Wood's role in supplying the flag was confirmed in April 2013 by retired Marine Colonel Dave Severance, the commander of the company of the U.S. Marines who took Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima. Severance noted that I have a file of more than 60 people who claim to have had something to do with the flags, but confirmed that it was indeed Wood who brought the American flag to Iwo Jima.