As a proud member of the Hubert family, my personal heroes are the three men to whom this site pays tribute - but when speaking of times in history when “uncommon valor was a common virtue”, one would be remiss in not mentioning the names of a few of the other heroes of Iwo Jima. This is a small sampling of the names that stand out in my mind:

Cpl. Charles W. Lindberg, one of the men involved in the initial flag-raising, who carried a seventy-pound fire-breathing machine on his back on the ascent of Mt. Suribachi and points beyond - for doing his share of the “dirty work”, and then some. I can’t think of a man anyone would have been more fortunate to have by their side in battle.

Sgt. Michael Strank, the handsome Czech in the famous photograph of the second flag-raising, whose bravery and leadership in battle tempts me to say “They don’t make them like that anymore,” – but I know better.

PhM2c John H. Bradley – the lone corpsman in the immortal photo taken by AP combat photographer Joe Rosenthal. Described by one veteran of the battle as “unstoppable”, he seemed to me to be the quintessential combat medic. The humility he demonstrated in his post-war life and his personal perspective regarding his role in the second flag-raising on Mt. Suribachi are just two of the things that make him a hero in my eyes.

Dr. George Gentile – Iwo Jima veteran and former president of the Iwo Jima Survivors' Association, for his organizational skills and passion in keeping the memory of the sacrifices made by the boys of Iwo Jima alive, after more than fifty years. (Rest in peace, Dr. Gentile.)

Finally, one thing is clear - from those who simply had the nerve to step out of a landing craft to those who threw their young bodies on grenades to shelter those around them from the anticipated concussion, Iwo Jima was an island that for over one month in 1945 was densely populated with heroes; some you've heard of, most you never will.