In this Feb. 23, 1945, photo, U.S. Marines of the 28th Regiment, 5th Division, raise an American flag atop Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima, Japan. ... he passed Rosenthal and his Graflex 4x5 camera.

The inspiring image lifted the spirits of a nation—and raised suspicions that it was too good to be true. After five days of ferocious fighting, U.S. Marines raise the American flag atop Iwo ...