Lina Nissley
ECB Publishing, Inc.
On the Pacific island of Iwo Jima, Sgt. Ernest Ivy Thomas Jr. and other brave Marines were under enemy fire as they climbed Mount Suribachi to raise the American flag with the goal of encouraging his fellow American soldiers. They succeeded - tying a small American flag onto a steel pipe and raising it high into the air for all to see.
This marked the first Japanese territory taken in World War 2 on Feb. 23, 1945. Photographer and Marine Corps Captain Lou Lowrey photographed the event. For reasons shrouded in controversy, a matter of hours later, a second, larger flag was ordered to be raised by another group of soldiers over concerns that the first flag was too small to be seen. This second flag-raising is depicted in Joe Rosenthal’s famous photograph.
Sgt. Thomas was later killed in action on March 3, 1945. His remains were laid to rest in his hometown of Monticello at the Roseland Cemetery. Thomas was one of hundreds of Jefferson county residents who defended their country in World War 2.
Born in Tampa, Fla. to Ernest and Martha Thomas, Thomas (known as “Boots” to his loved ones) and his family moved from South Florida to Monticello while he was still young. While not a born-local, Thomas grew up in the area and called Jefferson County his home. As a student, he attended Monticello High School and moving on to attend Tri-State College in Angola, Ind.
A year later, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Thomas decided to enlist in the Marines. Thomas was confident that he could pass all military tests in order to enlist except one - the color chart test as part of the medical exam, since Thomas was color blind. His solution was to memorize the pattern of the chart. He passed the test and gained entry - eventually being initiated into the 5th Marine Division. After receiving his basic training, Thomas became a drill instructor. In 1944, he was then sent overseas to Iwo Jima for his first combat experience, which was the first major battle of World War 2 to occur on Japanese soil.
After Thomas’s platoon commander was wounded in combat, Thomas took over and led his men to successfully conquer the sector on Feb. 21, 1945. As a result of his bravery and heroism, Thomas was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his actions on Iwo Jima; while he was not alive to receive the award, it was presented in 1946 to his mother, Martha Thomas. Despite his awarded status, Thomas – in life – was often apt to deflect any praise offered to him. Rather than take credit for heroism, Thomas preferred to see his men also noticed and recognized for their bravery on the battle field.
An etched representation of the original photograph taken by Lou Lowrey depicting Thomas and his men holding the American flag is represented in a monument in Monticello on the north shoulder of U.S. 90, honoring the bravery of Monticello's Sgt. “Boots” Thomas and his men.
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