100-Year-Old WWII Veteran Lands Nashville Record Deal, Releases War Song

World War II veteran Don Graves, a 100-year-old Marine from Detroit, has made history in Nashville by becoming the oldest person to sign a recording contract. His upcoming single, The Sand of Iwo Jima, draws directly from his wartime experiences and features collaborations with country music icons John Rich and Lee Greenwood.

Graves, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1942 at age 17, served in the 5th Marine Division and fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima—one of the deadliest conflicts in Marine Corps history. As a flamethrower operator, Graves was the sole survivor from his unit. The battle claimed nearly 7,000 American lives and left over 19,000 wounded. Reflecting on the experience in an interview with FOX 17, Graves said, “We formed the best crack division the Marine Corps had. We lost 7,000 kids on the island. And we were people who wanted to defeat the enemy because we loved our country, and they were going to take it away from us.”

Graves also witnessed one of the most iconic moments in American military history: the raising of the flag on Mount Suribachi by six Marines on February 23, 1945. That moment, immortalized in the famed photograph by Joe Rosenthal, was cheered by the 520-ship U.S. fleet anchored offshore.

His song was written by country songwriter Jason Sever, who compared his experience of working with Graves to his experience of collaborating with Elvis Presley. “It's an honor to share his story through music,” Sever said, noting the gravity and depth that Graves brings to the project.

Graves' patriotism has remained steadfast throughout his life. He continues to speak publicly about his experiences, honoring his fallen brothers and encouraging younger generations to understand the cost of freedom.

Graves' musical debut cements his legacy as a hero and as a storyteller committed to preserving history through song.