Alexander (Archer) Vandegrift

US marine officer, born in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. He commanded the First Marine Division at Guadalcanal (Aug 1942) in America's first large-scale offensive against Japan, and won the Medal of Honor for directing a brilliant defence against repeated enemy counter-attacks.

Alexander Archer Vandegrift
March 13, 1887 - May 8, 1973
18th Commandant of the Marine Corps (1944-1947)
Place of birth	Charlottesville, Virginia
Place of death	Bethesda, Maryland
Allegiance	USMC
Years of service	1909-1949
Rank	General
Commands	1st Marine Division 1st Marine Amphibious Corps Commandant of the Marine Corps
Battles/wars	The Banana Wars Battle of Guadalcanal Battle of Empress Augusta Bay
Awards	Medal of Honor Navy Cross Silver Star Purple Heart

Alexander Archer Vandegrift (March 13, 1887 – May 8, 1973) was a general in the United States Marine Corps.

The Banana Wars

Following instruction at the Marine Officers' School, Port Royal, South Carolina, and a tour of duty at the Marine Barracks, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, he went to foreign shore duty in the Caribbean area.

In December 1914, following his promotion to first lieutenant, he attended the Advance Base Course at the Marine Barracks, Philadelphia.

1920s-1930s

Major Vandegrift returned to the U.S. in April 1923 and was assigned to the Marine Barracks, MCB Quantico, Virginia.

In February 1927, he sailed for China where he served as Operations and Training Officer of the 3rd Marine Brigade with Headquarters at Tientsin.

Following duty in Washington, he joined the Marine Barracks, Quantico, where he became Assistant Chief of Staff, G-1 Section, Fleet Marine Force (FMF).

Ordered to China in June 1935, LtCol Vandegrift served successively as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer of the Marine Detachment at the American Embassy in Peiping.

World War II

Brigadier General Vandegrift was detached to the 1st Marine Division in November 1941, shortly before the United States of America entered World War II. He was promoted to major general in March 1942 and sailed for the South Pacific Area that May as commanding general of the first Marine division to ever leave the shores of the United States. For outstanding service as Commanding General of the 1st Marine Division during the attack on Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and Gavutu in the Solomon Islands, he was awarded the Navy Cross and for the subsequent occupation and defense from 7 August to 9 December 1942, was awarded the Medal of Honor.

In July 1943, he assumed command of the 1st Marine Amphibious Corps and commanded this organization in the landing at Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, Northern Solomon Islands, on 1 November 1943.

Commandant of the Marine Corps

On 1 January 1944, as a lieutenant general, he was sworn in as the 18th Commandant of the Marine Corps.

During his tenure as Commandant, the Marine Corps faced institutional threats from Army efforts to absorb the mission of the Marines. Though the Navy was sympathetic to the Marine Corps's predicament, it was ready to accept the diminishment of the Corps in exchange for keeping Naval Aviation from consolidation attempts by the Air Force. In it, he stated

The Marine Corps, then, believes that it has earned this right—to have its future decided by the legislative body which created it—nothing more.

For outstanding service as Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1 January 1944 to 30 June 1946, Gen Vandergrift was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. According to a documentary on racial integration in the U.S. Military, Vandegrift was said to have stated "I would rather have five thousand white Marines than twenty-five thousand black Marines". Navy Unit Commendation with one bronze star Expeditionary Medal with three bronze stars Nicaraguan Campaign Medal Mexican Service Medal Haitian Campaign Medal with one star World War I Victory Medal with West Indies Clasp and one star Yangtze Service Medal American Defense Service Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four bronze stars American Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal

He received the following foreign decorations:

Haitian Distinguished Service Medal Medaille Militaire with one silver star, Haiti Honorary Knight Commander, Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Companion (Honorary) of the Military Division of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath Cruz de Aviacion de Primera Clase, Peru Abdon Calderon of the 1st Class, Ecuador Knights Grand Cross in the Order of the Orange-Nassau with Swords, Netherlands the Order of Pao-Tine (Precious Tripod) with Special Clasp, China Legion of Honor (Grand Officer), France.