The photograph, taken by Joe Rosenthal, became one of the most iconic images of the war and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Photography. It was later used as the model for the United States Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia.
The battle for Mount Suribachi was one of the most intense and costly battles of the Pacific campaign. The Japanese had fortified the hill and made it a key part of their defense of the island. The Marines fought their way up the hill in brutal hand-to-hand combat, and the battle lasted for several days.
The capture of Mount Suribachi was a significant victory for the Marines and helped to turn the tide of the battle in their favor. It also marked the beginning of the end of the war in the Pacific, as the Japanese were unable to recover from their losses at Iwo Jima.