Art Dreves was born on November 2, 1923 in Brooklyn, New York. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in November of 1941, inducted shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and completed recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego.
Following a short stint with the 1st Marine Raiders Battalion, aka “Edson’s Raiders”, and serving as an infantry tactics instructor for recruits, Sergeant Dreves deployed with the 1st Marine Regiment in the spring of 1944.
After joining the 1st Marine Division at Pavuvu in the Russell Islands, Sgt. Dreves landed with 233 other Marines of Company C, 1/1 in the second wave of the amphibious assault of Peleliu on September 15, 1944. Four days later, Company C was reduced to 34 Marines, and tasked with taking Hill 154. They did, and endured countless assaults and harrowing hand-to-hand combat throughout the night to valiantly maintain their position. Sgt. Dreves was one of eight surviving Marines under command of Capt. Everett Pope, who earned the Medal of Honor for his actions.
Following the Battle of Peleliu, Sgt. Dreves returned to Pavuvu before landing unopposed on the beaches of Okinawa on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945. During the ensuing 82 day battle he was wounded in action.
Subsequent to his recovery and the capitulation of Japan, Sgt. Dreves deployed to Tientsin, China as part of a stabilization force in the face of the impending Chinese Civil War. After two years of island hopping and several months in China he returned stateside and received an honorable discharge in March, 1946. In addition to his service as a Marine, all four of Art’s siblings served in uniform during the war - in the Army, Navy, Army Air Corps, and the Army Nurse Corps.
Art continued to serve his country as a civilian following WWII. He was hired by the Special Devices Section of the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, then in Port Washington, Long Island, NY. As the division grew, he moved with the re-designated Naval Training Device Center to Orlando, FL in the mid-1960s. He retired after 35 years of service in various positions, to include Program Manager at what is now known as the Naval Air Warfare Center, Training Systems Division.
Art was active in the 1st Marine Division Association Central Florida Chapter, serving as Treasurer for many years. He and his wife Elsie lived in the Orlando area and have two children, and three grandchildren. His daughter Diane also lives in Orlando, and is also retired from the Naval Air Warfare Center. His son, Rick, lives in Sewanee, Tennessee.
The Honor of Your Presence is respectfully requested when we remember Arthur Frederick Dreves
as he is laid to rest with
United States Marine Corps honors
at Glen Haven Memorial Park
2300 Temple Drive, Winter Park, Florida 32789
Saturday, July 27, 2019
at 10:00 am
In lieu of flowers, the family would gratefully appreciate a donation to the Central Florida Marine Corps Foundation; https://CFMarineCorpsFoundation.org/about-us
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