Never knew this. I hope Texas Tech honors him somehow.
From Marine Times: "The Marine who led the charge to place the first American flag above Iwo Jima has died.
First Lt. John Wells, 94, died Feb. 11 at the Arvada Care Rehabilitation Center in Arvada, Colorado...
Their first flag was replaced hours later when a larger one was raised. Photographer Joe Rosenthal captured this in what would become the most famous photograph of the war and arguably the most iconicimage of the Marine Corps.
After the war, Wells studied petroleum geology at Texas Tech University and pursued a career in the oil industry.
He continued to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve, retiring as a major in 1959.
His published his memoir of the Battle of Iwo Jima, “Give Me 50 Marines Not Afraid to Die,” in 1995."
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/sto...marine-who-led-iwo-jima-charge-dies/80502730/
From Marine Times: "The Marine who led the charge to place the first American flag above Iwo Jima has died.
First Lt. John Wells, 94, died Feb. 11 at the Arvada Care Rehabilitation Center in Arvada, Colorado...
Their first flag was replaced hours later when a larger one was raised. Photographer Joe Rosenthal captured this in what would become the most famous photograph of the war and arguably the most iconicimage of the Marine Corps.
After the war, Wells studied petroleum geology at Texas Tech University and pursued a career in the oil industry.
He continued to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve, retiring as a major in 1959.
His published his memoir of the Battle of Iwo Jima, “Give Me 50 Marines Not Afraid to Die,” in 1995."
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/sto...marine-who-led-iwo-jima-charge-dies/80502730/
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