Alan Wood
- May 3, 1922
- April 18, 2013
- 90 years
- heart failure
About Alan Wood
Alan Wood, 90, American Navy officer, supplied the American flag for the Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima photograph, heart failure.
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Full Biography
|Alan Stevenson Wood (May 3, 1922 – April 18, 2013) was an American retired naval officer and veteran of World War II. Wood, who was U.S. Naval Communications officer at the Battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945, supplied the American flag being raised in the historic Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima photograph taken by Joe Rosenthal on February 23, 1945.
Biography
Early life
Wood was born in Pasadena, California, on May 3, 1922. He was a descendant of one of the first pioneer families who had settled area which is now modern-day Sierra Madre, California. Wood received a bachelor's degree in history from the University of California, Berkeley.
World War II and Iwo Jima
Alan Wood had discovered a 37-square-foot American flag at a naval depot in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, months before deploying to the western Pacific Theater. He took the flag with him when he left Hawaii.
Wood was a twenty-two-year-old naval communications officer for a landing ship, the Navy vessel LST-779, at the Battle of Iwo Jima. After five days of fighting, the U.S. Marines had managed to take the summit of Mount Suribachi, the highest point on the island. On February 23, 1945, a United States Marine asked Wood for the largest American flag he could find; Wood gave him the flag he had found in Hawaii. Six Marines would later raise Wood's flag atop Mount Suribachi in an iconic photograph which was taken by Associated Press reporter Joe Rosenthal. The photograph became one of the most iconic images of World War II.
A Marine General asked Wood to provide details on the history of the now iconic American flag following the battle. Wood replied to the General in 1945 letter, "The fact that there were men among us who were able to face a situation like Iwo where human life is so cheap, is something to make humble those of us who were so very fortunate not to be called upon to endure such hell."
Wood's role in supplying the flag was confirmed in April 2013 by retired Marine Colonel Dave Severance, the commander of the company of the U.S. Marines who took Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima. Severance noted that "I have a file of more than 60 people who claim to have had something to do with the flags," but confirmed that it was indeed Wood who brought the American flag to Iwo Jima.
Career
Wood enrolled at the Art Center in Pasadena, where he studied water color. He became a respected watercolorist and painter.
He was hired as a technical artist for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge, California in 1958. He later served as a spokesperson and public relations officer for the Laboratory as well. Wood coordinated press and media coverage for NASA's Mariner, Viking, Voyager and Galileo space exploration missions.
Wood died of natural causes at his home in Sierra Madre, California, on April 18, 2013, at the age of 90. His wife, Elizabeth Wood, died in 1985; they had a son. He was buried at Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery.
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Articles & News
- "Alan Wood, US veteran who provided flag for Iwo Jima picture, dies aged 90; Wood, who was a 22-year-old navy officer in second world war, credited with findingtheguardian.com
- "Alan Wood dies at 90; provided Iwo Jima flag in World War II"latimes.com
Reported coverage of Alan Wood; each link opens the original article on the publisher's own site.
Books & Media
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Wood_(military_officer)
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 30, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 15 questions
Questions drawn from Alan Wood's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what city was Alan Stevenson Wood born?
- A.San Diego, California
- B.Pasadena, Californiacorrect
- C.Los Angeles, California
- D.San Francisco, California
Alan Stevenson Wood was born in Pasadena, California, on May 3, 1922.
Source: Early life section
2.What subject did Alan Stevenson Wood study at the University of California, Berkeley?
- A.Historycorrect
- B.Fine Arts
- C.Political Science
- D.Engineering
Alan Stevenson Wood received a bachelor's degree in history from the University of California, Berkeley.
Source: Early life section
3.Where did Alan Stevenson Wood find the American flag used at the Battle of Iwo Jima?
- A.At a naval depot in Pearl Harbor, Hawaiicorrect
- B.At a supply station in Tokyo, Japan
- C.At a local shop in Pasadena, California
- D.At a military base in San Diego, California
Alan Stevenson Wood discovered the 37-square-foot flag at a naval depot in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, before deploying to the Pacific.
Source: World War II and Iwo Jima section
4.On what date was the historic flag raised on Mount Suribachi?
- A.February 28, 1945
- B.March 15, 1945
- C.January 12, 1945
- D.February 23, 1945correct
The iconic flag was raised by six Marines on February 23, 1945.
Source: World War II and Iwo Jima section
5.What was the name of the ship Alan Stevenson Wood served on during the Battle of Iwo Jima?
- A.LST-502
- B.USS Hornet
- C.LST-779correct
- D.USS Enterprise
Alan Stevenson Wood was a naval communications officer for the landing ship LST-779 during the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Source: World War II and Iwo Jima section
6.Who was the Associated Press reporter that took the iconic photograph of the flag raising on Iwo Jima?
- A.Edward Steichen
- B.Robert Capa
- C.Joe Rosenthalcorrect
- D.Dave Severance
The historic photograph of the flag raising was taken by Associated Press reporter Joe Rosenthal.
Source: World War II and Iwo Jima section
7.Which individual confirmed Alan Stevenson Wood's role in supplying the flag in April 2013?
- A.Admiral Chester Nimitz
- B.Colonel Dave Severancecorrect
- C.General Dwight Eisenhower
- D.Captain John Miller
Retired Marine Colonel Dave Severance confirmed that it was Alan Stevenson Wood who brought the American flag to Iwo Jima.
Source: World War II and Iwo Jima section
8.What type of art did Alan Stevenson Wood study at the Art Center in Pasadena?
- A.Water colorcorrect
- B.Graphic design
- C.Oil painting
- D.Sculpture
Alan Stevenson Wood enrolled at the Art Center in Pasadena, where he studied water color.
Source: Career section
9.In what year was Alan Stevenson Wood hired by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory?
- A.1970
- B.1950
- C.1962
- D.1958correct
Alan Stevenson Wood was hired as a technical artist for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1958.
Source: Career section
10.Which of these missions did Alan Stevenson Wood coordinate media coverage for while working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory?
- A.Apollo 11
- B.Gemini
- C.Skylab
- D.Galileocorrect
Alan Stevenson Wood coordinated press and media coverage for NASA's Mariner, Viking, Voyager and Galileo space exploration missions.
Source: Career section
11.In what city did Alan Stevenson Wood die?
- A.Berkeley, California
- B.Sierra Madre, Californiacorrect
- C.Pasadena, California
- D.La Canada Flintridge, California
Alan Stevenson Wood died at his home in Sierra Madre, California.
Source: Career section
12.At what age did Alan Stevenson Wood pass away?
- A.90correct
- B.88
- C.92
- D.85
Alan Stevenson Wood died on April 18, 2013, at the age of 90.
Source: Career section
13.In what year did Alan Stevenson Wood's wife, Elizabeth Wood, die?
- A.2000
- B.1975
- C.1985correct
- D.1990
Alan Stevenson Wood's wife, Elizabeth Wood, died in 1985.
Source: Career section
14.Where was Alan Stevenson Wood buried?
- A.Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemeterycorrect
- B.Arlington National Cemetery
- C.Pasadena Memorial Park
- D.Pacific View Memorial Park
Alan Stevenson Wood was buried at Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery.
Source: Career section
15.Alan Stevenson Wood's ancestors were among the first to settle in which modern-day California area?
- A.Sierra Madrecorrect
- B.Berkeley
- C.Pasadena
- D.La Canada Flintridge
Alan Stevenson Wood was a descendant of one of the first pioneer families who had settled the area that is now modern-day Sierra Madre, California.
Source: Early life section
People who died on April 18
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