John Henry “Doc” Bradley1923-1994

Matt Balentine

Early Life

• Born and in Antigo, Wisconsin on July 10th, 1923.

• Raised in Appleton• Interest in funeral business• Finished apprenticeship before military service

Military Enlistment, 1942

• John enlisted in the Navy at the age of 19.• Suggested by his father to avoid ground

combat• Became Pharmacist’s Mate• Later assigned to Marine Corps

Training, 1943

• Stationed at U.S. Naval Hospital in Oakland, California to start corpsman training

• Sent to “field medical service school”• Assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines,

of the 5th Marine Division at Camp Pendleton

Iwo Jima, 1945

• Served as platoon corpsman (medic)• Aided wounded soldiers on the beach before

joining the front lines with his comrades.• February 21st: Carried a wounded soldier to

safety, and later awarded the Navy Cross for it.

Iwo Jima, 1945 (cont.)

• February 23rd: Climbed Mount Suribachi and captured the summit

• Later helped raised the flag that is displayed in the infamous nostalgic photo, taken by Joe Rosenthal.

• Most don’t know that this was a replacement flag.

Other Flag Raisers

• Harlon Block, Franklin Sousley, and Michael Strank (all KIA on Iwo Jima)

• Rene Gagnon and Ira Hayes (joined John after the battle for a bond tour.

After Iwo Jima

• John, Ira, and Rene were humbled by the fame they received from the photograph.

• Went on a bond tour in May and June the Seventh War Loan Drive, and raised over $26 billion to help win the war.

After the War: 1945-1994

• Moved back to Antigo• Married his childhood sweetheart, Betty Van

Gorp, with whom he had eight children.• Fulfilled lifelong dream of buying and

operating a funeral parlor.

Death, 1994

• On January 11th, 1994, John Bradley suffered a heart attack, but died from a stroke at the age of 70.