John A. Lejeune

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John A. Lejeune
January 10, 1867 - November 20, 1942
13th Commandant of the Marine Corps (1920-1929)
Nickname	"Greatest of all Leathernecks"
Place of birth	Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Place of death	Baltimore, Maryland
Allegiance	USMC
Years of service	1890 - 1929
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands	1st Brigade of Marines 4th Brigade of Marines 2nd Infantry Division Commandant of the Marine Corps
Battles/wars	Spanish-American War World War I
Awards	Navy Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (Army) Croix de guerre Legion of Honor
Other work	Superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute (1929-1937)

Lieutenant General John Archer Lejeune (January 10, 1867 – November 20, 1942) was the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Born at Pointe Coupee, Louisiana, Lejeune was educated at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, from which he graduated with a B.A. degree. Subsequently, he secured an appointment as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy, from which he was graduated in 1888. At the expiration of a two-year cruise as a cadet midshipman, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on 1 July 1890.

Contents 1 Marine Corps career 1.1 World War I 2 Retirement 3 Decorations and honors 4 Marine Corps Birthday message 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading

[edit] Marine Corps career

Second Lieutenant Lejeune reported for duty on 31 August 1890 at the Marine Barracks, New York, serving at that post until he was detached, joining Marine Barracks, Norfolk, Virginia, on 3 November 1890. From 1 October 1891 to 28 July 1893, Lejeune served on board USS Bennington and was promoted to first lieutenant on 26 February 1892. On 28 August 1893, he reported for duty at the Norfolk Barracks, where he served until 31 July 1897.

On 2 August 1897, Lejeune assumed command of the Marine Guard of USS Cincinnati, on which vessel he served throughout the Spanish-American War. He was detached from Cincinnati 17 February 1899, and on 18 February 1899, joined USS Massachusetts, to command the Marine Guard. He was promoted to captain on 3 March 1899 and left his position on Massachusetts on 10 May 1900.

From 3 July 1900 to 12 November 1900, Captain Lejeune performed recruiting duty at Boston, Massachusetts, and on 22 November 1900 reported at the Marine Barracks, Pensacola, Florida, to command the Marines. From 12 January 1903 to 21 January 1903, Captain Lejeune was on duty at the Norfolk Barracks, going to recruiting duty at New York City on 26 January 1903. He was promoted to major on 3 March 1903 and was on duty at Headquarters, Washington, D.C. from 15 May 1903 to 8 August 1903.

On 8 August 1903, Major Lejeune was ordered to USS Panther to command the Marine Battalion on board that vessel, joining 16 August 1903. On 23 October 1903, the battalion, with Lejeune in command, was transferred to USS Dixie. From 16 December 1903 to 21 December 1904, Major Lejeune was on duty ashore on the Isthmus of Panama in command of this battalion, leaving there on the latter date on board USS Yankee.

From 27 January 1905 to 20 May 1906, Lejeune served at the Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. He then returned to Panama in command of a battalion of Marines from 29 May to 6 July 1906, the battalion being transported both ways on board USS Columbia. This was detached duty, and on 29 March 1907, Major Lejeune was detached from command of the Washington Barracks and ordered to the Philippines.

Arriving in the Philippines on 2 May 1907, Lejeune assumed command of the Marine Barracks and Naval Prison, Navy Yard, Cavite, on 6 May 1907. He assumed commanded of the First Brigade of Marines on 15 June 1908 and was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 13 May 1909. He was detached on 8 June 1909 and ordered to return to the United States.

Lieutenant Colonel Lejeune embarked on board USS Ohio on 26 May 1912 with the Second Regiment, First Provisional Brigade Marines for Cuba. He disembarked at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on 8 June 1912 and was in command of the District of Santiago from 9 June to 14 July 1912. On 15 July 1912, Lejeune embarked on board USS Prairie and sailed for Colon, Panama. July 18-29, 1912 was spent at Camp Elliott, Panama.

After returning to the United States, Lejeune was again called upon for expeditionary duty. He sailed from Philadelphia, 20 February 1913 as second in command of the First Regiment, Second Provisional Brigade Marines and disembarked 27 February 1913, at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He returned to Philadelphia on board USS Prairie on 2 May 1913.

On 27 November 1913, Lejeune sailed from New York with the 2d Advanced Base Regiment, his ultimate destination Vera Cruz, Mexico, but returned to the United States to receive his promotion to colonel on 25 February 1914. Colonel Lejeune and his unit eventually landed in Mexico on 22 April 1914 and participated in the occupation of the city. He returned home in December 1914, this time to report to Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington, D.C., to become assistant to the Major General Commandant of the Marine Corps. He was promoted to brigadier general on 29 August 1916.

[edit] World War I

With the outbreak of World War I, Lejeune assumed command of the newly constructed Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia. His overseas service was, however, inevitable, and in June 1918, he arrived at Brest, France. He was promoted to major general 1 July 1918.

Upon reporting to the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, he was assigned to command a brigade of the 32nd Division and assumed command of the 4th Brigade of Marines of the 2d Division immediately following the attack of the division in the Battle of Soissons. On 28 July 1918, Major General Lejeune assumed command of the 2d Division and remained in that capacity until August 1919, when the unit was demobilized. He was the first Marine officer to hold an Army divisional command, and following the Armistice he led his division in the march into Germany.

During that war he was recognized by the French Government as a strategist and leader, as evidenced by the Legion of Honor, and the Croix de Guerre bestowed upon him by that people. From General John J. Pershing he received the Distinguished Service Medal (Army). The Navy Distinguished Service Medal was conferred upon him when he returned to the United States following the occupation of Germany.

In October 1919, he again was appointed Commanding General, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia.

He was appointed as Major General Commandant of the Marine Corps on 1 July 1920. Subsequent to that time, he left his headquarters at Washington several times for tours of inspection in Haiti, Santo Domingo, Cuba, Puerto Rico, to the West Coast and elsewhere. Upon the expiration of his second term as Commandant, Lejeune indicated his desire not to retire from the Marine Corps, but was relieved as Commandant in March 1929.

[edit] Retirement

On 10 November 1929, he retired in order to accept the position of superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), serving there until poor health necessitated his resignation in October 1937. In February 1942, he was advanced to the rank of lieutenant general on the Marine Corps retired list.

Lejeune died 20 November 1942 at the Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, and was interred in the Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. Today, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, bears his name and he is often referred to as "the greatest of all Leathernecks," having served more than 40 years with the Marine Corps.

[edit] Decorations and honors

Lieutenant General Lejeune's awards include:

• Navy Distinguished Service Medal;
• Distinguished Service Medal (Army);
• Sampson Medal (USS Cincinnati);
• Spanish Campaign Medal;
• Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal with three Bronze stars for Panama, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic;
• Mexican Service Medal;
• World War I Victory Medal with St. Mihiel Champagne, Meuse-Argonne, and Defensive Sector Clasp for World War I;

• Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal;
• French Legion of Honor (Commander); and
• French Croix de Guerre with Palm.

On November 10, 2005, the United States Postal Service issued the Distinguished Marines stamps in which Lejeune was honored. [1]

[edit] Marine Corps Birthday message

In the Marine Corps' annual celebration of the establishment of the Marine Corps on November 10, 1775 at Tun Tavern, the following message from MajGen John A. Lejeune is read:

MARINE CORPS ORDERS
No. 47 (Series 1921)
HEADQUARTERS U.S. MARINE CORPS
Washington, November 1, 1921

759. The following will be read to the command on the 10th of November, 1921, and hereafter on the   
10th of November of every year. Should the order not be received by the 10th of November, 1921, it 
will be read upon receipt.

   (1) On November 10, 1775, a Corps of Marines was created by  a resolution of Continental 
Congress. Since that date many thousand men have borne the name "Marine". In memory of them it is 
fitting that we who are Marines should commemorate the birthday of our corps by calling to mind the 
glories of its long and illustrious history.

   (2) The record of our corps is one which will bear comparison with that of the most famous 
military organizations in the world's history. During 90 of the 146 years of its existence the 
Marine Corps has been in action against the Nation's foes. From the Battle of Trenton to the 
Argonne, Marines have won foremost honors in war, and is the long eras of tranquility at home, 
generation after generation of Marines have grown gray in war in both hemispheres and in every 
corner of the seven seas, that our country and its citizens might enjoy peace and security.

   (3) In every battle and skirmish since the birth of our corps, Marines have acquitted themselves 
with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion until the term "Marine" has come 
to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue.

   (4) This high name of distinction and soldierly repute we who are Marines today have received 
from those who preceded us in the corps. With it we have also received from them the eternal spirit 
which has animated our corps from generation to generation and has been the distinguishing mark of 
the Marines in every age. So long as that spirit continues to flourish Marines will be found equal 
to every emergency in the future as they have been in the past, and the men of our Nation will 
regard us as worthy successors to the long line of illustrious men who have served as "Soldiers of 
the Sea" since the founding of the Corps.


JOHN A. LEJEUNE,
Major General Commandant
75705--21

[edit] See also

[edit] References

This article includes text from the public domain Marine Corps History and Museum web site.

• Major General John Archer Lejeune, USMC, Who's Who in Marine Corps History, History Division, United States Marine Corps.

• Major General John A. Lejeune Birthday Message, 1921

[edit] Further reading

• Lejeune, John A. The Reminiscences of a Marine, Dorrance and Company, Inc., 1930.
• Irwin, Manley R. "Lejeune and Denby: Forging a Marine Corps Doctrine," Marine Corps Gazette, 2004.

Preceded by: Major General George Barnett

Commandant of the United States Marine Corps 1920—1929

Succeeded by: Major General Wendall C. Neville