U.S. Marine Commander Present At Iwo Jima Dies At 102

Photo Credit: 1. The National WWII Museum / YouTube 2. Joe Rosenthal / Wikimedia Commons
Photo Credit: 1. The National WWII Museum / YouTube 2. Joe Rosenthal / Wikimedia Commons

The family of Colonel Dave Severance has announced the death of the Marine veteran at the age of 102. His death on August 2nd at his home in San Diego sees the end of a military career spanning three wars, one of which left the country with an enduring image of America at war.

Military beginnings and the start of WWII

Severance was born on February 4, 1919, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He joined the Marines in 1938 after training in San Diego, California. Upon graduating, he spent a year aboard a Navy ship before attending Paramarine training in July 1941. He was then was commissioned as a second lieutenant.

Military portrait of Colonel Dave Severance
Dave Severance, WWII. (Photo Credit: The National WWII Museum / YouTube)

He first saw combat as a platoon leader during the battle for the island of Bougainville in 1943. His unit was ambushed and cut off by Japanese forces approximately one mile behind enemy lines, but was able to fight its way out and wipe out the enemy with the loss of only one Marine.

Battle of Iwo Jima

In 1944, Severance was promoted to captain and given command of E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division. He and E Company took part in the Battle of Iwo Jima, with Severance, six officers, and 240 enlisted men landing on the island on February 19, 1945.

U.S. Marines raising the American flag at Iwo Jima
Raising the flag at Iwo Jima, 1945. (Photo Credit: Joe Rosenthal / Wikimedia Commons)

The island, located 660 miles south of Tokyo, was important for the U.S. forces, as it held airstrips needed for use as bases for American fighter planes and as safe havens for crippled bombers on their way back to the Marina Islands. To take control, the Marines had to face a contingent of 21,000 Japanese troops.

On February 23, 1945, after a large portion of the Japanese opposition had been defeated, Severance sent his company to the top of Mount Suribachi to plant the American flag. The ceremony was photographed by Sergeant Louis Lowery. Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal wanted to keep the flag as a memento, so Severance sent another group up the mountain to install a second, larger flag.

This second effort was captured by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal in what would become one of the most iconic images of the war. The flag flew for the remainder of the Iwo Jima campaign, and both are now on display at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia.

In the days that followed, Severance earned the Silver Star, the Marines’ third-highest decoration of valor. The citation stated that during a firefight at a heavily defended ridge, he “skillfully directed assault on this strong enemy position despite stubborn resistance.” He and his men fought at Iwo Jima for 36 days, with 80 percent either killed or wounded in action.

Post-WWII years

After the Battle of Iwo Jima, Severance returned to Camp Tarawa in Hawaii with the 5th Marine Division, where he began training a new company for the upcoming invasion of Japan. However, the war ended before the mission could occur, and he instead took part in occupation duty in Japan in late 1945.

U.S. Marines crouched in front of a cave in the sand
Battle of Iwo Jima, 1945. (Photo Credit: U.S. National Archives / Wikimedia Commons)

After the war, he began flight training and became a Marine aviator. He demonstrated his skills during the Korean War, where he completed 69 missions. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and four air medals for his efforts.

Severance also served in the Vietnam War before being promoted to Colonel in 1962. Upon his retirement in May 1968, he served as assistant director of personnel at Marine headquarters. On his 100th birthday, he received a letter from the commandant of the Marines, in which he was told he “played a crucial role in shaping the warrior ethos of our Corps.”

Colonel Dave Severance sitting beside a statue of the flag mounting
Colonel Dave Severance, 2020. (Photo Credit: The National WWII Museum / YouTube)

The efforts of Severance and E Company have been forever immortalized in not just the now-famous photo, but also in Flags of Our Fathers, a 2006 movie by Clint Eastwood. He acted as a consultant and was portrayed in the film by Neil McDonough and Harve Presnell.

Clare Fitzgerald

Clare Fitzgerald is a Writer and Editor with eight years of experience in the online content sphere. Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from King’s University College at Western University, her portfolio includes coverage of digital media, current affairs, history and true crime.

Among her accomplishments are being the Founder of the true crime blog, Stories of the Unsolved, which garners between 400,000 and 500,000 views annually, and a contributor for John Lordan’s Seriously Mysterious podcast. Prior to its hiatus, she also served as the Head of Content for UK YouTube publication, TenEighty Magazine.

In her spare time, Clare likes to play Pokemon GO and re-watch Heartland over and over (and over) again. She’ll also rave about her three Maltese dogs whenever she gets the chance.

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