Colonel David W. Blizzard, USMC (Ret.) passed away suddenly on the morning of December 6th in his Florida home. He was born in Ocean City, NJ in 1941, and remained there throughout his youth. Graduating from high school as a celebrated football star from Ocean City High School in 1960 he was recruited into Wesley College’s football program in 1961. He became an officer of the Ocean City Police Department and when reminiscing about this time in his life, he always spoke fondly of those early days as a police officer and the lifelong bonds of friendship forged playing football and being an officer on the OCPD. His life was spent serving others and keeping up the good fight.
After leaving the police force, he earned his bachelor’s degree on a scholarship at Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) playing football and wrestling for the school and after graduating taking coaching positions in the same disciplines. WMC was just the beginning of his coaching career, he accepted a position at John’s Hopkins University as assistant football coach, baseball coach as well as the chief wrestling coach.
In testimony to David’s love of our country and being raised in a patriotic family by a WWII veteran of the Seabees, at the beginning of the Vietnam War, the colonel volunteered and joined the Marine Corps. This action he would later say was the result of his father’s example of serving in WWII. As he graduated from Officer Candidates School as Platoon Honor Man he was sent to Vietnam as a Second Lieutenant and served as a platoon commander in the 5th Marine Regiment where he was wounded twice in a twenty-four-hour period during “Operation Swift”.
When he came home after his first tour in Vietnam, he was awarded the Purple Heart and was assigned to the Second Force Reconnaissance Company and that experience would propel his career in Special Operations. He was reassigned to the republic of South Vietnam as a member of a CIA classified program assisting the South Vietnamese Marines. During this tour he was wounded in combat and was awarded the Silver Star for valor. Upon completion of that tour of duty he was assigned to University of California Berkley as the officer in charge of the Marine Platoon Leaders Program. He finished his tenure and moved on and to a newly formed organization as the Assistant Operations Officer after the Delta Counter Terrorist Unit’s thwarted “Eagle Claw” operation to rescue the hostages held by the Iranians and thus the Intelligence Support Activity was born.
After returning home, he received his master’s degree from the University of Michigan. Forging ahead and never slowing down, he accepted a position as the Naval Attaché for El Salvador in the capital, San Salvador at the height of the country’s civil war from 1983 to 1986. Following his time in El Salvador, Col. Blizzard remained in special operations and was assigned as the Chief of Operations with the United States Special Operations Command in Tampa Florida where he stayed until he was medically retired after suffering a parachute accident. He served honorably and with distinction for 27 years.
Even though he endured extreme bodily damage, he would not to be impeded or deterred. He (often) jokingly stated it would kill a lesser man; a more truthful statement than one could ever imagine. Upon retiring from the Marines, he went on to work in security for the United Nations in Mozambique, Guatemala, and as Chief of Security for the International War Crimes Tribunal of Yugoslavia in the Hague. The bonds forged as an officer on the Ocean City Police Department in his earliest career would see him to his final endeavor, working at Carco with his best friend and fellow officer on the Ocean City Police Department, Peter O’Neill.
In recent years, he found solace kayaking, visiting friends, fishing the beautiful Gulf of Mexico and being “the grandkid whisperer” as coined by his three children. The “toughest of tough” could put those grandbabies to sleep with one gentle touch, his nine grandkids lovingly called him “Pop”. He is also survived by his nieces, nephew, and multiple cousins who love their Uncle Dave. At a future date, Col. David W. Blizzard, will be buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. He is a hero to all and will be greatly missed!
Colonel Blizzard’s family set up this page to honor his memory and service. To donate to 4 Wheel to Heal in his name, use this PayPal button (you do not need a PayPal account):
