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Photo #  NH 106475:  Captain Louis H. Wilson, Jr., USMC

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- PEOPLE -- UNITED STATES --

General Louis H. Wilson, Jr., USMC, (1920-2005)

Louis Hugh Wilson, Jr. was born on 11 February 1920 in Brandon, Mississippi. He graduated from Millsaps College at Jackson, Mississippi and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve from that state in May 1941. Commissioned a Second Lieutenant in November, he was assigned to the Ninth Marine Regiment. Sent to the Pacific war zone in February 1943, Wilson was promoted to Captain a short time later. In July 1944 he participated in the campaign to recapture Guam. On 25-26 July, while serving as Commanding Officer of a Rifle Company of the Second Battalion, Ninth Marines, Third Marine Division, he led his unit in a furious engagement with Japanese troops at Fonte Hill, Guam. Captain Wilson's courageous leadership and individual heroism, despite several wounds, greatly contributed to the accomplishment of his regiment's mission. For his "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" on this occasion, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Following hospitalization, he commanded Company D, Marine Barracks, Camp Pendleton, California and was later transferred to the Marine Barracks at Washington D.C. In March 1945, he was promoted to Major.

In June 1946, Wilson became the Dean and Assistant Director of the Marine Corps Institute, transferring as Aide-de-Camp to Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. Following this tour, he became the Officer in Charge of District Headquarters Recruiting Station at New York City. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in November 1951, while serving at the Basic School, Quantico, Virginia, where he commanded a training battalion, Camp Barrett and the school's Executive Office. Completing the Officer's Senior Course in August 1954, Lieutenant Colonel Wilson briefly served as a Senior Instructor at Quantico before becoming Assistant G-3 with the First Marine Division in Korea. He later commanded that Division's Second Battalion, Fifth Marines. In March 1956, he was ordered to Headquarters Marine Corps, with subsquent tours seeing him return to Quantico as Commanding Officer of the Test and Training Regiment and of the Basic School. In June 1960, Wilson was promoted to Colonel.

Following graduation from the National War College, in June 1962 Wilson was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps and, in August 1965, deployed to Vietnam with the First Marine Division. The next summer, Colonel Wilson took command of the Sixth Marine Corps District at Atlanta, Georgia. Promoted to Brigadier General in November 1966, he returned to Headquarters Marine Corps as Legislative Assistant to the Commandant. In July 1968, he became Chief of Staff at Headquarters, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. Attaining the rank of Major General in March 1970, Wilson commanded I Marine Amphibious Force, Third Marine Division, at Okinawa. In April 1971 he returned to Quantico for service at the Marine Corps Development and Education Command. He was promoted to Lieutenant General in August 1972 and soon took command of the Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. In July 1975, with the rank of General, Wilson became the the Twenty-Sixth Commandant of the Marine Corps, serving in that post until his retirement at the end of June 1979. General Louis H. Wilson Jr. died at Birmingham, Alabama on 21 June 2005 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.

This page features all the images we have concerning Louis H. Wilson.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 106475

Captain Louis H. Wilson, Jr., USMC


Halftone reproduction of a photograph, copied from the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 282.
Louis H. Wilson, Jr. was awarded the Medal of Honor for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" while serving as Commanding Officer of a Rifle Company attached to Second Battalion, Ninth Marines, Third Marine Division in action against the Japanese at Fonte Hill, Guam, 25-26 July 1944.
1n 1975, Wilson became the Twenty-Sixth Commandant of the Marine Corps.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 70KB; 605 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 106478

Brigadier General Louis H. Wilson, Jr., USMC


Photographed on 29 December 1966, while commanding the Sixth Marine Corps District, Atlanta, Georgia.
Note Medal of Honor Ribbon in the top row.
Photographed by Staff Sergeant Risher, USMC.

Official U.S. Marine Corps Photograph, from the collections of the Navy History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 57KB; 575 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 106479

General Louis H. Wilson, Jr., USMC


Portrait photograph taken at Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, on 25 June 1975, shortly before he became the Twenty-Sixth Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Note his Medal of Honor ribbon in the top row.
Photographed by Staff Sergeant Sink, USMC

Official U.S. Marine Corps Photograph, from the collections of the Navy History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 51KB; 575 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 106480

General Louis H. Wilson, Jr., USMC

(Twenty-Sixth Commandant of the Marine Corps)

Is piped aboard USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2) as he arrives for a visit while the ship was at Marseille, France, 9 July 1978.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Navy History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 57KB; 740 x 585 pixels

 



Medal of Honor citation of Captain Louis Hugh Wilson, Jr., USMC (as printed in the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 282):

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of a Rifle Company, attached to the Second Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces at Fonte Hill, Guam, 25-26 July 1944. Ordered to take that portion of the hill within his zone of action, Major Wilson initiated his attack in midafternoon, pushed up the rugged, open terrain against terrific machine-gun and rifle fire for 300 yards and successfully captured the objective. Promptly assuming command of other disorganized units and motorized equipment in addition to his own company and one reinforcing platoon, he organized his night defenses in the face of continuous hostile fire and, although wounded three times during this 5-hour period, completed his disposition of men and guns before retiring to the company command post for medical attention. Shortly thereafter, when the enemy launched the first of a series of savage counterattacks lasting all night, he voluntarily rejoined his besieged units and repeatedly exposed himself to the merciless hail of shrapnel and bullets, dashing 50 yards into the open on one occasion to rescue a wounded Marine lying helpless beyond the front lines. Fighting fiercely in hand-to-hand encounters, he led his men in furiously waged battle for approximately 10 hours, tenaciously holding his line and repelling the fanatically renewed counterthrusts until he succeeded in crushing the last efforts of the hard-pressed Japanese early the following morning. Then organizing a 17-man patrol, he immediately advanced upon a strategic slope essential to the security of his position and, boldly defying intense mortar, machine-gun and rifle fire which struck down 13 of his own men, drove relentlessly forward with the remnants of his patrol to seize the vital ground. By his indomitable leadership, daring combat tactics and valor in the face of overwhelming odds, Major Wilson succeeded in capturing and holding the strategic high ground in his regimental sector, thereby contributing essentially to the success of his regimental mission and to the annihilation of 350 Japanese troops. His inspiring conduct throughout the critical periods of this decisive action sustains and enhances the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."


NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page may bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.

    Page made 6 April 2009
    Edited and posted 11 September 2009