december january decorated general awarded medal honor world war 22nd commandant marine_corps retiring prominent critics vietnam war born indiana impoverished family joined military financial reasons rising ranks interwar era twice deployed china chinese civil war served iceland beginning involvement world war staff officer pacific war unexpectedly given command 2nd marines led initial invasion awarded medal honor served campaign later high level military logistics officer reputation hard driving leader rose senior leadership marine_corps fiscal affairs logistics recruit training selected commandant president later served administration reformed corps emphasizing combat readiness fiscal efficiency perceived officers opposed military response events cuban missile crisis bay pigs invasion strongest opposition involvement opposition grew strength retired military hostile strategy conflict excessive influence corporations military officials foreign policy high profile criticism later spread include military industrial complex saw american culture historians consider statements opposing war pointed high profile leveled veteran vietnam war early years born december indiana family lived farm moved live new farm age enrolled competitive high school advanced curriculum excellent student maintaining high marks french english physics history additionally involved activities including basketball class president senior year graduated later referred impoverished upbringing indiana regarded friends met freshman year later said instantly attracted competitive academics athletics dated high school married high school attended awarded edward rector scholarship giving tuition mathematics joined delta fraternity maintained high marks narrowly failing selection criteria beta society track field rifle teams competed wrestling football teams won indiana marathon waited tables washed dishes worked cement factory help pay expenses lack funds compelled year junior year teach school expenses strained contracted severe case pneumonia incurred hospital bills opted reserve officers training corps offset living expenses later recalled reason joined military graduated early age progressive ideas indiana politicians rural fighting interests big businesses developed anti attitude skepticism american foreign policy influenced small town background outspoken opponent unnecessary use military force felt use troops economic consideration wrong viewpoint carry entire career junior officer blade honors society conference new_orleans louisiana heard speech major general commandant marine_corps offering commissions marine_corps interested officer candidates shortly commissioned second lieutenant applied offered commission marine_corps august resigned commission army traveled kentucky chicago illinois physical exams august arrived marine_corps barracks commissioned second lieutenant commenced marine officers basic school maintained previously considered military career chosen military officer pay service excelled athletics early career coach recreational athletic teams addition regular assignments quickly established demanding leader commanders subordinates despite nonsense demeanor commanded later recalled ability morale sense humor sported cigar trademark line service april officers pulled training accompany detachment marines sent china protect american interests instability chinese civil war embarking san_diego 10th marines contingent play primarily defensive role engage military action personally opposed mission feeling americans china exploiting people contingent landed shanghai june aboard initially conducted shore patrol american sections city july battalion moved protect american interests chinese nationalist troops threaten seriously ill remained hospitalized announced troops leave briefly returned shanghai oversee foreign troop departures 4th marines departed china december following assignment returned united_states completed training spent short marine bases virginia pensacola florida san_francisco california june september served marine detachment aboard uss maryland coached boxing wrestling squads following duty assigned ordered sound navy yard washington promoted lieutenant month later served temporary duty idaho new_jersey june returned went china november serving briefly 4th marines shanghai soon reassigned guard taught post pistol rifle teams shoot won major competition time observe troops gaining great respect discipline came case pneumonia evacuated china duty october promoted captain july entered junior course completed served instructor years june joined 6th marines san_diego promoted major april world war staff officer assigned 1st moved iceland supporting occupation prevent nazi german forces threatening replacing outgoing british 49th west riding brigade continued garrison country months time japanese attack pearl harbor december service iceland awarded letter ribbon february given command 6th marines united_states war 1st moved new_york_city new_york march disbanded moved battalion san_diego july named operations training officer 2nd promoted lieutenant colonel august following month accompanied division wellington new_zealand aboard oversaw training briefly attached 1st october observer campaign new georgia campaign june assignment wounded action evacuated experiences observed amphibious warfare techniques useful later war transferred staff commander 2nd tasked help plan invasion aggressive leadership style complement offensive strategy superiors seeking taking tasked drawing initial plans designating landing beaches 2nd marines overseeing rehearsals colonel commander 2nd marines suffered nervous breakdown invasion smith promoted colonel gave command regiment spite lack combat experience invasion commenced november maryland flagship invasion force met heavy resistance beaches destroyed shore fire proceed transportation ashore struck legs received grazing wound bullet neck spite wounds rallied marines led ashore able coordinate troops beaches organize began push inland anticipated japanese counterattack continuously organized aggressive attacks defenders noted bravery conflict second day attack organized advance inland despite heavy casualties american troops afternoon winning battle reinforcements began arrive force night relieved colonel division chief staff commanded 2nd marines remainder campaign years later cameo appearance movie sands reprising actions night originally brought movie technical advisor leadership assault push inland awarded medal honor role planning invasion awarded legion merit device awarded purple heart combat wounds suffered course campaign years assault remarked operation doubt minds ashore final outcome battle seventy hours considerable enemy exact price pay returned memorial battle american japanese troops died subsequent wartime service december chief staff 2nd training hawaii upcoming invasion june performed staff officer assisting planning battles divisional staff officer managed find occasion forward fighting instance trapped forward observer post fellow officer later recalled midst japanese attack remained calm awarded second legion merit device work campaign end operations returned united_states october served logistics officer washington remained post rest war cold war era august commanding officer pacific june assigned 1st camp chief staff july transferred served commanding officer april assistant fiscal director capacity served major general general ordered general establish new fiscal office independent hill authority hill clashed frequently nonetheless able establish new independent promoted brigadier general april july fiscal director marine_corps involved fiscal strategy hearings established programming system officers researched thought programs bringing congress idea met resistance marine leaders favored going hill figure details programs serving capacity promoted major general september began brief assignment inspector general ordered following incident involved accidental drowning recruits training march marine leaders investigating favored recommendation covering incident supported overhaul recruit training marine_corps response following served inspector general marine_corps september returned camp june commanding general 1st commanding general 3rd marine division okinawa march following return united_states served commanding general october time served president 2nd commandant marine_corps major general unexpectedly nominated commandant marine_corps president behest secretary defense prepare duty promoted lieutenant general november briefly assigned duties chief staff elevated general january assuming post 22nd commandant marine_corps later serve administration administration leadership overhaul gates officials viewed corps internal alienated services condition combined reputation gained ribbon creek incident decided needed replaced gates believed strong leader steer corps right direction selected lieutenant generals major generals senior rank lieutenant general considered likely position position commandant openly position retired immediately selected reportedly protest officers emphasized military readiness training inter service cooperation differed political climate time rapidly gained reputation extremely demanding critical poor performance especially marine generals leaders blunt criticism saw poorly performing officers extent considered bully favored feared officers spent time political affairs felt reduce influence military industrial complex immediately appointment sought place new officers key positions attempt overhaul leadership marine_corps disagreed new appointments transferred senior officers encouraged retire later wrote felt weight direction military strategy sought lower level marine officers seeking career advancement budget strategy year service commandant served administration military budget policy dominated new look policy strong nuclear favored conventional warfare forces focused united_states wars korean war end result spending cuts force reductions marine_corps election kennedy major change military strategy adoption flexible response strategy saw return conventional military forces nuclear war kennedy administration increased civilian participation defense policy building new secretary defense sought inter service cooperation favored approach military budget feeling military susceptible influence large corporations arguing expensive unnecessary programs kennedy administration brought emphasis conventional warfare sought use increased funds improve military logistics credited entirely new system financial management supply inventory management created new data processing functions combat service support branches cold war conflicts outlook cold war conflicts greatly influenced upbringing frequently opponent military action soviet_union refused fall referred hate communists movement indicating fight required circumstances avoided prejudice senator criticized military training troops communism regarded criticism interference appealed secretary navy matter dropped behest kennedy administration integrated warfare combat doctrine favor idea appointed adviser opposed military action cuba warning attempt intervene militarily initially involved aware plans invasion asked cia officer furious learned cia marine supplies permission finally learned intent cia officer colonel contacted night invasion pleading appeal kennedy air support following failure operation blamed thought unfair aware early planning later warned armed response cuban missile crisis noting difficult invade country prepared team marines invade cuba necessary unanimously recommended quick knock missiles discovered kennedy subsequently sought advice evaluating implications position intended limited gained kennedy confidence called private supported test ban seeing nuclear war strongly opposed military intervention beginning threatened american backed government rejected calls armed intervention deployed task unit ordered cautioned involvement toured october opposed program efforts train army republic vietnam opposed plans combat vietnam later said responsible military man knowledge war staunch opposition involvement great impact kennedy assassination november indicated wanted end involvement seeing internal struggle appreciated fiscal experience outlook called kennedy kennedy relations strained particularly following cuban missile crisis called privately biographer wrote kennedy favorite general turn supportive kennedy kennedy asked remain commandant second term declined order allow advancement marine generals later life opposition vietnam war retiring military december took job life insurance company remained influential administration johnson considered taking adviser february trip vietnam invitation declined johnson appointed early disbanded january submitting report unable directly influence johnson administration expanded involvement vietnam war increasingly wary felt influence cia big businesses foreign policy debate senator wanted testify measure blocked senator began publicly attacking policy speech delivered community college students california world affairs day believe dirty bloody dollar soaked fingers business nations depressed exploited people arrive solution unfortunately revolution violent type refuse share peaceful method american style don want don want americans forum relatively small initially received little publicity february submitted speech senator entered speech grew popularity interview elaborated felt war worth life limb single american remained firmly opposed involvement vietnam rest life retired high ranking officers including generals joined pointed criticisms regularly pages newspapers went war american government business military leadership feared conflict endangered nation historical identity argued increasing troop levels vietnam strategic problems noted vocal military member oppose war argued vietnamese forces involved civil war nationalists opposed foreign military intervention opposed strategies associated troop notably air campaign saw aggressive measure causing civilian casualties draw soviet_union conflict feared american interests including economy suffering involvement war losing prestige internationally opposition war increased time initially pushed negotiated settlement later supported country strategy took effect increased air operations remained opposed strategy nuclear war china soviet_union criticism attracted press war stalemate highly publicized discourse anti war movement testimony points speech saying felt opposition war likely increased april retired colonel criticism national security policy article published accused america aggressive country ready execute military plans seek military solutions problems political disorder potential communist threats areas interest said given way new aggressive defense establishment united_states book titled elaborated criticisms said country seeking military solutions issues resolved politically accused military leaders war career advancement accused veterans group veterans foreign wars armed forces establishment blamed american education system saw independent thought stressing obedience joined vietnam peace publicly endorsed anti war veteran group war reduced visibility anti war movement criticism prominent public arena senators urged white_house listen criticisms broader critique american society seen extreme officers simply criticized strategy war opposition war garnered resentment officers marine_corps met criticism mentally unfit actions sharply criticized journalist marine articles said going sour general close friends stopped speaking years december lost favor johnson administration activities monitored patriotism called question media speaking writing diminished faded public eye military withdrawal vietnam war stayed public spotlight suffered illness late life died january alexandria virginia buried section arlington national cemetery legacy general service dress uniforms display honors decorations destroyer uss named additionally received following decorations medal honor citation rank organization colonel commanding officer marine_corps troops november president united_states takes pride presenting medal honor colonel united states marine corps service set forth following citation conspicuous gallantry risk life duty commanding officer marine_corps troops action enemy japanese forces november severely shocked exploding enemy shell soon landing pier suffering painful leg wound infected col exposed terrific relentless artillery machine gun rifle fire hostile shore rallying hesitant troops inspiring heroism led reefs charge heavily fortified island reinforce hard pressed held lines arrival shore assumed command landed troops working rest constant enemy fire days conducted smashing attacks strong defended japanese positions despite obstacles heavy casualties brilliant leadership daring tactics devotion duty col largely responsible final decisive defeat enemy fighting spirit reflects great credit
David M. Shoup