Sgt Michael Strank - Blue Plaques on Waymarking.com

On Feb. 15,1945 on a small island of Iwo Jima, in the Pacific Ocean, American troops fought a long and hard battle to secure this island. Once the island was secure it would make an important refueling stop fot the pilots who would bomb Japan. Although many Americans loves were lost in the battle, it was success and to show the victory, 6 soliders, 5 being Marines and one being a Navy medical corpsman, scaled the highest point on the island, Mt Surbachi, and planted a large American flag. An Associated Press reprter captured theis incident of film and it became a national symbol of bravery and heroism. The picture went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for photography in 1945, and was the imspiration behind th USMC Memorial Statue in Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, a few days after this symbolic event, Sgt. Michael Strank was fatally wounded and buried on Iwo Jima. Strank, one of the marines, wa born in Czechoslovakia but grew up in Conemaugh, Pa. Five years after his death, Strank was reinterred in Arlington National Cemetary. Please be sure to look at another historic site, The Franklin School. Originally built in 1903 and deserted in 1979, the school had an abundance of history. Past graduates of the school, eager for a memento, purchased bricks that the local fire department was selling from the old school. The Franklin High School Alumni Association had a permanent memorial to the Franklin School erected. This memorial is constructed entirely from the original materials from the old school. Parking is limited.

Blue Plaque managing agency: unknown Physical Address: East Conemaugh, Pa USA 15901 Individual Recognized: Not listed Web Address: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   04/03/2006 lulu_odd1 visited it

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