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On Tuesday, a premiere showing of the Sgt. Michael Strank documentary, titled “Our Flag Still Waves,” will be held in room 150 Hawthorn on the campus of Penn State Altoona at 8 p.m.
This event is free and open to the public. Students and veterans and their families are especially encouraged to attend.
The film showing coincides with the 70th anniversary of the end of the WWII battle on the Pacific island of Iwo Jima.
The documentary chronicles significant history of the west-central Pennsylvania region.
Sgt. Michael Strank, “a Marine’s Marine,” grew up just outside of Johnstown in Franklin Borough, and led the group of soldiers raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima in 1945.
This moment was subsequently captured by the famous Joe Rosenthal photograph now immortalized in the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial. The film chronicles Strank’s upbringing in Pennsylvania, his time serving in the Civilian Conservation Corps and his exploits as a Marine. It includes interviews with family members, fellow veterans and historians.
The documentary is narrated by former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge and features Penn State Altoona history instructor Jared Frederick. Filmed throughout Pennsylvania, portions were also shot at Penn State Altoona as Frederick introduced key facts about the battle.
The film initiative was a two-phase project.
The first phase was the erection of a monument at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Franklin Borough in November 2014.
Phase two is this documentary of Strank’s life growing up in Franklin Borough and his life in the military.
The filmmakers plan to release the production on public television.
Following the showing of the 45-minute documentary, film director Dale Wicks of Wix Pix Productions and history instructor Jared Frederick will be on hand for a Q&A session with the audience. This is also free and open to the public.