Audio book read by Stephen Hoye

A lucky photograph captured the imagination of the American people and helped raise the spirits of a nation (and LOTS of money in war bonds). This is the background story of the famous shot of the flag being raised on Iwo Jima.

Author James Bradley’s father was one of those six young men whose lives were changed by a photographer taking one more shot. In trying to explain his father’s long years of silence about his experiences during World War 2, Bradley discovered not only John “Doc” Bradley’s story, but that of the other men who fought to take Iwo Jima.

Though he spends a good part of the book giving us background on the six young men whose destinies would converge on Mount Suribachi during one of the bloodiest battles of the war in the Pacific, Bradley manages to keep the story moving forward. He walks a fine line between personal anecdote and the tension of a battlefield report.

Stephen Hoye is best when reading the battle scenes. When he slows down to give importance to a phrase or section his voice takes on an irritating quality that detracts from the message. Trust the listener, Mr Hoye. We will figure out what is important without your “acting” it for us. Despite this irritation, I still give the book 5 stars because Bradley’s work is gripping, emotional, dramatic, touching and inspirational.


P.S. My father spent 33 months in the Pacific Theatre during WW2 and was with one of the first units to go to Hiroshima after we dropped the bomb, to assist with clean-up.