▁in ▁the ▁battle ▁of ▁I wo ▁J ima , ▁which ▁began ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 9 . ▁On ▁February ▁ 2 3 , ▁together ▁with ▁five ▁Mar ines , ▁he ▁helped ▁raise ▁the ▁second ▁and ▁larger ▁flag ▁at op ▁Mount ▁Sur ib achi ▁that ▁day . ▁He ▁was ▁wounded ▁in ▁action ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 3 ▁and ▁ev acu ated ▁off ▁the ▁island . ▁He ▁was ▁honor ably ▁dis charg ed ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁corpor al ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁ ▁I wo ▁J ima ▁▁ ▁The ▁ 4 th ▁and ▁ 5 th ▁Marine ▁Division ▁assault ▁forces ▁land ed ▁on ▁I wo ▁J ima , ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁The ▁ 2 8 th ▁Mar ines , ▁ 5 th ▁Marine ▁Division ▁land ed ▁on ▁the ▁sout heast ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁island ▁closest ▁to ▁where ▁Mount ▁Sur ib achi ▁was ▁located . ▁The ▁ 2 8 th ▁Mar ines ▁mission ▁was ▁to ▁capture ▁Mount ▁Sur ib achi ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁day , ▁but ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁heavy ▁fighting ▁they ▁encountered ▁from ▁the ▁Japanese , ▁that ▁did ▁not ▁happen . ▁The ▁ 2 8 th ▁Mar ines ▁reached ▁the ▁east ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁mountain ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 1 , ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁evening ▁of ▁February ▁ 2 2 , ▁the ▁regiment ▁had ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁mountain ▁surrounded . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁February ▁ 2 3 , ▁a ▁ 4 0 - man ▁pat