On 18 February 1944 Blood was serving in the 22nd Marine Regiment when it landed on Engebi Island as part of the invasion of Eniwetok Atoll. While leading his platoon in a charge across open terrain in the face of severe Japanese machine-gun, mortar, and rifle fire to dislodge the heavily entrenched Japanese, he was killed in action. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart.