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Rene Arthur Gagnon, participant in the infamous flag raising on Iwo Jima, was born in Manchester, N.H. on March 6, 1926. He completed two years of high school before leaving to take a job with the local textile mill. On May 6, 1943 he was inducted into the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and sent to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, S.C.
From Parris Island, Private First Class Gagnon, promoted on July 16, 1943 was transferred to the Marine Guard Company at Charleston, S.C. Navy yard. He remained there for 8 months, then he joined the Military Police Company of the 5th Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California. Four days later, on April 8th, he was transferred to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines.
After training in Pendleton and Hawaii, Gagnon landed with his unit on Iwo Jima Feb. 19th. He was sent to Washington DC after Iwo Jima was secured. Together with the other two survivors of the flag raising, John Bradley and Ira Hayes, he was assigned to temporary duty with the Finance Division, U.S. Treasury Dept. for appearances in connection with the Seventh War Loan Drive. He finished the tour July 5th and was ordered to San Diego for further transfer overseas.
By September he was on his way overseas, this time with the 80th Replacement Draft. On Nov. 7, 1945 he arrived in China. On duty with the U.S. occupation forces in China for nearly five months. At the end of March he boarded a ship for San Diego. He arrived in California April 20th, and was discharged April 27, 1946. He received the following medals - shown above:
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
- China Service Medal
- WWII Victory Medal
- The Presidential Unit Citation
Corporal Rene Gagnon died October 12, 1979 in Manchester, New Hampshire. He was buried at Mount Calvary Mausoleum. At his widow's request, Gagnon's remains were reinterred in Arlington National Cemetery on July 7, 1981.
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