They appeared at rallies, at fundraising dinners, at sporting events, at factory gatherings, at political celebrations.

They met politicians and celebrities and military leaders.

They were photographed endlessly, often posed in reenactments of the flag raising for promotional images.

They spoke — or were expected to speak — about their experience, about the battle, about the meaning of the flag and of what they had seen.

The total raised by the Seventh War Loan drive was enormous — over $26 billion in war bonds, which was substantially more than previous drives had generated.

The photograph and the tour were credited with much of that success.