A songwriter from the Blackfeet Nation of Montana is determined to tell the story of another Indian soldier who helped raise the U.S. flag at Iwo Jima during World War II.

Jack Gladstone doesn't want history to forget Louis Charlo, who was a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of Montana. He's producing "Remembering Private Charlo," a song about Charlo's ancestors and military service.

"It is my hope that the song can contribute an air of dignity and honor to this Bitterroot-Salish teenager," Gladstone told The Great Falls Tribune.

Charlo was 17 when he enlisted in the U.S. Marines and was part of a team that raised the first American flag at Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945. He died on March 2, 1945, while carrying a wounded soldier to safety.

A second flag was also planted on Iwo Jima by a team that included Ira Hayes, who was a member of the Gila River Indian Community of Arizona. The raising was captured in an iconic photograph.

Get the Story:
Bitterroot-Salish Marine part of iconic Iwo Jima moment (The Great Falls Tribune 2/23)
Song honors soldier who raised Iwo Jima flag (The Missoulian 2/23)