builder after the war. His son, Blake Tatum, drove a Crusader that was manufactured by his father's company to become the 1994 Formula Vee West Coast Regional Champion. Tatum was active in Marine affairs and was twice the president of the Stockton Marine Corps Club in California. In 1995, he arranged a memorial service in Washington D.C. in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima. Tatum's book, Red Blood, Black Sand, first printed in 1995, is one of the five books used as a basis for the television mini-series The Pacific; Tatum is portrayed by actor Ben Esler. References External links 1926 births 2014 deaths United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II Battle of Iwo Jima Sportspeople from Tulsa, Oklahoma Sportspeople from Stockton, California United States Marines Writers from Tulsa, Oklahoma