One of the authors of the novel "Flags of the Fathers: Heroes of the Battle of Iwo Jima", James Bradley's father John Bradley is the medical soldier among the six American soldiers in the famous Iwo Jima flag-planting photo , Is also one of the three survivors. However, James had never heard his father mention that tragic battle. He didn't even know that there was a back figure in that time-significant photo that belonged to his father. It was not until his father's death in 1994 that James didn't follow him. A navy-issued cross and some newspaper clippings about interviews with the other two survivors were found in the treasured tin box, and only then did they really know the truth.
His father's low-key actually aroused James' curiosity to find out. However, after collecting a lot of information, he found that almost all of the three soldiers who died in the battle were reported: Mike Strank , 25 years old, suspected of being injured and killed by a friendly bullet; Haron Bullock, 20 years old, was a high school football star; Franklin Thorslin, 19 years old. However, the lives of the other three survivors, except for James' father John, after their retirement from the army, were nothing like a mystery. After running into walls one after another, James found another Lang Bowers who had worked as a war correspondent during World War II and was also a Pulitzer Prize winner. They conducted separate investigations and finally got information from those two people. However, They are also the same as James’ father, who has passed away: Rene Gagnon, who died of a heart attack at the age of 54, was the exact opposite of the heroic welcome when he returned to China. He had been working as a doorman in a company and had lived a life of frustration. As for the last standard-bearer Ira Hayes, James discovered that there were signs of a certain Indian gathering place in Arizona after he was discharged. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds in the war. Because the government did not provide timely medical help, he suffered complications, was plagued by injuries and died of alcoholism.
According to James, he took out the video of the warriors returning home. They were welcomed by the people like the Beatles. They were filled with flowers and praises wherever they went. However, their night scenes are more bleak, not because the government deliberately ignored them, but because they deliberately stepped out of the public's expectations. These people represent the best side of the United States. They don’t think they are so noble. They think that they are just doing what should be done for the country. This kind of spirit is the heroism we often mention. James believes it is necessary. Telling all this to the public, he and Ron Bowles jointly created "Flags of Fathers", recording all of what he saw and thought in the process of following his father.
