James Bradley and His Journey Unveiling ‘Flags of Our Fathers’

James Bradley, known for his bestselling book Flags of Our Fathers, passed away on June 5 at the age of 72. This work stemmed from his curiosity about his father’s service in the Navy during the Battle of Iwo Jima. For years, it was thought that his father was in the iconic photograph of six servicemen raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi. However, this belief was later disproved.

Bradley’s daughter, Alison Cinnamond, confirmed his death but chose not to disclose further details.

Bradley’s book, co-authored with Ron Powers, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, spent 46 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list reaching the top spot. It was also adapted into a film in 2006 directed by Clint Eastwood with Ryan Phillippe portraying Bradley’s father.

Flags of Our Fathers narrates the tales of the six flag-raisers at Iwo Jima during a five-week battle against Japanese forces. Among the 6,800 American servicemen who died were three of the flag raisers. The book follows the lives of the survivors, including Bradley’s father, Rene Gagnon, and Ira Hayes. It delves into their experiences on a national war bonds tour in the U.S. and the challenges they faced afterward.

John ‘Doc’ Bradley, who later became a funeral director in Antigo, Wisconsin, rarely spoke of his combat experiences or of being honored with the Navy Cross. He received this accolade for his bravery in treating and saving a wounded Marine while under mortar and machine gun fire on Iwo Jima.