R 240013Z JUN 05
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
TO AL ALMAR(UC)
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 030/05
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CMC//
SUBJ/DEATH OF GENERAL LOUIS H. WILSON, JR.
/FORMER COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS//
REF/A/ALMAR 029-05/CMC WASHINGTON DC CMC/221530ZJUN2005//
AMPN/REF A IS ALNAV NOTIFICATION OF GENERAL WILSON'S DEATH//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THE REFERENCE ANNOUNCED THE DEATH ON 21 JUNE 2005
OF GENERAL LOUIS H. WILSON, JR. U.S. MARINE CORPS, RETIRED, WHO
SERVED AS THE TWENTY-SIXTH COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS AND
RECEIVED THE MEDAL OF HONOR FOR HEROISM DURING THE BATTLE OF GUAM IN
JULY 1944.
2. GENERAL WILSON WAS BORN FEBRUARY 11, 1920 IN BRANDON, MISSISSIPPI
AND GRADUATED FROM MILLSAPS COLLEGE IN 1941. HE WAS COMMISSIONED A
SECOND LIEUTENANT OF MARINES IN NOVEMBER 1941. FOLLOWING OFFICER
TRAINING, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO 9TH MARINES, SERVING IN SAN DIEGO AND
ON BOUGAINVILLE. DURING THE RE-OCCUPATION OF GUAM, WHILE IN COMMAND
OF COMPANY F, 2D BATTALION, 9TH MARINES, HE EARNED THE MEDAL OF
HONOR FOR THE SUCCESSFUL ATTACK AND DEFENSE OF THE CREST OF FONTE
HILL ON 25-26 JULY 1944. POST-WAR TOURS INCLUDED MARINE BARRACKS,
WASHINGTON D.C.; ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MARINE CORPS INSTITUTE;
AIDE-DE-CAMP TO THE COMMANDING GENERAL, FLEET MARINE FORCE, PACIFIC;
OFFICER-IN-CHARGE, DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS RECRUITING STATION, NEW
YORK CITY; AND EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE BASIC SCHOOL AT QUANTICO.
UPON COMPLETION OF THE OFFICER'S SENIOR COURSE IN 1954, HE SERVED AS
THE ASSISTANT G-3, 1ST MARINE DIVISION IN KOREA, AND ON THE RETURN
OF THE DIVISION TO THE UNITED STATES BECAME THE COMMANDING OFFICER
OF 2D BATTALION, 5TH MARINES. FOLLOWING A TOUR AT HEADQUARTERS,
MARINE CORPS, HE COMMANDED THE BASIC SCHOOL AT QUANTICO. HE
GRADUATED FROM THE NATIONAL WAR COLLEGE IN JUNE 1962 AND AFTER
ANOTHER TOUR AT HEADQUARTERS, HE RETURNED TO 1ST MARINE DIVISION AT
CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA AS THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF, G-3,
DEPLOYING WITH THE DIVISION FIRST TO OKINAWA AND THEN TO VIETNAM.
THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY DUTY AS COMMANDING OFFICER, 6TH MARINE CORPS
DISTRICT IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA. FOLLOWING PROMOTION TO BRIGADIER
GENERAL IN NOVEMBER 1966, HE WAS THE LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE
COMMANDANT IN 1967 AND 1968. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A TOUR AS CHIEF
OF STAFF, FLEET MARINE FORCE, PACIFIC AND COMMANDING GENERAL, I
MARINE AMPHIBIOUS FORCE AND 3RD MARINE DIVISION ON OKINAWA. GENERAL
WILSON BECAME DIRECTOR OF THE EDUCATION CENTER AT QUANTICO IN 1971,
AND IN 1972, HE ASSUMED COMMAND OF FLEET MARINE FORCE, PACIFIC. HE
WAS APPOINTED COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS ON 1 JULY 1975. IN
OCTOBER 1978, GENERAL WILSON ACHIEVED FULL MEMBERSHIP ON THE JOINT
CHIEFS OF STAFF. GENERAL WILSON RETIRED ON 30 JUNE 1979. WHILE
RETIRED, HE RESIDED IN MISSISSIPPI, CALIFORNIA, AND ALABAMA.
GENERAL WILSON SKILLFULLY GUIDED THE MARINE CORPS THROUGH THE
TURBULENT AND CHALLENGING POST-VIETNAM ERA. DURING HIS COMMANDANCY,
HE LAID A FIRM FOUNDATION OF HIGH STANDARDS AND DEMANDING TRAINING
THAT ENSURED THAT THE MARINE CORPS REMAINED A MODERN, MOBILE,
GENERAL PURPOSE, COMBINED ARMS FORCE WITH AMPHIBIOUS EXPERTISE
PREPARED FOR LOW AND HIGH INTENSITY COMBAT AGAINST A WIDE-SPECTRUM
OF POTENTIAL FOES AROUND THE GLOBE.
3. A COMPLETE LIST OF GENERAL WILSON'S MEDALS AND DECORATIONS
INCLUDE: MEDAL OF HONOR; DEFENSE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL WITH
OAK LEAF CLUSTER IN LIEU OF SECOND AWARD; THREE AWARDS OF THE LEGION
OF MERIT, ONE WITH COMBAT "V"; NAVY COMMENDATION MEDAL; PURPLE HEART
WITH TWO GOLD STARS IN LIEU OF SECOND AND THIRD AWARD; COMBAT ACTION
RIBBON, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH ONE BRONZE STAR; MERITORIOUS
UNIT COMMENDATION; AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL; ASIATIC-PACIFIC
CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH THREE BRONZE STARS; WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL;
NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH ONE BRONZE STAR; VIETNAM SERVICE
MEDAL WITH TWO BRONZE STARS, AND KOREAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL. HE
WAS ALSO AWARDED THE NATIONAL ORDER OF VIETNAM, 4TH CLASS, GALLANTRY
CROSS WITH PALM, AND GALLANTRY CROSS WITH GOLD STAR BY THE REPUBLIC
OF VIETNAM; ORDER OF NATIONAL SECURITY MERIT, TONG-IL MEDAL AND
ORDER OF NATIONAL SECURITY MERIT, GUK-SEON MEDAL, SECOND CLASS BY
THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA; TWO AWARDS OF THE LEGION OF HONOR (DEGREE OF
COMMANDER) BY THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES; SPANISH GRAND CROSS
OF NAVAL MERIT; BRAZILIAN NAVY DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL; AND THE
ARMED FORCES MERITORIOUS UNIT CITATION (GALLANTRY CROSS COLOR),
MERITORIOUS UNIT CITATION (CIVIL ACTION COLOR, FIRST CLASS), AND THE
CAMPAIGN MEDAL FROM THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM.