major general april august known red mike general decorations received medal honor merit best known marines defense received commission second lieutenant marines october served france germany world war war held positions going flight school graduating flight school designated performed assignments central_america china central_america received medal merit world war started sent commanding officer earned second unit sent fight led men fighting later receive medal honor world war held commands retiring marine_corps august retirement jobs including director early years born vermont grew chester vermont graduating high school attended years june left college member sent texas duty mexican border returned university september joined june following year early career commissioned second lieutenant marine_corps october september year sailed france 11th marines regiment saw combat months european tour commanded 15th organized express purpose assisting holding germany owing failure united_states treaty versailles mission carried following end world war assigned positions qualify high commands hold later years promoted lieutenant june spent years virginia adjutant sent short tour louisiana guarding mail interest military aviation prompted apply flight training florida earned gold wings soon ordered introduction islands later closely linked returning united_states took extensive course advanced aviation tactics kelly field texas attended marine_corps base virginia graduated highest grades attained student time physical reasons flying status continue career ground officer assigned duty central_america china late year ordered sea duty commanding officer uss denver promoted captain december service central american waters detachment ashore nicaragua period february command hand picked specially trained marines fought separate engagements led denied use valleys received actions exhibition dash inspired men superior forces driven prepared positions severe losses inflicted grateful government awarded medal merit september returned united_states assigned tactics instructor fledgling marine philadelphia detachment duty ordnance war plans officer years ordnance duty new closely associated development small arms marine_corps firing member winning national matches camp perry ohio served rifle pistol teams assistant coach regional matches acted team coach captain respectively resumption captain marine_corps national rifle pistol teams winning national trophies years short tours washington enrolled senior officers course virginia promoted major february foreign duty operations officer 4th marines shanghai china enabled observe closely japanese military operations second tour duty began position stress importance marine highly skilled individual arm promoted lieutenant colonel april world war june transferred command 1st battalion 5th marines redesignated 1st january training exercises conducted succeeding months navy high speed transports led organization 1st early unit prototype battalion formed war promoted colonel colonel introduction pacific theater operations began overseas training command august raiders 5th marines landed british solomon islands days severe fighting secured strategic island battalion relocated conducted raids awarded lieu second successful conduct operation battle best known defense september companies 1st attached sent ridge line short distance south supposed short rest japanese forces unexpectedly attacked position evening penetrating left center line resistance forcing withdrawal reserve position approximately marines repeated assaults japanese bloody ridge came called men 1st sustained casualties ridge high honor officer place encouraging continually exposed enemy fire nickname red mike originating red beard worn nicaragua days code battle known red mike action received medal honor placed command 5th marine regiment capacity primary leaders actions september october commanded 5th marines regiment withdrawn rest 1st november shortly officer stated officers men willingly follow problem combat correspondent testified fierce marine fact appears shy colonel probably finest combat commanders united_states armed forces said readily given emotion personal runner months service killed witnesses said cried like baby later stated man replaced higher commands battles august named chief staff 2nd preparing invasion prepared estimate situation operation proved surprisingly accurate classic marine_corps military literature action received promoted brigadier general december later appointed assistant division commander marine division participated capacity capture awarded operations brigadier general chief staff pacific october awarded lieu second legion merit duty commanding general pacific rounded months continuous service war zone young officer asked expect rotated united_states replied war job retirement december assigned february retirement active duty came age years years military service country promoted major general time retirement august following retirement marine_corps commissioner organizing force partially older organization motor vehicle officers established organization semi military basis adopted states july returning washington executive director major efforts post interest americans rifle concurrently campaigned vigorously marine_corps adequate size strength commitments died august washington hand having committed suicide carbon poisoning garage washington home serving post time death addition duties navy representative prisoner war problems group recommended standards conduct american prisoners war later adopted issued code conduct american servicemen buried arlington national cemetery grave found section lot awards major general decorations included medal honor citation president united_states takes pleasure presenting medal honor colonel united states marine corps service set forth following citation extraordinary heroism conspicuous duty commanding officer 1st attached action enemy japanese forces night september airfield seized enemy august col force men assigned occupation defense ridge dominating jungle airport facing formidable japanese attack augmented crashed lines handling troops successfully withdrew forward units reserve line minimum casualties enemy subsequent series violent assaults engaged force desperate hand hand combat rifles pistols grenades knives col continuously exposed hostile fire night personally directed defense reserve position foe greatly superior numbers leadership devotion duty enabled men despite severe losses position vital ridge retaining command airfield 1st division entire offensive installations surrounding area franklin roosevelt citation citation navy cross presented captain extraordinary heroism august command marine patrol route captain encountering force entrenched sides river personally led advance guard enemy engaging hand hand conflict exhibition dash inspired men superior force driven prepared position severe losses inflicted second citation citation president united_states takes pleasure presenting lieu second award navy cross colonel extraordinary heroism devotion duty serving commanding officer landing assault seizure enemy japanese held british solomon islands august personal command marine battalion initial operation colonel advanced attack battalion supporting units skill courage inspiration entire directly responsible capture conduct hazardous action keeping highest traditions honors addition medal honor military awards received awards including distinguished badge range camp area named honor range built replace camp range teaching training recruits san diego october volunteers unveiled monument honor ceremony volunteers rocks recycled ammunition clips brass shells cement making monument uss class destroyer united_states_navy laid december bath maine launched january ship sponsored widow general commissioned november commander command hall location marine_corps base virginia dedicated result role vocal proponent communications combat
Merritt A. Edson