David P. Dilegge's Obituary
May 9, 1956 - May 2, 2020
David Philip Dilegge, age 63, passed away Saturday morning in the comfort of his home in Largo, Florida with his loving pets by his side. Known as Dave, he grew up in Ellicott City, Maryland, where he spent his childhood well-loved by his parents David and Edith and sister Michele. Mentored by his father, Dave became an accomplished athlete in his adolescence and developed a lifelong passion for basketball and baseball. During his youth, Dave established an incredible work ethic and grew into a gregarious man who used his sharp wit and captivating storytelling to entertain and bring laughter to everyone around him.
From 1974 to 1978, Dave attended Frostburg State University, where he was known for his fun-loving nature, humor and magnetic personality. Shortly after graduating Frostburg with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology, Dave joined the United States Marine Corps (USMC), marking the start of a prominent career that brought him much recognition, fulfillment and pride. During his time in the USMC, Dave served with the 1st Marine Division during Operation Desert Storm and earned the Combat Action Ribbon during an Iraqi counterattack in the Burgan Oil Field. Dave was a retired USMCR Intelligence and Counterintelligence / HUMINT officer, as well as a former USMC civilian intelligence analyst who worked several years in the private sector. In 1999 he was the recipient of the National Military Intelligence Association’s Colonel Donald G. Cook Award for his work in supporting USMC and Department of Defense (DoD) urban operations analysis, wargaming and experimentation.
Inheriting his mother’s encyclopedic memory, Dave was an intelligent and entrepreneurial man with a natural desire to build knowledge and share information with others. During the mid-to-late 90s, when he wasn’t at the office, taking family trips to Maryland and coaching his kids’ sport teams, Dave spent his spare time teaching himself the ins-and-outs of computers and website design. He established multiple websites that laid the foundation for today’s Small Wars Journal, an online, military operations magazine that made the 2009 “Hot List” in the Rolling Stone (alongside Lady Gaga, which Dave often laughed about). Up until his death, Dave was th¬e Editor-in-Chief of Small Wars Journal and a Director at the Small Wars Foundation.
Dave was also a member of the Marine Corps Association, US Naval Institute, Military Writers Guild, Warlord Loop, Veterans of Foreign Wars, National Rifle Association, National Italian American Foundation, Order Sons of Italy in America, Nesbitt/Nisbet Society of North America, and Tau Kappa Epsilon. Across Dave’s professional roles and contributions, he was respected and admired for his work ethic, thought leadership and advancement of knowledge in his field.
Beyond his career, Dave had a boundless amount of interests and sources of joy. He was an avid lover of animals, teaching his kids sports and board games, cooking, the Orioles baseball team, crossword puzzles, music from the 1960s, holiday traditions, his Italian and Scottish family heritage, the History Channel and so much more. Across his many hobbies, interests and projects, Dave approached every pursuit with immense enthusiasm, confidence and passion. Whether it was writing a blog article, starting a food truck or teaching his kids how to shoot a layup in the driveway, Dave always gave at least 100%. His loved ones will always remember Dave for his humor, passion, endless knowledge, ghost stories, athletic and professional mentorship, sentimental nature, compassion for animals, and the fun, happy memories we made with him.
He is survived by his parents David and Edith Dilegge, sister Michele Dilegge, wife Marion Dilegge and children Elizabeth Bertholdt, Cristina Dilegge and David Dilegge, and grandchildren Katelyn Bertholdt, Gavin Bertholdt and Ty Beau Dilegge.
If Dave’s loved ones and friends of his family desire to do so, they can make a memorial donation to the nonprofit Best Friends, a recognized leader in the no-kill movement committed to helping homeless pets through adoption, a spay/neuter program, and other community support programs. The nonprofit also offers long term sanctuary care for animals that cannot be rehomed.
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