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The FReeper Foxhole Profiles Major General Wendell C. Neville - Jul. 5th, 2004
hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mil ^

Posted on 07/05/2004 12:27:25 AM PDT by SAMWolf



Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
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FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


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Major General Wendell Cushing Neville
(1870 - 1930)

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Few Marines have seen more action in widely scattered parts of the world than the late Major General Wendell C. Neville, fourteenth Commandant of the Marine Corps in 1929 and 1930. The Virginian, who became a "soldier of the sea" chiefly because no one else in his district desired an appointment to Annapolis back in 1886, was one of the most decorated Marines in the history of the Corps.


Major General Wendell Cushing Neville


Outlining the military activities of General Neville is similar to reviewing major Marine Corps activities from 1898 through 1918. During that period, he spent 14 years on military assignments on foreign soil, was in the thick of a dozen military campaigns and expeditions, fought in 14 major engagements recorded as battles, and participated in numerous skirmishes recorded in history as minor incidents.

Major General Wendell Cushing Neville, 14th Commandant of the Marine Corps and Medal of Honor recipient, was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, on 12 May 1870. He entered the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, in 1886 chiefly because no one else in his district desired an appointment to Annapolis that year. He received his diploma in 1890 and following a two-year cruise aboard a warship, as was the practice of the era, was commissioned a Marine Corps second lieutenant.


US Marine Corps, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 1898


At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, Lt Neville was assigned to the 1st Marine Battalion, hurriedly organized under LtCol W.R. Huntington for service in Cuba. The battalion staged a daring attack under heavy gunfire at Guantanamo Bay, established a beachhead and routed enemy forces in that area. For outstanding valor and leadership in that action, Lt Neville was awarded the Brevet Medal, highest Marine Corps decoration at that time, and was promoted to the brevet rank of captain.

Promoted to the permanent rank of captain a few months after the war, he was assigned to a battalion of Marines ordered to China to relieve the hard-pressed garrison at Peking during the Boxer Rebellion. He took part in four battles in that area and was again commended for his gallantry.


The Marine Guard of the USS Texas, circa 1896, commanded by 1st Lieutenant W.C. Neville, who later commanded the 4th Brigade of Marines in France during World War I, and, from 1929-30, was Major General Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Courtesy of Colonel Wendell Neville Vest USMC (Ret)


In the Philippine Islands not long afterwards, he was appointed military governor of Basilin Province. Following that assignment he served in Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama and Hawaii. While in command of Marines landing at Vera Cruz, Mexico, on 21 April 1914, he displayed conspicuous gallantry. In that operation, LtCol Neville was awarded the Medal of Honor for his distinguished conduct.

Prior to his embarkation for France in 1917, Col Neville returned to China where he was chosen to command the combined Allied guard at Peking.


Marines of Vera Cruz. Left to right: Captain F.H. Delano, Sergeant-Major John H. Quick, Lieutenant W.C. Neville, Colonel J.A. Lejeune, and Major S.D. Butler.
U.S. Marine Corps, Marine Corps University Archives.


On 1 January 1918, he was placed in command of the 5th Marine Regiment in France and in May moved his regiment into action at Belleau Wood where Germany’s big drive was decisively halted. In July, BGen Neville’s command was enlarged to include the 4th Marine Brigade, which he directed during the remaining days of the war and during its occupation service in Germany.

After service with the Army of Occupation in Germany, BGen Neville and his brigade returned to the United States in July 1919. Promoted to major general in March 1920, he served as assistant to the Commandant of the Marine Corps and later became Commanding General, Department of the Pacific with headquarters in San Francisco. He also commanded the Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia.


At Belleau Wood


Major General Neville succeeded MajGen Lejeune as Commandant of the Marine Corps on 5 March 1929. MajGen Neville’s sudden death on 8 July 1930 at Edgewater Beach, Maryland, while in office as Major General Commandant, closed one of the most brilliant military careers of his day - a career of faithful service that extended through many important chapters of Marine Corps history; Guantanamo Bay, the Siege of Peking, Tientsin, the Philippine Insurrection, Panama, Vera Cruz, Belleau Wood, Soissons, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, the Rhine and Coblenz. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.



During the 38 years he spent as a U. S. Marine, he saw action in Cuba, Mexico, China, the Philippines, Nicaragua, and France. MajGen Neville received the Medal of Honor, Brevet Medal, Army Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Cross of the Legion of Honor, five Croix de Guerre with three stars and two palms, five citation and eight campaign and expeditionary awards.



TOPICS: VetsCoR
KEYWORDS: belleauwood; biography; cuba; freeperfoxhole; generalneville; marines; mexico; spanishamericanwar; veracruz; veterans; wwi
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To: Valin
1928 Warren Oates Depoy Ky, actor (East of Eden, The Wild Bunch, Stoney Burke)

Snippy and I just watched the Directors cut of "The Wild Bunch"


21 posted on 07/05/2004 9:10:24 AM PDT by SAMWolf (Never judge a man by his taglines.)
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To: bentfeather

Morning Feather.


22 posted on 07/05/2004 9:10:49 AM PDT by SAMWolf (Never judge a man by his taglines.)
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To: The Mayor

Morning Mayor.

Frozen Snowballs. Brings back memories of snowballs kept in the freezer till about June and then tossed as CTA buses. ;-)


23 posted on 07/05/2004 9:12:40 AM PDT by SAMWolf (Never judge a man by his taglines.)
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To: snippy_about_it; bentfeather; Samwise
Good morning ladies. Flag-o-gram.


24 posted on 07/05/2004 9:14:26 AM PDT by Professional Engineer (How about some Root Beer Snippy?)
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To: CholeraJoe
Good Morning CholeraJoe

"Join the Air Force, fly the plane your father flew" ;-)

25 posted on 07/05/2004 9:16:50 AM PDT by SAMWolf (Never judge a man by his taglines.)
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To: SAMWolf

LOL!!

When I was a teenager bout 80 years ago we went to an ice skating rink and loaded up our trunk with shavings from the zamboni.

It was in June and was rather warm out, we went to the park where all us hippies hung out and started bombarding everyone with snowballs.

What fun..


26 posted on 07/05/2004 9:17:22 AM PDT by The Mayor (The one who lives for this life only will have eternity to regret it.)
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To: Valin

LOL! At first the pictures didn't come up and I was trying to figure out "What the heck?"


27 posted on 07/05/2004 9:18:53 AM PDT by SAMWolf (Never judge a man by his taglines.)
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To: Diva Betsy Ross

Morning Diva. Have a good Fourth?


28 posted on 07/05/2004 9:19:42 AM PDT by SAMWolf (Never judge a man by his taglines.)
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To: Aeronaut

The Hurricane was a good plane and had nice lines. Too bad the Spitfire got all the credit for the Battle of Britain.


29 posted on 07/05/2004 9:20:50 AM PDT by SAMWolf (Never judge a man by his taglines.)
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To: Professional Engineer

Good Morning PE.

A "Devil Dog" Flag-o-gram! Good choice.


30 posted on 07/05/2004 9:21:37 AM PDT by SAMWolf (Never judge a man by his taglines.)
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To: The Mayor
loaded up our trunk with shavings from the zamboni.

Rats! Why didn't we think of that!!

31 posted on 07/05/2004 9:23:00 AM PDT by SAMWolf (Never judge a man by his taglines.)
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To: SAMWolf

We only did it once but man it was fun!


32 posted on 07/05/2004 9:24:07 AM PDT by The Mayor (The one who lives for this life only will have eternity to regret it.)
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To: SAMWolf
"Retreat Hell! We just got here!"

I love that quote. Thanks for profiling the Major today. Good read.

33 posted on 07/05/2004 9:32:19 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: The Mayor

Yeah, it sure sounds like it.


34 posted on 07/05/2004 9:32:25 AM PDT by SAMWolf (Never judge a man by his taglines.)
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To: The Mayor

Frozen Snowball. That certainly puts it in perspective.


35 posted on 07/05/2004 9:35:40 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: Valin

Rock, paper, scissors. LOL. That's hysterical, thanks Valin.


36 posted on 07/05/2004 9:38:28 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: Professional Engineer

Good one and so appropriate for today. Thanks PE.


37 posted on 07/05/2004 9:39:59 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: SAMWolf

Hurricaines and Mosquitos -- wood and cloth -- no respect, but two very good airplanes.


38 posted on 07/05/2004 9:47:36 AM PDT by Aeronaut (I got a pound of C4, a chainsaw and an assault rifle, let's roll!)
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To: bentfeather

Hiya feather.


39 posted on 07/05/2004 9:55:04 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: SAMWolf

Mornin' SAM, Snippy. Great presentation of Gen. Neville.

Interesting how the Marines keep cranking out men and women of the same caliber year after year.


40 posted on 07/05/2004 10:10:11 AM PDT by Diver Dave (Stay Prayed Up)
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