Customer Reviews

Once a Marine: The Memoirs of General A. A. Vandegrift Commandant of the U.S. Marines in WW II

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Once A Marine," the engaging memoirs of Alexander A. Vandegrift - eighteenth Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, is a remarkable story. The story is that of a leader who dedicated forty years of his life in service to his country, his Corps, and his fellow Marines. He did it all with personal humility and without losing perspective of the Corps' role in American government and society. This book is an important part of any World War II or Marine Corps collection.

This book illustrates General Vandegrift's belief in the importance of communication, as dozens of his letters to family, friends, leaders, and fellow servicemen are included. Also included are selections from his many speeches, including the famous "bended knee" speech that he gave before Congress to state the convincing case for the very existence of the Marine Corps.

Told here is the story of Vandegrift's career, which truly spanned the globe, with service in Cuba, Panama, Nicaragua, Mexico, Haiti, New Zealand, Australia, China, Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and American locations such as Maine, North Carolina, and Washington, DC. Throughout many actions and from the Atlantic to the Pacific, he relates his extensive service under larger-than-life figures such as Smedley Butler, Thomas Holcomb, Douglas MacArthur, Chester Nimitz, and William Halsey. Also, we learn that in Vandegrift's Pacific actions and campaigns, he led other Marines who would become legends in their own rights - Clifton Cates, Merritt Edson, Joe Foss, Roy Geiger, Herman Hanneken, Randolph Pate, Lewis Puller, Lemuel Sheppard, David Shoup, Julian Smith, and Holland Smith. Five of these Marines would go on to become Commandants themselves.

Vandegrift led the 1st Marine Division in its successful invasion of Guadalcanal, which was the first American offensive action in the Pacific Theater during World War II. This book gives an extensive narration of the invasion for which he ultimately received the Congressional Medal of Honor. Throughout his career, Vandegrift continued to break new ground. As Commandant, he was the first Marine four-star general on active duty.

In a large downtown park in my city, there is a monument dedicated to Marines fallen in combat. General Vandegrift was present and dedicated the monument on November 11th, 1947. From reading this book, I learned that in Washington, DC Vandegrift had named his successor only the day before, on November 10th - the 172nd birthday of the Marine Corps. The fall of 1947 also saw Vandegrift and the Corps emerge successful from the final round of a multiyear struggle for the continuation of the Marine Corps as a separate and distinct service. Vandegrift's dedication, honesty, humility, and foresight for the future of the Corps lead the way in this momentous struggle.

It is often said that Marines do not leave their dead behind. As General Alexander A. Vandegrift, in the twilight of his career, stood at the monument to fallen brothers-in-arms on that rainy November day, he proved that saying to be right. After reading this book, you will know the character that makes up such a great leader.

No student of Marine Corps history should be without a copy of this book. It's an oldie, and of course it's a memoir, so the tone is very much personal and the viewpoint is unique to General Vandegrift. But the value of his observations, personal experiences with the superstars of 20th Century Warfare, and his unaffected manner of relating the facts of battle are worth immersing yourself in.