi. Sgt. Strank chose Corporal HarlonBlock, Private First Class Ira Hayes, and Pfc. Sousley. On the way up the four...
top of Mount Suribachi to raise the second flag. Strank chose Corporal HarlonBlock, Private First Class Ira Hayes, and Private First Class Franklin Sousley...
and 2019), from right to left, are as follows: Position 1: Corporal Harlon H. Block Position 2: Corporal Harold P. Keller Position 3: Private First Class...
ordered four Marines from 2nd Platoon, Sergeant Michael Strank, Corporal HarlonBlock, and Private First Classes Ira Hayes and Franklin Sousley to reel a telephone...
Title Director Cast Genre Notes 6th Marine Division on Okinawa HarlonBlock Documentary Oscar-nominated film on Battle of Okinawa Appointment in Tokyo...
Senator; 1988 Vice-Presidential candidate) James Carlos Blake (novelist) HarlonBlock (Iwo Jima flag raiser) William S. Burroughs (writer; his time as a farmer...
2020) October 27 – Bonnie Lou, American singer (d. 2015) November 6 HarlonBlock, U.S. Marine flag raiser on Iwo Jima (d. 1945) November 10 – Russell...
Gardner Tobin (1896–1954), flying ace credited with six aerial victories HarlonBlock (1924–1945), raised flag on Mt. Suribachi at Iwo Jima Romus Burgin (1922–2019)...
The Harlon Hill Trophy is an award in American college football given to the individual selected as the most valuable player in NCAA Division II. The award...
Marine Military Academy is also the final resting place of Corporal HarlonBlock, formerly a resident of Weslaco, Texas, one of the Marines immortalized...
Global Information
United States
United States Marine Corps