The next day, February 19, 1945, the Marines hit the beach in landing craft and meet no resistance. Ralph, aka "Iggy", suspects that the Navy killed all the Japanese defenders, as do most of the Marines. After several tense minutes the Marines advance forward and the Japanese open fire. The battle is extremely intense, and the Marines take heavy casualties.
戦闘シーンの撮影は、アイスランドのレイキャネスで行われた。硫黄島のような黒い砂浜を再現でき、大がかりな土木工事や大砲・銃火器の使用許可といった困難な条件を克服できる貴重な場所であった。
On February 23, the platoon under Hank's command is ordered to climb Mount Suribachi. They reach the top and hoist the American flag atop the mountain. For the first time in 1,000 years an enemy flag is raised on Japanese soil. Suddenly the platoon is attacked by Japanese sharp shooters, but the Marines kill them without losing anyone.
ウィスコンシン州で葬儀屋を営む老人が長い人生に別れを告げようとしていた。彼の名はジョン・“ドク”・ブラッドリー。1945年彼は海軍の衛生兵として硫黄島に赴き海兵隊と共に戦った。
On March 1, Second Platoon is on patrol when they are ambushed by a Japanese
machine gun team. Mike orders Harlon to have his parateam take out the
machine gun nest. The gunner is killed. Mike goes up to examine a dead
Marine. He turns around and orders the unit to move up.
その中で撮られた一枚の写真により、彼はアメリカ中から“英雄”と称えられた。しかし彼はその後も、家族へ硫黄島について語ろうとはせずアメリカ中に知れ渡ったこの写真について何も語ろうとはしなかった。
硫黄島で何があったのか、彼の息子・ジェイムズは硫黄島の真実について辿り始める。
Almost immediately afterward, a Navy shell lands right behind him knocking him down. In the smoke and confusion a Japanese soldier remans the machine gun and opens fire, killing the lieutenant. The machine gunner is quickly killed but Mike is critically wounded. Doc does everything he can but Mike dies within minutes of getting hit. Mike's death hits the squad hard, as they all idolized him. Things only get worse from then on. Later that day Hank is shot in the chest and dies almost instantly.