Harlon Henry Block, one of six children to a dairy farmer, was born in Weslaco, Texas, in 1924. Block grew up in the Weslaco area and became a “football star” at Weslaco High School. One day during his senior year, a group of teammates, including Block, decided to skip school to watch a movie. This decision would change the course of their lives.

To have an excuse for missing school, the boys visited a United States Marine Corps Recruitment office in Harlingen after the movie. The group had decided to enlist after graduation anyway—it also inspired the high school principal to allow them to graduate early. Block and seven others enlisted in the United States Military Corps in February 1943. This group became known as “The Weslaco Eight.”

Block went to boot camp in California, becoming a paratrooper. He fought in the battle of Bougainville. He was reassigned when the paratroopers disbanded and went for training in Hawaii. Soon thereafter, Block was promoted to corporal before being sent to his next assignment: Iwo Jima.

Marines landed on the island of Iwo Jima on Feb. 19, 1945. On Feb. 23, men from Block’s patrol planted the American flag at the top of Mt. Suribachi. It was soon decided that this should be replaced with a larger flag and a second group was sent up the mountain. This group was accompanied by several photographers, including Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press. Rosenthal then took what would become one of the most iconic photos of World War II. Block is the man at the base of the flagpole.

But, the battle for Iwo Jima was far from over, and Block’s unit moved north on the island. On March 1, he was killed in action and buried in the 5th Marine Division cemetery on Iwo Jima. The fighting continued until the end of March.

In 1949, his remains were returned to his family and buried in his hometown of Weslaco. Block was the only member of the Weslaco Eight that did not return home from the war.

As Rosenthal’s photo rose to fame, questions arose about the identification of the men in the image. It was the efforts of fellow flag raiser Ira Hayes and Block’s mother that helped lead to the correct identification of Harlon Block.

Sculptor Felix de Weldon was inspired by the photo and within 48 hours had created a scale model of the image. He then spent years creating the full-scale model that was later cast in bronze and erected in Washington D.C. The plaster model went into storage in Rhode Island.

In 1965 the Marine Military Academy opened its doors on the former home of the Harlingen Army Air Force base, used to train combat pilots during WWII.

In the early 1980s, Felix de Weldon heard about the academy and decided it would be the perfect home for the plaster sculpture. He wanted it to inspire the cadets, and the consistent climate of Harlingen was ideal for preserving the sculpture. Harlingen is a few miles from Weslaco, the hometown of Block.

The sculpture was officially dedicated in 1982. And, in 1995, Harlon Block’s remains would be moved one final time, to rest at the base of the monument, during the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the battle of Iwo Jima.

Visitors can view the Iwo Jima monument, but the museum will be closed for renovations and construction of a new facility until Spring 2028.