The image shows American soldiers raising the flag at Iwo Jima during World War II. This iconic photograph taken by Joe Rosenthal on February 23, 1945 came to symbolize the fighting spirit and patriotism of the United States during World War II. It depicts six U.S. servicemen raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima, following a fierce battle that resulted in almost 7,000 American casualties. The photograph won the Pulitzer Prize for Photography in 1945 and has become one of the most reproduced and widely recognized images in history.