San Diego: Dave Sarmon, Commander of the Marine Company whose troops planted the American flag in Iwo Jima during World War II, a moment arrested in one of the most iconic war photos in history, had died.
He is 102 years old.
Severance died on Monday at his home on the outskirts of San Diego La Jolla, according to San Diego Union-Tribune.
The severance company came ashore on the 10 wave of what would eventually be around 70,000 Marines that attacked the island, around 660 miles (around 1,000 kilometers) south of Tokyo.
They are filled with around 20,000 Japanese people.
On February 23, 1945, the fifth day of the battle, around 40 members of the severance company were sent to Mount Suribachi with orders to plant flags.
When the James Forrestal Navy Secretary arrived on the island, he asked him to be stored as a memento.
After being removed, severance ordered the second marine group to change the flag with a larger one.
The appointment of the second flag on Mount Suribachi was arrested in a dramatic photo by the Associated Press Joe Rosenthal photographer who won the Pulitzer prize.
The Marines will maintain the first flag, and the Naval Secretary will get a replacement, which flew on Mount Suribachi for other battle.
Both flags are now at the Marine Corps National Museum in Quantico, VA.
Severance severance spent his pension calmly tried to set a direct record that there were two flag generator which was February in 1945.
He cared about the story of the flag, he said Union-Tribune in the interview 2012, because it spoke with the courage and sacrifice he witnessed every day during More than a month during the battle, one of the most bloody wars.
About 75 percent of companies are injured or killed.
Severance gets a silver star.
Born February 4, 1919, in Milwaukee, severance pay in Colorado and joined the Marines in 1938.
After leading the Marines in WWII, he continued to fly almost 70 missions in Korea as a pilot.
He retired from the Marine Corps in 1968.
His death was first reported on Wednesday by the New York Times, which connected information about his death to his family.
The victim included two daughters, Nina Cohen and Lynn severance; Two sons, Dave Jr.
and severance pay; And some grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He had died by his second wife, Barbara, who died in 2017.