Tuhia he tohutoro mo tenei whitianga - I whakarerea e ia te kura i mua i tana tohu ki te uru atu ki te United States Marine Corps i te Pakanga Tuarua o te Ao, i whakauruhia i te ra i muri mai o te whakaekenga ki Pearl Harbor. I whara ia i te tau 1942 i te whakaekenga o nga Moutere o Solomon
I tukuna ia ki tētahi hōhipera i San Francisco kia ora ai. E ai ki te korero i whakaputaina i roto i nga niupepa puta noa i te United States, i whakaekehia a Combs e waru nga hoia Hapanihi; i patua e ia e whitu o ratou me tana pu miihini, a, i te wa i piri ai te pu, ka whakakahoretia e ia te hoia Hapanihi tuawaru me te "whakamate i tona kaki" me te maripi. I whakawhiwhia a Combs ki te tohu perehitini me te Purple Heart mo tana mahi. Whai muri i tana whakaora mai i ona whara, ka hoki a Combs ki te mahi i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa. I mate ia i te whakaekenga o Iwo Jima i te Hui-tanguru 19, 1945. I te tau 1986, i whakauruhia a Combs ki roto i te Whare Wananga o Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor.