16 Facts About Harold Keller

Harold Paul Keller was a United States Marine corporal who was wounded in action during the Bougainville campaign in World War II.

Harold Keller is one of the six Marines who raised the larger replacement flag on the mountaintop the same day as shown in the iconic photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima.

The Marine Corps stated that Harold Keller was incorrectly identified as Private First Class Rene Gagnon in the photograph, who they determined is not in the photo.

Harold Keller is one of three Marines in the photograph who were not originally identified as flag raisers.

Harold Keller was born on August 3,1921, in Brooklyn, Iowa.

Harold Keller was assigned to the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Evans Carlson and was present for the Battle of Midway and took part in the fighting at Guadalcanal.

In 1943, Harold Keller was shot through his right shoulder at Bougainville.

Harold Keller met and subsequently married his wife, Ruby O'Halloran, while he was home on leave.

Harold Keller was next assigned to Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division which was activated at Camp Pendleton in 1944.

Harold Keller survived the war and returned to his wife Ruby in Iowa.

Harold Keller was the only one of six flag-raisers who had children.

Additionally, Keller's private scrapbook contained a strongly worded letter from Major General Philip H Torrey, dated 17 September 1945, which suggests that Keller might have attempted to correct the record but was silenced.

Harold Keller worked a series of jobs in his hometown and was a member of the volunteer fire department in Brooklyn for 30 years, eventually becoming the fire chief.

Harold Keller died of a heart attack on March 13,1979.

Harold Keller was questioned the same day by a Marine public information officer about all the identities of the flag raisers in the photograph.

The Marine Corps photo taken by Private Robert Campbell which showed both flags on top of Mount Suribachi verified that Harold Keller was actually the person thought to have been Gagnon.