The author knew his dad was one of the six marines in the famous photo of the flag raising on Iwo Jima, but his dad was very reluctant to talk about the war. When his dad died, the author decided to track down the stories of the six men in the photo. He tells of their lives and war experiences, especially on Iwo. He also struggles with what the war must have meant to the three who survived the battle. The book is moving. It paints a horrible picture of the war, but also explains why it was necessary. It also shows, as much as it can be understood by those who weren't there, what it was like for a normal person to have to face that degree of horror and pressure.