Franklin R Sousley
| Franklin R. Sousley | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 19, 1925 Hill Top, Kentucky |
| Died | March 21, 1945 Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands |
| Status | KIA |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1944–1945 |
| Rank | Private First Class |
| Service number | |
| Unit | Company E, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division |
| Commands held | |
| Battles / wars | Battle of Iwo Jima |
| Awards | Purple Heart |
| Relations | |
| Later work | |
Franklin Runyon Sousley (September 19, 1925 – March 21, 1945) was a United States Marine and one of the six men who raised the second U.S. flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945, the moment captured in Joe Rosenthal's iconic photograph.
Born in rural Fleming County, Kentucky, Sousley joined the Marine Corps in January 1944 and served with Company E, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines.
Flag raising on Mount Suribachi
[edit]On February 23, 1945, Sousley was among the group that carried the larger replacement flag up Mount Suribachi and one of the six men photographed raising it, positioned among the middle figures of the group.
Legacy
[edit]Sousley was killed by a Japanese sniper on Iwo Jima on March 21, 1945 — the last of the six flag raisers in the photograph to die during the battle, and only days before the island was declared secured. His remains were reinterred in Elizaville Cemetery, Kentucky, in 1948.