Cover, as former Marines will tell you, is Marine Corps-ese for hat or cap. Anyway, here’s my pointless post about the flag-raising picture taken on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima.
Sergeant Michael Strank, who is almost totally obscured, save for his hand, behind Ira Hayes and Franklin Sousley (Hayes is at the back, having just let go of the pole, Sousley is the one with the carbine slung over his shoulder) was not wearing a helmet at the time, rather a soft cover. This is obvious when you look at the 30 seconds or so 16mm movie footage taken of the flag-raising by Sergeant William Genaust. It starts with the men gathering around the pole, them lifting it into place (no they DON’T stop and pose, it’s one fluid movement), then securing it with ropes and rocks, etc. Hayes and Strank can clearly be seen standing behind the other four men before they lift the pole, and Strank is clearly wearing his cloth cover. In battle, in the field on manuevers, men (and women) often wear their soft covers under their helmets for comfort (the straps on the old style helmets could cut into your head). I assume he had put his helmet aside for a moment or something of that nature.
Sir
FWIW: Strank, Sousley and Harlon Block (the man at the front of the picture shoving the pole into the ground) all lost their lives on Iwo. Hayes, most people know about. Rene Gagnon lived until 1979. John Bradley lived until 1994.