Daniel C. Pollock

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Daniel C. Pollock, 93, a Marine Corps colonel who was highly decorated for his combat service on Iwo Jima during World War II and later became a public administration and human resources expert, died Dec. 23 at his home in McLean. He had sepsis.Col. Pollack received the Navy Cross, the service's highest award for bravery other than the Medal of Honor, for his work as a battalion commander with the 5th Marine Division on Iwo Jima in March 1945.

The citation said that more than half of Col. Pollack's battalion had been killed or wounded by the fifth day of intense combat against the Japanese. But he continued moving toward the front lines and conducted personal reconnaissance of an area behind Hill 165, "the last high ground on the island controlled by the Japanese,"  according to the citation.

His other decorations for his service on Iwo Jima included the Purple Heart. He later was among the first Americans to lead U.S. forces into Japan at the end of the war.

"A brilliant and fearless leader, he directed the capture and occupation of the hill with only a minimum of personnel losses and led a small reconnaissance patrol into hazardous, unexplored beach areas, locating routes of approach to the final ravine positions of the Japanese," the citation said. His work led to the "the elimination of a vital strong point" of the enemy, it said.

Marine Col. Daniel C. Pollock received the Navy Cross for his bravery on Iwo Jima in World War II.                     (Family Photo)

His final active-duty assignment, in 1964, was on the Far East desk of  the Joint Chiefs of Staff's plans and policy directorate.

After retiring from the military, he was Asia-Pacific branch chief at  American University's Cultural Information and Analysis Center, a research scientist at the American Institutes for Research and a Defense Department consultant.

Daniel Carroll Pollock was a native Washingtonian and 1931 valedictorian of the old  Central High School, where he was also colonel of the Cadet Corps.

He attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and George  Washington University before enlisting in the Marines in 1936.

In retirement, he became extensively involved in community activities and won awards for his volunteerism from the Town of Herndon and the American Red Cross, for which he taught 1,000 hours of CPR.

He was a president of the Potomac Hills Citizens Association in McLean, a chairman of the Fairfax County solid waste committee, a director of Herndon Radio Emergency Action Teams, a founding member of the Herndon Police Citizens' Support Team and an election precinct captain in McLean.

He also helped plan the Marine Corps's remembrances for the 45th and 50th anniversaries of the Iwo Jima invasion and was the 5th Marine Division's representative to the National Marine Corps Council.

His wife of 50 years, Elinore Hayward Pollock, died in 1993.

Survivors include four daughters, Teri DeLaFleur and Lin Pollock, both of Alexandria, Jane Christiansen of Syracuse, N.Y., and Carol Morris of Chatham, N.Y.; 10 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

-- Adam Bernstein