A famous depiction of American World War II history is now on display near the living garden at Pine River Public Library in Bayfield.
Ignacio artist Ross Mickey created a metal depiction of the famous World War II photograph, "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima." He donated it to the Bayfield Lions Club Foundation as a silent auction item for their recent annual fundraiser and banquet. Bank President Ron Dunavant bid on and won the piece on behalf of First National Bank of Durango. The bank then donated it to the Pine River Library. The purchase price was $450.
The bank presented the piece to Pine River Public Library in time for a special Flag Day ceremony the library hosted in June. Shelley Walchak, the library's director, said her father served on a destroyer in the Pacific during WW II, so the piece has special meaning to her. She is pleased the library can provide a public place for the community to honor and remember those who lost their lives in that battle.
U.S. Marines landed on the island of Iwo Jima in February of 1945 and fought roughly 23,000 Japanese defenders. Despite difficult conditions, the U.S. won the battle, which earned a place in American history with the publication of the photograph by Joe Rosenthal showing the U.S. flag being raised in victory by five Marines and a Navy corpsman. The photo won a Pulitzer prize.
First National Bank previously bought another Iwo Jima sculpture by Mickey that is on display at the Bayfield Lions Club.
