**William Homer Genaust** (October 12, 1906 – March 4, 1945) was an American [war photographer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_photographer) during [World War II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II) best known for filming the second U.S. flag-raising on top of [Mount Suribachi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iwo_Jima) on February 23, 1945, which was immortalized in [Joe Rosenthal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Rosenthal)'s famous photograph [*Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raising_the_Flag_on_Iwo_Jima).

Genaust was a [sergeant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant) in the [United States Marine Corps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps) during the [Pacific War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_War) operating a then-modern and lightweight [16 millimeter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16_mm_film) motion picture camera which used 50-foot color [film cassettes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_cassette).[^(\[1\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Genaust#cite_note-ShadOfSuri_pg.48-1)[^(\[2\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Genaust#cite_note-youtube.com-2) His motion picture of the flag-raising became one of the best-known film clips of the war, and documents the event famously depicted in the [Marine Corps War Memorial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_War_Memorial) in [Arlington, Virginia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlington,_Virginia). Genaust was reportedly [killed in action](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killed_in_action) nine days later during the [Battle of Iwo Jima](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Iwo_Jima), and his remains have not been recovered.

  
I've attached the letter sent to his widow informing her of his death.  We are one with our fallen brethren.

The Legendary Photographer of Iwo Jima Bill Genaust