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www.brownsvilleherald.coinHistoric MomentMIKE GONZALEZ/MVTCHarlon Block's name became part of history after he was pictured in photographer Joe Rosenthal's historic snapshot of Americans raising the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima. Today, a memorial statue (above) depicting the scene in Rosenthal's photo stands on the grounds of the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen.Nation still remembers Block and flag raisingBY MIKE GONZALEZMID-VALLEY TOWN CRIERWESLACO — Photographer Joe Rosenthal captured one of the most iconic images of U.S. military history after bloody fighting between U.S. Marines and the Japanese for control over the tiny Pacific island of Iwo Jimain 1945.As five Marines and one Navy corpsman hoisted the U.S. flag atop Mount Suribachi for the second time, Rosenthal snapped his famous picture, forever etching the name of Weslaco native and U.S. Marine Cpl. Harlon Block in the annals of U.S. history.But the historic moment would have never happened if not for a handful of rebellious teenagers, said Harlingen resident Glen Cleckler, a friend of Block who served in the Marine Corps alongside him.Cleckler recalled one fateful day in the winter of 1943 when he, BlockCOURTESY PHOTOThis photo shows eight Weslaco High School students, includingHarlon Block, far right, who graduated high school early in 1943 toenroll in the United States Marine Corps.and another friend skipped classes at Weslaco High School to catch a movie in Harlingen. After the film, the trio visited a MarineCorps recruiting station nearby.Spotting the perfectalibi for missing class, Cleckler, 84, said the three teens stopped into the station to pick up information should their absence be questioned by school administrators.rese;inolumEarmarkire of UJohn IVBY JARE1THE MCWESLACCeven the beef A $1.7 mill for a Rio Gr research cenmg, among o ture issues,disappearancwas inmassive sp cleared by C lliesday.PLEASE SEESomeearmarksin the spe $4 million fservation proje and continue v tional canal lir more efficientlgation water. $119,000 f Mathworks in school district train teachers Mathworks m can conduct nduring the surmath clubs di year and becc tors for other $665,000 to four lanes 83 to Mile 8. $617,500 studies on thlt; of Interstate f* $500,000 Rio Grande V. Wildlife Refuc the U.S. Fish aService to pur from willing s to the existim► $285,000 Boys Girls ( tate new com► $118,938 County to cor ity study for e waste-to-enei that less solid to landfills.PLEASE SEE BLOCK, C12Time toContractors hurting for wobidding government projecBY JARED JANESTHE MONITOR‘We had 20 guys bidding on a project justEDINBURG — The private development that keptValley Paving’s 50 employees busy started to disappear a year ago.the other day when normally there wouldhe three or four.’Perry Vaughn, executive director of the Associated Genera!ments that c put out work.City, coun offices repot projects froiutility work tlt; are atContractors of America Rio Grande Valiev Chapter cheaper than
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Brownsville Herald
Brownsville, Texas, US
Sun, Mar 15, 2009
Page 21
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