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Fearlessly moving ashore with his men during the critical period of the landing operations, he established his headquarters near the
Japanese lines and personally directed his troops with brilliant tactical skill and aggressive determination against vigorous opposition, successfully routing the
440:
In August 1945, he returned to
Headquarters Marine Corps and became director of personnel, which position he held until detached in June 1946. At that time he assumed command of the Second Marine Division and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In December 1947, he was assigned as Commanding General,
393:, Washington, D.C., and upon graduation was ordered to Headquarters Marine Corps, where he became chief of the war plans section, Division of Plans and Policies. In November 1941, he assumed duties as executive officer of the Division of Plans and Policies.
770:
Although the division was depleted in numerical strength and physical endurance by twenty-five days of heavy fighting on Saipan, he expeditiously reorganized his forces and attained a high state of combat readiness for the subsequent landing on Tinian.
774:
Distinguishing himself by his indomitable fighting spirit and inspiring leadership throughout these hazardous operations, Major
General Watson contributed in a large measure to the success of the vital Marianas Campaign.
762:
As
Commanding General of the Second Marine Division during the assault on the capture of Saipan and Tinian Islands, from June 15, to August 1, 1944, Major General Watson welded his unit into an effective striking force.
627:
818:
422:
General Watson became commanding general of the Second Marine
Division in April 1944, and led that organization in active operations against enemy forces at Saipan and Tinian in the
862:
191:
407:
In
November 1943, he became commanding general of Tactical Group One, which included the Twenty-Second Marine Regiment and certain Army units and led this organization in the
367:
From
October 1930 to February 1934, he was successively U.S. Naval Attache, Santo Domingo City, Dominican Republic, a member of the Major General Commandant's Department,
987:
997:
335:
He returned to the States in April 1919, but one year later was again on foreign shore duty, on this occasion with the
Guardia Nacional of the Dominican Republic.
939:
915:
325:
in
Oskaloosa and on November 11, 1912, enlisted in the Marine Corps. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on October 20, 1916.
371:, director of operations and area commander, Nicaragua National Guard Detachment, and again a member of the Major General Commandant's Department.
429:
During the period April 1 – April 13, 1945, he led the division as part of Task Group 51.2 in diversionary activities off the coast of
992:
719:
684:
281:
who served in the Marine Corps from 1912 to 1950. His last command (January 1, 1948 – July 1, 1950) was as commanding general,
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891:
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213:
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168:
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and in July 1936, became assistant chief of staff, Four
Section, and chief of the planning section, Fleet Marine Force.
655:
342:, California, where he was commanding officer of the recruit detachment and officer-in-charge, drills and instruction.
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419:, from February 6, to March 22, 1944, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.
491:
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669:
390:
305:. For outstanding services in this capacity, he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second
977:
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507:
480:
360:
Upon return to this country he attended the Field Officers' School, Marine Corps Schools,
8:
218:
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564:
474:
408:
329:
282:
223:
172:
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for which he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal.
626:
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881:. U.S. Marine Corps Forces Atlantic. Published 25 June 2001. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
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and on several occasions participated in engagements with bandits in that country.
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For the next three years he was a member of the Second Provisional Brigade in the
318:
293:, North Carolina, and was commanding officer of the famed Second Division in the
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75:
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516:
430:
412:
338:
In 1924, he returned to the States and was assigned to the Marine Corps Base,
966:
148:
109:
664:
445:. From December 1946 to January 1947, he was the first acting commander of
397:
302:
208:
946:. History and Museums Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from
922:. History and Museums Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from
400:, Watson joined the Third Marine Brigade as chief of staff and sailed for
379:
198:
186:
345:
Three years later, in March 1927, he joined the Third Marine Brigade in
751:
645:
861:
Ralph W. Donnelly, Gabrielle N. Neufeld, and Carolyn A. Tyson (1971).
738:
For outstanding services in his capacity as commanding general of the
688:
339:
404:
in April 1942, where he took command of the brigade in August 1942.
937:
913:
364:, whereupon completion of the course he remained as an instructor.
350:
354:
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BREAKING THE OUTER RING: Marine Landings in the Marshall Islands
44:
898:. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from
401:
346:
619:
452:
LtGen Watson died on March 6, 1966, in a hospital in the
863:
A Chronology of the United States Marine Corps 1947-1964
374:
After a year as commanding officer of the naval prison,
382:, California, he assumed duties as commanding officer,
317:
Thomas Eugune Watson was born on January 18, 1892, in
783:
389:
In August 1937, he was assigned as a student at the
988:Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
998:United States Marine Corps World War II generals
964:
396:Four months after the United States' entry into
892:"Lieutenant General Thomas Eugene Watson, USMC"
724:Dominican Military Medal of Merit with Diploma
274:(January 18, 1892 – March 6, 1966) was a
942:BREACHING THE MARIANAS: The Battle for Saipan
843:BREACHING THE MARIANAS: The Battle for Saipan
727:Nicaraguan Medal of Distinction with Diploma
938:Captain John C. Chapin, USMCR (Ret) (1994).
914:Captain John C. Chapin, USMCR (Ret) (1994).
285:, Pacific. Previously, he had commanded the
43:
26:For other people named Thomas Watson, see
459:
384:Second Battalion, Sixth Marine Regiment
965:
214:Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign
993:United States Marine Corps generals
464:Lt. Gen. Watson's awards include:
13:
821:from websites or documents of the
433:and as a floating reserve for the
16:United States Marine Corps general
14:
1019:
896:Who's Who in Marine Corps History
733:
839:"Major General Thomas E. Watson"
817: This article incorporates
812:
793:
756:Navy Distinguished Service Medal
699:Nicaraguan Campaign Medal (1933)
661:Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
642:Navy Distinguished Service Medal
625:
618:
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307:Navy Distinguished Service Medal
263:Navy Distinguished Service Medal
147:
122:
102:
19:For the Georgia politician, see
656:Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
1003:William Penn University alumni
872:
855:
831:
758:. His citation reads in part:
714:Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
704:American Defense Service Medal
28:Thomas Watson (disambiguation)
1:
867:Marine Corps History Division
806:
1008:Military personnel from Iowa
916:"The Final Attack: Eniwetok"
447:Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic
312:
7:
983:People from Oskaloosa, Iowa
869:. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
779:
443:Fleet Marine Force, Pacific
10:
1024:
823:United States Marine Corps
720:World War II Victory Medal
640:
276:United States Marine Corps
130:United States Marine Corps
25:
18:
726:
723:
718:
712:
702:
697:
692:
685:World War I Victory Medal
683:
673:
668:
659:
654:
469:
369:Headquarters Marine Corps
258:
179:
163:2nd Battalion 6th Marines
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135:
115:
97:
81:
62:
54:
42:
35:
675:Dominican Campaign Medal
110:United States of America
819:public domain material
777:
740:Second Marine Division
460:Awards and decorations
287:Second Marine Division
192:Dominican intervention
49:LtGen Thomas E. Watson
760:
694:Yangtze Service Medal
670:Mexican Service Medal
136:Years of service
754:in lieu of a second
750:, he was awarded an
272:Thomas Eugene Watson
37:Thomas Eugene Watson
409:assault and capture
349:and saw service in
219:Battle of Kwajalein
169:2nd Marine Division
716:w/4 service stars
362:Quantico, Virginia
330:Dominican Republic
283:Fleet Marine Force
224:Battle of Eniwetok
173:Fleet Marine Force
166:3rd Marine Brigade
153:Lieutenant general
879:Former Commanders
731:
730:
633:
632:
454:Panama Canal Zone
295:battle for Saipan
269:
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248:Battle of Okinawa
231:Marianas campaign
204:Chinese Civil War
92:Panama Canal Zone
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748:Battle of Tinian
744:Battle of Saipan
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424:Marianas Islands
417:Marshall Islands
391:Army War College
241:Battle of Tinian
236:Battle of Saipan
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73:January 18, 1892
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58:"Terrible Tommy"
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21:Thomas E. Watson
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435:U.S. Tenth Army
357:, and Hsin Ho.
319:Oskaloosa, Iowa
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734:Award citation
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413:Eniwetok Atoll
321:. He attended
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89:(aged 74)
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950:on 2007-01-17
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952:. Retrieved
948:the original
941:
928:. Retrieved
924:the original
919:
904:. Retrieved
900:the original
895:
874:
857:
846:. Retrieved
842:
833:
773:
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737:
665:service star
463:
451:
439:
428:
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398:World War II
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366:
359:
344:
337:
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327:
323:Penn College
316:
303:World War II
291:Camp Lejeune
271:
270:
209:World War II
180:Battles/wars
87:(1966-03-06)
978:1966 deaths
973:1892 births
380:Mare Island
199:World War I
187:Banana Wars
55:Nickname(s)
967:Categories
954:2006-11-06
930:2006-11-06
906:2009-03-15
848:2006-11-06
807:References
752:award star
646:award star
98:Allegiance
69:1892-01-18
800:Biography
376:Navy Yard
340:San Diego
313:Biography
175:, Pacific
139:1912–1950
780:See also
710:4th Row
681:3rd Row
652:2nd Row
638:1st Row
355:Tientsin
351:Shanghai
159:Commands
116:Service/
767:enemy.
742:at the
431:Okinawa
301:during
279:General
786:Portal
299:Tinian
259:Awards
127:
118:branch
107:
689:clasp
402:Samoa
347:China
746:and
663:w/1
644:w/1
297:and
144:Rank
82:Died
63:Born
411:of
289:at
265:(2)
969::
918:.
894:.
865:.
841:.
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449:.
437:.
415:,
378:,
353:,
309:.
957:.
944:"
940:"
933:.
909:.
851:.
825:.
788::
71:)
67:(
30:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
