DOCSLIB.ORG

The Greatest of All Leathernecks: John Archer Lejeune and the Making of the Modern Marine Corps by Joseph Arthur Simon (Review)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Greatest of All Leathernecks: John Archer Lejeune and the Making of the Modern Marine Corps by Joseph Arthur Simon (Review) The Greatest of All Leathernecks: John Archer Lejeune and the Making of the Modern Marine Corps by Joseph Arthur Simon (review) Annette Amerman Marine Corps History, Volume 6, Number 2, Winter 2020, pp. 109-110 (Review) Published by Marine Corps University Press For additional information about this article https://muse.jhu.edu/article/796384/summary [ Access provided at 24 Sep 2021 21:18 GMT with no institutional affiliation ] This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. WINTER 2020 109 Annette Amerman The Greatest of All Leathernecks: John Archer Lejeune and the Making of the Modern Marine Corps. By Joseph Arthur Simon. (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2019. Pp. 360. $44.95 cloth and e-book.) With the publication of Joseph Arthur Simon’s The as Clifton B. Cates, Lemuel C. Shepherd, Gerald C. Greatest of all Leathernecks: John Archer Lejeune and the Thomas, and Alexander A. Vandegrift. However, for Making of the Modern Marine Corps one might be inclined as much research as Simon conducted, it does not ap- to think that the case for Lejeune’s impact on the U.S. pear that he reviewed the personal papers of Smedley Marine Corps was well-ploughed territory for histori- D. Butler or Thomas Holcomb (held in the Archives ans. Such was the case for this reviewer at the outset; of the Marine Corps History Division at Quantico, however, not at the finish. Simon, a higher education Virginia), two very prominent Marines in Lejeune’s administrator seemingly with no previously published career. The oversight of Butler’s and Holcomb’s pa- historical work to his credit, opens by stating his rea- pers comes back to haunt the author when he fails to soning for this latest biography of Lejeune: “Thus far, explore the professional relationship between each of a comprehensive biography of this exceptional figure the Marines. Holcomb and Lejeune’s relationship in in the history of the corps has not been published” (p. the former’s years as Assistant Commandant (chap- xi). One can be forgiven for retorting with the fact ter 5) and their service together in France in World that Merrill L. Bartlett published his own biography War I (chapter 6) are both left unexplored. These of Lejeune (Lejeune: A Marine’s Life, 1867–1942) in 1996, omissions mildly weaken the final pages of chapter 10, which covered the salient facts of the former Comman- where the author attempts to demonstrate the level dant’s life. Even Bartlett, however, “does not adequately of impact Lejeune had on Holcomb’s commandancy cover Lejeune’s years as commandant and underplays (1936–43). Butler and Lejeune’s relationship is also not the importance of his hard work, vision, and persever- fully explored or discussed, leaving the inexperienced ance that demonstrate his key influence in the develop- reader left without a clear understanding of the level ment of amphibious doctrine” (p. 275n1). of friendship and professional rivalry that existed be- Simon’s biography is of standard form and style, tween the two. The Butler papers alone are a treasure written in chronological order and covering the major trove of correspondence between the two Marines events of the Marine’s life based on extensive research that could have added value and understanding to this into Lejeune’s personal papers; his family, friends, and work, providing needed context to their relationship. fellow Marines; and the official records of the Marine Despite all this, these omissions are minor distrac- Corps, Navy, and Army across numerous repositories. tions from the overall work. While the biography was published in 2019, Simon had While Simon covers Lejeune’s ascendency to actually conducted extensive research more than 50 the commandancy in chapter 7, he does not delve years ago, at a time when he could and did correspond far enough into the backroom deals, late-night din- not only with Lejeune’s family but also with Marines ner (council of war) parties, and political intrigue of prominence who personally knew Lejeune, such that swirled around the ouster of 12th Commandant Major General George Barnett and the final appoint- ment of Lejeune as 13th Commandant. Additionally, Annette Amerman worked 19 years with Marine Corps History Divi- sion and is now a historian within the Department of Defense. She con- Simon neglects the fact that Lejeune’s confirmation as tinues to research and write about Marines. the top Marine languished, from summer of 1920 un- 110 MARINE CORPS HISTORY VOL. 6, NO. 2 til summer of 1921, as the presidential administration of Virginia Military Institute (VMI) and his health changed hands. Bartlett’s biography of Lejeune during issues, Lejeune remained engaged and often corre- this period outshines Simon’s. sponded directly with members of Congress on Ma- However, it is the timing of the publication that rine Corps matters. Simon also documents Butler’s is most apt. With the recent redirection of roles and attempts to disparage 16th Commandant Major Gen- missions for the Marine Corps under General David H. eral John Henry Russell Jr. in the eyes of Congress, Berger as Commandant, many of the events depicted prompted by Senator Hugo L. Black (D-AL), during in chapters 8, 9, and 10 should sound very familiar to testimony to the Senate Committee on Naval Affairs today’s Marines. Lejeune, like Berger today, inherited regarding his performance at Veracruz, Mexico, when a Marine Corps rebounding from years of service with the issue of merit promotions was being debated, an the Army, years of slow divergence from the Navy, a issue with which Butler disagreed immensely. Due strained budget, and multiple additional missions im- to poor health, Lejeune could not appear before the posed on it. Despite the successes in France, Lejeune’s committee to refute Butler’s assertions as Russell re- Corps was still saddled with missions of expeditionary quested of him, but Lejeune engaged in an exchange duty in far-flung locales such as Nicaragua and Haiti. with Senator Black. Lejeune remained a staunch sup- The small wars duty distracted from Lejeune’s desire porter of Russell, who supported many of the same to more closely align with the Navy and perform ser- reforms that Lejeune was unable to accomplish during vice with the fleet. Chapter 9’s coverage of Lejeune’s his own commandancy. modification of the advanced base force concept into This biography of Lejeune comes at a time of the Marine Corps Expeditionary Force, the shift away great organizational reflection on the roles, missions, from Army doctrine to amphibious warfare in edu- and structure of the Marine Corps. It would be a cation and practical experience, and his reorganiza- valuable tool for many within Headquarters Marine tion of Headquarters Marine Corps to meet the new Corps, serving as a reminder that history can be cycli- requirements is timely and relevant to today’s Corps. cal and that events of the past can often be helpful Simon deftly condenses vast amounts of information in shaping the future. While Simon’s work seems to and events into three chapters that could easily be ex- duplicate the efforts of authors before him, it is actu- panded into a stand-alone book. ally an excellent complement to these earlier works As indicated earlier, Simon’s failure to establish by providing a more complete picture of who Lejeune the close professional relationships between Lejeune was and all that he accomplished in his nearly 40-year and Butler, Holcomb, and others leaves chapter 10 a career. Simon captures the post–World War I Marine little flat. That said, the author does make a good case Corps well and provides the details of Lejeune’s ef- for a lasting Lejeune legacy in this concluding chap- forts to refocus the Corps toward greater symbiosis ter, particularly with regard to Lejeune’s continued with the Navy and amphibious warfare, while redi- engagement with Congress on behalf of the Corps recting the Corps’ roles and mission away from Army after retirement on topics such as merit promotions methods of warfare. for officers. Despite a full-time job as superintendent •1775•.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • MGUTTAIY HEADQUARTERS Raleigh, Mr
    Services for Le Jeune Activity of U-Boats D. C. Executive KiHd Scheduled Tomorrow; Reported Slackening By Shotgun Blast in Burial in Arlington In Mediterranean Duck Blind Accident*« "* Included Among Honorary 'Good Knock' Handed to F. C. Victim Pallbearers Are Daniels, Ferber, 49, Pershing and Marshall Enemy's Subs, Says Of Odd Hunting Mishap Admiral Cunningham As Wife Sits Nearby* , B? the Associated Press. ■ i The War By the Associated Press. Department announced Francis C. Ferber, 49, >, vice last that ALLIED FORCE night Josephus Daniels, president of Southern former Secretary of the Navy; Gen. HEADQUARTERSIN NORTH AFRICA, Nov. Wholesalers,1519 L street N.W., was John J. Pershing and Gen. George C. 21.—During the past 48 hours killed in a Maryland duck blind Marshall, chief of staff, have there has been a “definite yesterday afternoon when a acceptedinvitations to act as honorary slackeningof U-boat activity in the fell and discharged into shotgun * pallbearers at services * tomorrow for Western Mediterranean, Admiral; his head and neck. Lt. Gen. John A. Le Jeune, retired, Mr. Ferber was in a blind about former commandant of the Marine Sir Andrew Brown Cunningham, Corps. commander of the naval forces 10 feet off shore of Brewer's Creek at Sherwood Forest, Md., where ha Gen. Le Jeune. who died Friday in in the North African operations, has a summer His wife Baltimore, will be buried with full cottage. declared military honors in Arlington today. was with him at the time. Cemetery. He said that the Royal Navy and Dr. John M. Claffey, Anne Lt. Gen.
    [Show full text]
  • Us Marines, Manhood, and American Culture, 1914-1924
    THE GLOBE AND ANCHOR MEN: U.S. MARINES, MANHOOD, AND AMERICAN CULTURE, 1914-1924 by MARK RYLAND FOLSE ANDREW J. HUEBNER, COMMITTEE CHAIR DANIEL RICHES LISA DORR JOHN BEELER BETH BAILEY A DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of History in the Graduate School of The University of Alabama TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA 2018 Copyright Mark Ryland Folse 2018 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ABSTRACT This dissertation argues that between 1914 and 1924, U.S. Marines made manhood central to the communication of their image and culture, a strategy that underpinned the Corps’ effort to attract recruits from society and acquire funding from Congress. White manhood informed much of the Marines’ collective identity, which they believed set them apart from the other services. Interest in World War I, the campaigns in Hispaniola, and the development of amphibious warfare doctrine have made the Marine Corps during this period the focus of traditional military history. These histories often neglect a vital component of the Marine historical narrative: the ways Marines used masculinity and race to form positive connections with American society. For the Great War-era Marine Corps, those connections came from their claims to make good men out of America’s white youngsters. This project, therefore, fits with and expands the broader scholarly movement to put matters of race and gender at the center of military history. It was along the lines of manhood that Marines were judged by society. In France, Marines came to represent all that was good and strong in American men.
    [Show full text]
  • 70Th Anniversary of the China Marines “1945—2015” 12 - 25 OCTOBER 2015 BEIJING - TIENTSIN - Peitaiho - XIAN - CHINWANGTAO - TSINGTAO Shanghai (Post Tour 26—29 Oct)
    70th Anniversary of the China Marines “1945—2015” 12 - 25 OCTOBER 2015 BEIJING - TIENTSIN - PEITAiHO - XIAN - CHINWANGTAO - TSINGTAO Shanghai (post tour 26—29 Oct) The Great Wall rises out of the Bohai Sea (Yellow Sea) during our return to China! China Marines forming up 65 years later at the former III Amphibious Corps HQ where, at left, Gen Rockey accepted the Japanese Surrender in 1945. 13198 Centerpointe Way Ste. 202 Woodbridge, VA 22193-5285 703-590-1295 * [email protected] * www.miltours.com Thousands of Marines, soldiers and sailors China Marine Ed Finnstrom served in China since the start of the Yangtze Patrol returns to the Linsi Coal Mine in 1854. Those “Old” China Hands, prior to World War he guarded in ’45-’46 with II, gave birth to the legends of “China Duty.” When daughter Erika & one thinks of the Boxer Rebellion or American forces son-in-law Scott. in China before World War II it is of the Marines at Shanghai and Peking and the U.S. Navy's gunboats assigned to the Yangtze Patrol and South China Pa- trol. Movies like the San Pebbles and 55 Days at Pe- king tend to reinforce this perception of history that the Marines did the shore duty while the Navy did the sea duty. U.S. Marines from Dan Daly, Chesty Puller, Roy Geiger Smedley Butler and future commandants George Barnett, Thomas Holcomb & John Russell. Less known are the facts that the U.S. Army fielded the 9th, 14th & 15th Infantry as well as the 5th Field Artillery & 6th Cavalry Regiments to the China Relief Expedition during the Boxer Rebellion and the 15th Infantry provided a 1,000 soldier garrison at Tientsin (now Tianjin) from January 1912 until March 1938.
    [Show full text]
  • The Making of the Modern Marine Corps Through Public Relations, 1898-1945
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Aquila Digital Community The University of Southern Mississippi The Aquila Digital Community Dissertations Fall 12-1-2018 Esprit De Marine Corps: The Making of the Modern Marine Corps through Public Relations, 1898-1945 Colin Colbourn University of Southern Mississippi Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations Part of the Mass Communication Commons, Military History Commons, Public Relations and Advertising Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Colbourn, Colin, "Esprit De Marine Corps: The Making of the Modern Marine Corps through Public Relations, 1898-1945" (2018). Dissertations. 1593. https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/1593 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ESPRIT DE MARINE CORPS: THE MAKING OF THE MODERN MARINE CORPS THROUGH PUBLIC RELATIONS, 1898-1945 by Colin M. Colbourn A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School, the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Humanities at The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Approved by: Dr. Andrew Wiest, Committee Chair Dr. David Davies Dr. Kyle Zelner Dr. Andrew Haley Dr. Heather Stur ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ Dr. Andrew Wiest Dr. Luis Iglesias Dr. Karen S. Coats Committee Chair Director of School Dean of the Graduate School December 2018 COPYRIGHT BY Colin M.
    [Show full text]
  • Innovations in Collective Action in the Labor Movement: Organizing Workers Beyond the NLRA and the Business Union
    WORKING PAPER SERIES Innovations in Collective Action in the Labor Movement: Organizing Workers Beyond the NLRA and the Business Union Gabriel Nahmias PhD Candidate, MIT Department of Political Science [email protected] MIT Work of the Future Working Paper 13-2021 February 27, 2021 400 Main Street, E19-733, Cambridge, MA 02139 Innovations in Collective Action in the Labor Movement Organizing Workers Beyond the NLRA and the Business Union Gabriel Nahmias MIT Work of the Future Initiative February 27, 2021 American trade unionism is slowly being limited in influence by changes which destroy the basis on which it is erected. It is probable that changes in the law have adversely affected unionism. [but] over and above these influences, the relative decline in the power of Ameri- can trade unionism is due to occupational changes and to technological revolutions. George E Barnett, American Economic Association President, 1932 I. There and Back Again In 1932, American Economic Association President George Barnett had every reason to believe that structural forces were suffocating the labor movement. Labor was in retreat (Barnett 1933). The American Federation of Labor had seen its membership drop from 5 million in 1919 to just 3 million in 1933 (Zieger, Minchin, and Gall 1986). Radical unions, like the International Workers of the World, had been successfully repressed during the first Red Scare (Dubofsky 2000). The Knights of Labor, who once represented 1 in 5 American workers, were a long distant memory (Zieger, Minchin, and Gall 1986). Indeed, by 1933, only 6.9% of workers were in a union (Mayer 2004).
    [Show full text]
  • 2012 Campaign
    50MARINE CORPS SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION 2012 Campaign SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2012 The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel • Benefactor • ••• •Commandant • Congratulations Dennis Haysbert and Trevor Hoffman With great appreciation for your leadership and outstanding service to our community. You are both an inspiration. Congratulations on this well deserved tribute Julia and George Argyros The Argyros Family Foundation ••• Honoring Marines by Educating Their Children Honoring Marines by Educating Their Children MARINE CORPS SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION WEST COAST 2012 Campaign honoring DENNIS HAYSBERT Actor, Producer, Director and Writer Semper Fidelis Award and •• TREVOR HOFFMAN Special Assistant, San Diego Padres John Wooden Sportsman Award ••• MARINE CORPS SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION ••• Honoring Marines by Educating Their Children Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gen William L. “Spider” Nyland USMC (Ret.) (FL) Chairman of the Board Eric J. Candelori (VA) Vice Chairman Richard C. Hartnack (MN) Treasurer Kevin N. Ainsworth (NY) General Counsel C. Michael Armstrong (FL) Karen Kelly (VA) Richard A. Bergen (NJ) SgtMaj Carlton W. Kent USMC (Ret.) (VA) Matthew J. Carroll (VA) James D. King (IL) Deborah G. Carstens (AZ) Col Burrell H. Landes Jr. USMC (Ret.) (CO) H. Lee Dixson Jr. (MD) Katherine C. McCallum (NY) Joseph L. Driscoll (CA) LtGen Frederick McCorkle USMC (Ret.) (TN) Craig J. Duchossois (IL) Dennis P. Morris (Ontario) Donald V. Esmond (CA) Bernard A. Pekala (MA) Donald W. Faul (CA) Charles C. Scianna (TX) Nathaniel C. Fick (DC) Col K. Patrick Sirmon USMC (Ret.) (AL) Michael K. Hayde (CA) Manning J. Smith (PA) John C. Heenan (PA) LtGen Martin R. Steele USMC (Ret.) (FL) LtGen Jan C. Huly USMC (Ret.) (VA) Capt Sarah M.
    [Show full text]
  • Wilby High School Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps!
    Wilby High School Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadet Handbook Table of Contents 3. Memorandum from the Senior Marine Instructor 4. Introduction 5. Classroom Procedures 6. Second, Third and Fourth Year Cadets 7. General Information 8. MCJROTC Curriculum 10. Evaluation System 11. Discipline and Conduct 12. Leaders Code of Ethics 13. Grooming Standards 15. Uniform Issue and Care 19. Promotion Policy 20. Billet Holder Duties and Responsibilities 23. Awards Program 28. Inspection Study Guide 35. Leadership 36. Leadership Traits 37. Leadership Principles 38. General Orders 39. Chain of Command 41. General Knowledge 50. Marine Corps Officer Ranks 51. Marine Corps Enlisted Ranks 52. JROTC Rank Structure 53. Rank Placement 55. Drill 63. Glossary of Military Terms 68. Marine’s Hymn 70. Phonetic Alphabet 70. Military Time 2 MEMORANDUM From: Senior Marine Instructor To: MCJROTC Cadets and Parents Subj: INTRODUCTION TO THE MCJROTC LEADERSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM 1. WELCOME TO THE WILBY HIGH SCHOOL MARINE CORPS JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS! 2. The Marine Corps Junior ROTC program is conducted at a limited number of high schools and academies in the United States. The Marine Corps JROTC program compliments Wilby High School’s 21st Century Academic, Social and Civic Learning Expectations. Classroom instruction, coordinated activities and continual mentorship is designed to develop informed and productive citizens. While participation in the MCJROTC program incurs no obligation for future military service, the training will go a long way toward enhancing opportunities in both military and civilian careers. 3. The formal name of the MCJROTC program is Leadership Education. It is designed to instill in high school students a value of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment.
    [Show full text]
  • “Getting the Shells to Fall Where You Want Them”: Coordinating U.S. Naval Gunfire and Air Support in the Interwar Period
    “Getting the Shells to Fall Where You Want Them”: Coordinating U.S. Naval Gunfire and Air Support in the Interwar Period Chris K. Hemler Marine Corps History, Volume 6, Number 1, Summer 2020, pp. 5-17 (Article) Published by Marine Corps University Press For additional information about this article https://muse.jhu.edu/article/796454/summary [ Access provided at 29 Sep 2021 09:57 GMT with no institutional affiliation ] This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. “Getting the Shells to Fall Where You Want Them” COORDINATING U.S. NAVAL GUNFIRE AND AIR SUPPORT IN THE INTERWAR PERIOD1 by Chris K. Hemler Abstract: During the years of peace between the First and Second World Wars, it is clear that Navy and Marine Corps planners failed to sufficiently address several problems that would confront American forces in the loom- ing conflict with Japan. Of these, one of the greatest omissions concerned the application of naval and aerial fires in support of an amphibious landing. Though American officers recognized and resolved concerns over landing craft, logistics, casualty evacuation procedures, communications, and much more, planners failed to adequately address the difficulties of controlling and coordinating supporting firepower in a triphibious opera- tion. The 1934 Tentative Manual for Landing Operations highlighted the individual roles of naval gunfire and air support without confronting the more general coordination of land, sea, and air efforts, and it minimized the importance of flexibility and continuous coverage in amphibious fire support. Keywords: triphibious operations, amphibious landings, amphibious fire support, naval gunfire support, aerial support, coordination of firepower, interwar period, Tentative Manual for Landing Operations raditional accounts maintain that the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • General Pershing and the US Marines
    General Pershing and the U.S. Marines Colonel Peter T. Underwood Marine Corps History, Volume 5, Number 2, Winter 2019, pp. 5-20 (Article) Published by Marine Corps University Press For additional information about this article https://muse.jhu.edu/article/796562/summary [ Access provided at 2 Oct 2021 11:52 GMT with no institutional affiliation ] This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. General Pershing and the U.S. Marines by Colonel Peter T. Underwood, USMC (Ret) Abstract: It is widely believed that the Marine Corps’ participation in World War I was only grudgingly allowed. The U.S. Army and General John J. Pershing are often cast as being vehemently opposed to Marines being as- signed to frontline units or actively participating in combat. While there is no evidence that Pershing advocated against using Marines, other than his opposition to creating an all-Marine division, there is little direct evidence that he let his preference for the Army override his professional judgment in employing Marines in the American Expeditionary Forces. If the Corps ever had a bête noir, it seems it was General Pershing. However, while Persh- ing’s personal views about Marines can only be surmised, his decisions on their employment in the AEF indicate that he was guided by the demands of war and military logic rather than personal pique. This article attempts to seek the truth of how Pershing’s purported attitudes toward Marines affected his decisions regarding Marine employment in the AEF. Keywords: General John J. Pershing, American Expeditionary Forces, AEF, Marines in World War I, anti-Marine sentiments, inter-Service rivalry, all-Marine AEF division, 4th Brigade of Marines, 5th Brigade of Marines, Fifth Regiment, Major General George Barnett, Colonel John A.
    [Show full text]
  • Oregon's Marines: a Regional History of the United States Marine Corps
    Portland State University PDXScholar Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses 11-3-1994 Oregon's Marines: A Regional History of the United States Marine Corps Michael Coleman Howard Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds Part of the History Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Howard, Michael Coleman, "Oregon's Marines: A Regional History of the United States Marine Corps" (1994). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 4768. https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.6652 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. THESIS APPROVAL The abstract and thesis of Michael Coleman Howard for the Master of Arts in History were presented November 3, 1994, and accepted by the Thesis Committee and the department. COMMITTEE APPROVALS: Jon E. Mandaville Duncan Carter Rep~P\ntative of the office of Graduate studies DEPARTMENT APPROVAL: David A Johns I History Dep ******************************************************************** ACCEPTED FOR PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY BY THE LIBRARY b:A. v onlfikmk-1-- lfl1 ABSTRACT An abstract of the thesis of Michael Coleman Howard for the Master of Arts in History presented November 3, 1994. TITLE: Oregon's Marines: A Regional History of the United States Marine Corps The history of the United States Marine Corps in Oregon, and of the many Oregonians who have served as Marines, is a unique story which has never been told.
    [Show full text]
  • The “Scholastic” Marine Who Won a Secret War: Frank Holcomb, the Oss, and American Double-Cross Operations in Europe
    The “Scholastic” Marine Who Won a Secret War: Frank Holcomb, The Oss, And American Double-Cross Operations In Europe Colonel Nicholas Reynolds Marine Corps History, Volume 6, Number 1, Summer 2020, pp. 18-29 (Article) Published by Marine Corps University Press For additional information about this article https://muse.jhu.edu/article/796459/summary [ Access provided at 28 Sep 2021 11:03 GMT with no institutional affiliation ] This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The “Scholastic” Marine Who Won a Secret War FRANK HOLCOMB, THE OSS, AND AMERICAN DOUBLE-CROSS OPERATIONS IN EUROPE by Colonel Nicholas Reynolds, USMCR (Ret) Abstract: This article focuses on a little-known contribution to Allied victory in Europe after D-Day by a part of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the Special Counterintelligence (SCI) teams of the X-2 (Counterintel- ligence) Branch. Using a combination of private papers, unpublished studies, and OSS records, the author looks through the eyes of the commander of the SCI teams, Frank P. Holcomb, son of wartime Commandant General Thomas Holcomb. A Marine Corps reservist and OSS officer, Holcomb received a rudimentary orientation from the British in counterespionage and deception operations before creating his own highly successful units to perform those missions. In short order, the OSS went from having almost no such capability to neutralizing every German stay-behind agent in France and Belgium and turning a number of them back against the enemy to feed the Third Reich deceptive reports, accepted as genuine, thereby making a significant contribution to the security of the Allied armies.
    [Show full text]
  • Vital Records
    RECORDS OF IMMANUEL CHURCH NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE Compiled by Joan Zerbe The material presented here was compiled from the records of Immanuel Church, New Castle, Delaware. It includes birth, baptism, marriage and burial records from the parish registers dated 1714-1824, 1824-1867, 1867-1899, 1899-1909,1909-1931,1931-1985. The following information has been compiled and is available from the Church office but has not been presented in this publication: communicants, confirmations andparent's names of brides and grooms. Since many records of burials in the 1714-1824 period are missing, we have presented the following notable inscriptions: that of the Rev. George Ross, first rector ofImmanuel and Captain Richard Halliwell, first Rector's Warden, both memorial plaques appear within the church. Those of George Read, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Jehu Curtis, whose inscription was written by Dr. Benjamin Franklin and Hercules Coutts, the earliest inscription, may be found in the Churchyard. Acknowledgements: Catherine Ayers, Anita Banks, Marion Bailey, Cynthia Byham, Constance Cooper, Dorthea Edwards, Nancy Ferguson, Elizabeth Foster, Eliza Gouverneur, Pauline Johnson, Priscilla Kerney, Elizabeth Lease, Blanche Proud, Suzanne Robinson, and especially Roberta Wirzman. Ross, George To glory of God and in Memory of Rev. George Ross First Rector of this Church sent as a Missionary in 1705, by the Society for propagating the Gospel in foreign parts. He was the son of David Ross ofBalbair, Ross-shire, Scotland, born in 1680. He graduated at the University of Edinburgh in 1700, and after serving this Parish faithfully for fifty years, died at New Castle in the 75th year of his age.
    [Show full text]