Watched an interesting show about Iwo Jima on the History Channel last night.

The show covered the story behind the flag raising... in the 1st raising one of the commanders sent a few of his men up Mt. Surabachi to raise the flag in order to inspire the troops down on the beach.

Shortly thereafter, he ordered that the flag be taken down so he could preserve it (he knew what kind of souvenir hunters his men were :) ).

A second flag was then ordered to the top from which one of the most historical pictures in US history was taken.

Whatever became of the flags? Are either one of them on display somewhere?

The commander who ordered the 1st flag retrieved was hit pretty badly by Japanese artillery fire.
Was the 1st flag on his person at the time when he got hit?

I saw the same special, it was outstanding!  One of the flag raisers son wrote at book called "Flags Of Our Fathers".  He states that the 2nd flag was ripped to shreds by the wind and did not survive.  However, here is a link that says otherwise: http://www.iwojima.com/bond/.  It has pictures of the 3 surviving flag raisers with the 2nd flag on a bond tour.  I've also read in a couple of places that BOTH flags will be displayed in The National Marine Corps Museum scheduled to open in November of this year in Quantico, Virginia.  Here is link: http://hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mil/hd/Historical/Frequently_Requested/War_Memorial.htm

"Flags Of Our Farthers" was a great book.  

The second flag was put up (IIRC) because it was larger than the first one. Some Navy admiral commented that "it ensured the existance of the Marine Corps for the next 500 years", or words to that effect.