James Bradley, the co-author of the bestselling nonfiction book “Flags of Our Fathers,” dies at 72, according to reports. The book helped popularize the story behind the iconic World War II image of American servicemen raising the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima. Bradley’s account centered on the long belief that his father was one of the men shown in the photograph, a claim that made the book widely read and discussed. The work was later adapted into a 2006 film directed by Clint Eastwood, which brought the story to a wider audience. Obituaries note that the book’s success stemmed in part from how it connected the photograph to the servicemen who fought on the island during the war. Bradley’s death was announced June 5, with details on his age reported by outlets covering his passing.