Editing Michael Strank (section)

{{Short description|United States Marine Corps sergeant (1919–1945)}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox military person
| name          = Michael Strank
| native_name_lang = rue
| native_name   = Михал Стренк
| birth_name    = Mykhal Strenk
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1919|11|10}}
| death_date    = {{death date and age|1945|03|01|1919|11|10}}
| birth_place   = [[Jarabina]], [[Czechoslovakia]] (present-day [[Slovakia]])
| death_place   = [[Iwo Jima]], [[Bonin Islands]], [[Japanese Empire]] {{KIA}}
| placeofburial = [[Arlington National Cemetery]]
| placeofburial_label = Place of burial
| image         = Michael Strank.jpg
| caption       = Michael Strank, U.S. Marine Corps in 1939
| allegiance    = [[United States]]
| branch        = [[United States Marine Corps]]
| serviceyears  = 1939–1945
| rank          = [[Sergeant#United States|Sergeant]]
| commands      = 
| unit          = [[2nd Battalion, 28th Marines]],<br />[[5th Marine Division]]
| battles       = '''[[World War II]]'''
* [[Pavuvu]]
* [[Bougainville campaign|Battle of Bougainville]]
* [[Solomon Islands campaign]]
* [[Battle of Iwo Jima]] {{KIA}}
| awards        = [[File:Bronze Star ribbon.svg|23px|border]] [[Bronze Star]] (1+1[[V Device|"V"]])<br />[[File:Purple Heart ribbon.svg|23px|border]] [[Purple Heart]]<br />[[File:Combat Action Ribbon.svg|23px|border]] [[Combat Action Ribbon]]
| laterwork     = 
}}
'''Michael Strank''' (November 10, 1919{{spaced ndash}}March 1, 1945, born '''Mykhal Strenk'''){{efn|{{langx|rue|Михал Стренк|{{transliteration|rue|Mykhal Strenk}}}}, [[Anglicisation of names|{{small|anglicized}}]]: ''Michael Strank''}} was a [[United States Marine Corps]] sergeant who was [[killed in action]] during the [[Battle of Iwo Jima]] in [[World War II]]. He was one of the Marines who raised the second [[Flag of the United States|U.S. flag]] on [[Mount Suribachi]] on February 23, 1945, as shown in the iconic photograph ''[[Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima]]'' by photographer [[Joe Rosenthal]]. Of the six Marines depicted in the photo, Strank was the only one to be correctly identified from the beginning; the other five were either assigned the wrong locations ([[Ira Hayes]] and [[Franklin Sousley]]), or, were given the names of Marines who were not in the photo.

The first flag raised over Mount Suribachi at the south end of Iwo Jima was deemed too small. Later that day, Strank, a rifle company squad leader in the [[5th Marine Division (United States)|5th Marine Division]], was ordered up the mountain with three Marines to raise a larger flag. The photograph of the second flag-raising became famous and was widely reproduced. The second flag raising was also filmed in color.<ref name="youtube.com">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOy6yRAB6BY You Tube, Smithsonian Channel, 2008 Documentary (Genaust films) "Shooting Iwo Jima"] Retrieved March 14, 2020</ref> Before Iwo Jima, Strank served with the [[Marine Raiders]] in the Battle of [[Bougainville campaign|Bougainville]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.usmcu.edu/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/People/Whos-Who-in-Marine-Corps-History/Scannell-Upshur/Sergeant-Michael-Strank/|title=Marine Corps University > Research > Marine Corps History Division > People > Who's Who in Marine Corps History > Scannell - Upshur > Sergeant Michael Strank|website=www.usmcu.edu}}</ref>

The [[Marine Corps War Memorial]] in [[Arlington, Virginia]], was modeled after Rosenthal's photograph of six Marines raising the second flag on Iwo Jima.