23 Facts About Rene Gagnon

Rene Arthur Gagnon was a United States Marine Corps corporal who participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II.

On October 16,2019, the Marine Corps announced publicly that Corporal Harold Keller, not Rene Gagnon, was in Rosenthal's photo.

Rene Gagnon was one of three men who were originally identified incorrectly as flag-raisers in the photograph.

Rene Gagnon's parents separated when he was an infant, though they never divorced.

Rene Gagnon worked as a bicycle messenger boy for the local Western Union.

Rene Gagnon was inducted into the United States Marine Corps Reserve on May 6,1943.

Rene Gagnon was sent to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina.

Rene Gagnon was transferred to the Marine Guard Company at Charleston Navy Yard in South Carolina and remained there for eight months.

Rene Gagnon landed on the southeast side of Iwo Jima with E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines, on "Green Beach 1", which was the closest landing beach to Mount Suribachi on the southern end of the island.

Rene Gagnon who was the battalion runner for Easy Company, incorrectly became a part of what was most likely the most celebrated American flag raising in US history.

Rene Gagnon were on top, a Japanese pipe was found by Pfc.

Rene Gagnon left Iwo Jima for Hawaii, and both of the US flags that were flown on Mount Suribachi were sent to Marine Headquarters in Washington, DC.

Rene Gagnon, he secured the flag until it was delivered to Marine Headquarters in Washington, DC, after the Second Battalion returned to Hawaii from Iwo Jima.

Bradley agreed with all six names of the flag raisers in the photo given by Rene Gagnon including his own.

Rene Gagnon later served with the 3rd Battalion, 29th Marines.

Rene Gagnon was depicted as the second figure from the bottom of the flagstaff with the 32-foot bronze figures of the other five flag-raisers depicted on the monument until a Marine Corps investigation determined in October 2019 that he was not a flag raiser; Rene Gagnon had personally posed for the sculptor.

On February 19,1965, while working as an airline sales representative for Delta Air Lines, Rene Gagnon visited Mount Suribachi with his wife and son.

Rene Gagnon enjoyed the limelight, whereas he, by that time, no longer did.

Rene Gagnon died on October 12,1979, at age 54, in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Rene Gagnon resided in nearby Hooksett, and was survived by wife Pauline Gagnon and son Rene Gagnon, Jr.

Rene Gagnon appeared in two films about the Battle of Iwo Jima: To the Shores of Iwo Jima and Sands of Iwo Jima.

In October 2019, a third Marine Corps investigation concluded that former Marine Harold Keller, not Rene Gagnon, was actually depicted in Rosenthal's photo.

Rene Gagnon carried the larger second flag up Mount Suribachi, helped lower the first flagstaff, and removed the first flag at the time the second flag was raised.