From the Rochester Post-Bulletin:
"U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, a Democrat from Mankato, and U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, a Democrat from Minneapolis, will introduce legislation to rename the Rochester Veterans Clinic the Marine Cpl. Charles "Chuck" Lindberg V.A. Clinic.
Lindberg, who lives in Richfield, Minn., is the last living member of either group that raised flags on Iwo Jima in 1945, as World War II was coming to a close.
"Chuck Lindberg, like so many others, is a great inspiration and a great American hero," Walz said. "I can think of no more fitting way to honor his contributions to the war effort and to this nation."
Lindberg was a member of the party of Marines that raised the first American flag on Iwo Jima; the second flag-raising was immortalized in the Joe Rosenthal photo. Today is the 52nd* anniversary of the flag-raising."
*Actually, it's the 62nd anniversary.
Lindberg has his own web site. To learn more about Chuck Lindberg's story, there's this WCCO report about a ceremony at Fort Snelling honoring Lindberg last year. This site which features pictures of the flag raisings in sequence. WCCO produced a documentary about Lindberg and the flags at Iwo Jima; "The Last Flagraiser" is now available on DVD.
Naming the veterans clinic after Lindberg is a fitting tribute to a Marine who fought in one of the nation's most memorable battles.
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