Jump to content
 







Main menu
   


Navigation  



Main page
Contents
Current events
Random article
About Wikipedia
Contact us
Donate
 




Contribute  



Help
Learn to edit
Community portal
Recent changes
Upload file
 








Search  

































Create account

Log in
 









Create account
 Log in
 




Pages for logged out editors learn more  



Contributions
Talk
 



















Contents

   



(Top)
 


1 Early life and education  





2 Career  



2.1  World War I  





2.2  World War II  





2.3  Post-war military career  





2.4  Department of Defense  





2.5  Death  







3 Military awards and decorations  





4 Honors  





5 References  














Graves B. Erskine






العربية
Français
Italiano

 

Edit links
 









Article
Talk
 

















Read
Edit
View history
 








Tools
   


Actions  



Read
Edit
View history
 




General  



What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Cite this page
Get shortened URL
Download QR code
Wikidata item
 




Print/export  



Download as PDF
Printable version
 




In other projects  



Wikimedia Commons
 
















Appearance
   

 






From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 


Graves Blanchard Erskine
Born(1897-06-28)June 28, 1897
Columbia, Louisiana, U.S.
DiedMay 21, 1973(1973-05-21) (aged 75)
Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Place of burial
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service1912–1916 (National Guard)
1917 – 1953 (USMC)
Rank General
Commands held3rd Marine Division (United States) 3rd Marine Division
1st Marine Division (United States) 1st Marine Division
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Camp Pendleton
Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic
Battles/wars
  • Battle of Belleau Wood
  • Battle of Soissons
  • Hundred Days Offensive
  • Banana Wars
  • Chinese Civil War
  • World War II
  • Korean War
  • AwardsNavy Distinguished Service Medal
    Silver Star Medal
    Legion of Merit (2) w/ Combat "V"
    Purple Heart Medal
    Other workDirector of Special Operations of the Department of Defense (1953–1961)
    John Wayne (left) and Erskine (right) on the set of the film Sands of Iwo Jima (1949). Erskine was a technical advisor.

    General Graves Blanchard Erskine (June 28, 1897 – May 21, 1973) was a United States Marine Corps officer who led the 3rd Marine Division during the Battle of Iwo JimainWorld War II.

    Early life and education[edit]

    Erskine was born in Columbia, Louisiana, on June 28, 1897, where he graduated from high school at age 15 as class valedictorian. He entered Louisiana State University in the fall of 1912, and joined the Louisiana National Guard. In 1916, he saw duty on the Mexican border. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, May 21, 1917; and graduated in June 1917, just a few weeks after the American entry into World War I.

    Career[edit]

    Upon graduation, Erskine reported for active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps as a second lieutenant on July 5, 1917.

    World War I[edit]

    In January 1918, he sailed for France, and as a platoon leader in the 6th Marine Regiment, participated in the Aisne-Marne Defensive (Battle of Chateau-Thierry), where he was wounded in action; also fighting at Belleau Wood; Bouresches; and Soissons. In the St. Mihiel Offensive, he was so seriously wounded that he was evacuated to the United States in October 1918, spending a year in the hospital and undergoing nine surgeries.

    For bravery in action, he was awarded the Silver Star Medal, was cited by General John J. Pershing, Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), and in General Orders of the War Department, and entitled to wear the French Fourragère as a member of the 6th Marine Regiment.

    Following recruiting duty in Kansas City, Missouri, he was assigned foreign shore duty with the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade in Haiti; sea duty aboard the USS Olympia; and again foreign shore duty, with the 2nd Marine Brigade in Santo Domingo. In September 1924, he became Depot Quartermaster, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia. He later completed instruction at the U.S. Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia, and was assigned to the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico as an instructor.

    In March 1928, he was assigned two years' duty in Nicaragua, serving briefly with the 2nd Marine Brigade, and later with the Nicaragua National Guard Detachment. During this period, he organized the Presidential Guard, served as aide and personal bodyguard to President José María Moncada Tapia, and commanded a battalion of the Guardia Nacionale in jungle operations against organized bandits in northern Nicaragua.

    Upon his return to the United States, he was an instructor at the Basic School, Marine Barracks, Philadelphia Navy Yard; completed the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and served as an instructor again at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico. From January 1935 until May 1937, he was stationed in China, serving as a member of the Marine detachment at the American embassy in Peiping. In June 1937, he began a three-year assignment as a section chief at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, then served as executive officer of the 5th Marine Regiment at Quantico and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

    World War II[edit]

    When World War II broke out, he was serving as chief of staff, Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet (later redesignated Amphibious Corps, Atlantic Fleet). In September 1942, he joined the Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet, in San Diego, California, as chief of staff, and performed duty in Alaska in July and August 1943 during the planning and training phase of the assault on Attu and Kiska in the Aleutians. Immediately after this, he assumed duty as chief of staff of the V Amphibious Corps and embarked for the Pacific area. Overseas, he was promoted to brigadier general in November 1943 (with rank from September 1942), and was assigned additional duty as deputy commander, V Amphibious Corps. For exceptionally meritorious service during the assault and capture of Kwajalein, Saipan, and Tinian, he received two awards of the Legion of Merit, both with combat "V". He also performed additional duties during the Marianas campaign as Chief of Staff of East Marine Force, Pacific.

    Following the Marianas operation, he was promoted to major general in September 1944, and the following month assumed command of the 3rd Marine Division. He led the 3rd Division in the battle for Iwo Jima where members of the division were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism, and he was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

    Post-war military career[edit]

    Immediately after the war, as commanding general of the 3rd Marine Division then stationed on Guam, he organized vocational schools on Guam to aid Marines under his command in postwar trades and skills, prior to their return to civilian life.

    In October 1945, Erksine was ordered to Washington and as a result of a special Congressional Act was appointed Administrator of the Retraining and Reemployment Administration (RRA). In June 1947, upon his request to return to duty with the Marine Corps, the general assumed command of the Marine Barracks, Marine Training and Replacement Command, Camp Pendleton, California. The following month, with the return of the 1st Marine Division from China to Camp Pendleton, he became commanding general of the 1st Marine Division, as well as commanding general of Camp Pendleton. In May 1949, he was assigned additional duty as deputy commander of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.

    During this period, the Marine air units at El Toro were molded together with the 1st Marine Division troops at Camp Pendleton, and it was this combination that embarked for Korea when hostilities erupted in that area.

    In June 1950, the Secretary of Defense appointed Erskine as Chief of Military Group, Joint State-Defense Mutual Defense Assistance Program Survey Mission to Southeast Asia. In carrying out his assigned duties with the Mission, he visited the Philippines, French Indochina, Malaya, Thailand and Indonesia. Upon completing this assignment, Erskine received orders in December 1950 directing him to assume duties as commanding general of the Department of the Pacific, San Francisco, California. He also performed additional duties as Member of the Advisory Group, Western Sea Frontier; and commanding general, Marine Corps Emergency Forces, Western Sea Frontier.

    In July 1951, as a lieutenant general, he became commanding general, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic.

    Upon his retirement from active duty in the Marine Corps, Erskine was advanced to four-star rank, July 1, 1953, by reason of having been specially commended for heroism in combat.

    Department of Defense[edit]

    He was authorized to retire from active service by a Special Act of the United States Congress, in June 1953, for the purpose of accepting a position as assistant to the Secretary of Defense as director of special operations of the United States Department of Defense, and served in this post for over eight years, until October 31, 1961.

    Death[edit]

    Erskine died, on May 21, 1973, at Bethesda, Maryland. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

    Military awards and decorations[edit]

    Erskine's military awards include:[1]

    V

    Gold star

    Gold star

    Bronze star

    Bronze star

    Bronze star

    Bronze star

    Bronze star

    Bronze star

    Bronze star

    Bronze star

    Bronze star

    Bronze star

    1st Row Navy Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Medal Legion of Merit w/ 516 inch gold star & Combat "V"
    2nd Row Purple Heart Medal w/ gold star Navy Presidential Unit Citation w/ 316 inch bronze star Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal w/ 316 inch bronze star World War I Victory Medal w/ Aisne, St. Mihiel, & Defensive Sector clasps
    3rd Row Nicaraguan Campaign Medal (1933) American Defense Service Medal w/ Base clasp American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ four 316 inch bronze stars
    4th Row World War II Victory Medal National Defense Service Medal Nicaraguan Medal of Merit Knight Grand Cross, Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant
    Rifle Expert Badge

    Honors[edit]

    References[edit]

    Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Graves_B._Erskine&oldid=1221886411"

    Categories: 
    1897 births
    1973 deaths
    United States Marine Corps personnel of World War I
    Battle of Iwo Jima
    Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
    People from Columbia, Louisiana
    Louisiana State University alumni
    American military personnel of the Banana Wars
    Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
    Recipients of the Silver Star
    Recipients of the Legion of Merit
    United States Marine Corps generals
    United States Marine Corps World War II generals
    United States Army soldiers
    Military personnel from Louisiana
    Louisiana National Guard personnel
    20th-century United States Army personnel
    Hidden categories: 
    Articles with short description
    Short description is different from Wikidata
    Articles needing additional references from June 2022
    All articles needing additional references
    Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the United States Marine Corps
    Commons category link from Wikidata
    Articles with FAST identifiers
    Articles with VIAF identifiers
    Articles with WorldCat Entities identifiers
    Articles with LCCN identifiers
    Articles with NARA identifiers
    Articles with SNAC-ID identifiers
     



    This page was last edited on 2 May 2024, at 15:46 (UTC).

    Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.



    Privacy policy

    About Wikipedia

    Disclaimers

    Contact Wikipedia

    Code of Conduct

    Developers

    Statistics

    Cookie statement

    Mobile view



    Wikimedia Foundation
    Powered by MediaWiki