march august american soldier general half 20th century best known service world war occupation japan graduate chase enlisted served mexican border commissioned second lieutenant cavalry january served western world war occupation wars attended command later returning instructor chase promoted march assuming command 1st brigade chosen lead assault february resisted swiftly overrun island forces formed defensive perimeter good use terrain position able defeat series numerically superior japanese garrison february chase columns pushed northern outskirts manila turned camp took command 38th confronted enemy fortifications peninsula took week hard fighting reduce chase assumed command august remained returned united_states january later chief staff army fort head taiwan retiring army earned master arts degree history taught political science education early life born providence rhode_island march son wife née curtis attended graduating bachelor_of_arts beta society key brown chase enlisted battery 1st rhode_island later battery world war afternoon graduation brown chase sergeant joined battery point rhode_island duty unit remained texas area time saw action chase passed examination commissions chase posted january month course newly commissioned officers commissioned second lieutenant cavalry chase assigned based fort sam houston shortly united_states declared war germany promoted lieutenant posted mexican frontier chase attended machine gun course fort posted 11th machine gun battalion april served western participating came missed days offensive participated occupation returned united_states july inter war years return chase posted soon returned fort sam houston posted duty reserve officers training corps met married children chase attended followed duty illinois attended command served overseas fort philippines returning united_states posted instructor tactics command world war chase lieutenant colonel posted commanded participated december posted command based marine_corps base practiced amphibious warfare tactics chesapeake_bay chase assumed command unit initially horse unit soon fully moved original station fort clark texas camp fort hood provided school troops chase promoted march assuming command 1st brigade division stationed fort bliss preparing division brigade commanders horseback staged camp chase departed san_francisco july transport george_washington arrived australia continued training queensland training vigorous fort bliss chase broke heel bone training accident december sailed staged operation campaign chase chosen lead assault tactical expertise came fore resisted overrun island forces instead formed defensive perimeter good use terrain position able defeat series numerically superior japanese garrison crisis passed chase force reinforced rest division able overrun islands chase awarded role campaign remained october boarded ships invasion assaulted october chase initial mission hills west establish observation posts command entrances valley november ordered cover flank advance later chase brigade mountainous jungle frequently wet weather advance slow progress japanese troops fought way half strength withdrawn line brief rest january reinforcements arrived ordered disembarked beaches san january general army ordered commander conduct rapid advance manila formed flying columns initially chase mission follow columns february relieved responsibility main body 1st brigade placed command flying columns february chase columns pushed northern outskirts manila seized vital bridge separated city proper chase controlling columns radio suffered slight burns hands japanese truck exploded squadron guided filipino reached campus turned camp japanese raiding party destroyed bridge chase security good prevented main body linking chase force manila supplies dispatched 37th zone engineers build new bridge advance manila chase awarded awarded purple heart burns hands february chase took command 38th confronted enemy fortifications took chase week hard fighting reduce position battalion chase personal command landed southern tip february participated final actions units 38th infantry division assaulted captured march fort drum april april elements engaged enemy forces mountainous area midst operations chase promoted march late april 38th moved area east manila relieved began series attacks prior attack aimed capturing dam important manila water supply chase reduce series strongly held japanese positions end month dam secure japanese broken chase assumed command august time division area slated operation downfall assault end war instead participated embarked august disembarked tokyo bay september division tokyo later life chase remained occupation duties december temporarily assumed command finally returned united_states january chief staff army fort april headed taiwan retired army july chase earned master arts degree history taught political science wife died married chase retired having reached state texas mandatory retirement age chase joined party retired generals associated general visit australia guests lieutenant general sir dame mary herring addition chase wives trip chase published memoirs entitled died august buried fort sam houston national cemetery
William C. Chase