Edwin Allen Pollock (21 March 1899 – 5 November 1982) was a

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

and a highly decorated combat veteran of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and

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; he commanded both the 1st and 2d Marine Divisions and is the only man to have served as commanding general of both the

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and Pacific Fleet Marine Force. He had been advanced to the rank of general upon retirement by reason of having been specially commended in combat.

Early career

Edwin A. Pollock was born on 21 March 1899 in

Augusta, Georgia Augusta ( ), officially Augusta–Richmond County, is a consolidated city-county on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies across the Savannah River from South Carolina at the head of its navig ...

. He attended the local Summerville Academy,

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

. He spent one year at

Staunton Military Academy Staunton Military Academy was a private all-male military school located in Staunton, Virginia. Founded in 1884, the academy closed in 1976. The school was highly regarded for its academic and military programs, and many notable American political ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, before he enrolled at

The Citadel The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, commonly known simply as The Citadel, is a Public college, public United States senior military college, senior military college in Charleston, South Carolina. Established in 1842, it is one ...

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

, during the summer of 1918. Graduating with the class of 1921, he received his

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

degree in Chemistry and subsequently was appointed a second lieutenant in the Army Reserve that June. Pollock resigned his army commission to accept appointment as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps on July 1, 1921. He was subsequently sent for further education to the Marine Corps Schools within Marine Barracks Quantico,

. Pollock attended Company Officers' Course and following his graduation in November 1922, he was assigned to the Marine Barracks Parris Island,

. His first tour of expeditionary duty began in 1923, when he sailed with 2nd Marine Brigade to

Santo Domingo , total_type = Total , population_density_km2 = auto , timezone = AST (UTC −4) , area_code_type = Area codes , area_code = 809, 829, 849 , postal_code_type = Postal codes , postal_code = 10100–10699 (Distrito Nacional) , websi ...

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...

. Upon withdrawal of the Marine troops at the end of December 1924, Pollock served with West Coast Expeditionary Forces at

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

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until September 1926, when he was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant and transferred to Quantico, he joined the

11th Marine Regiment The 11th Marine Regiment is an artillery regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. Known as the "Cannon Cockers", the regiment falls under the command of the 1st Marine Division and the I ...

and sailed for

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the cou ...

. Pollock later joined the staff of the 2nd Marine Brigade under General Logan Feland and sailed for expeditionary duty in

. He served during the combats against the Sandino's insurgents and participated the famed

Coco River River Wangki in Miskitu or Río Coco, in Spanish, formerly known as the Río Segovia, Cape River, or Yara River, is a river located on the border of northern Nicaragua and southern Honduras. It is the longest river that runs entirely within the Ce ...

patrol under then-Captain

Merritt A. Edson Major General Merritt Austin Edson, Sr. (April 25, 1897 – August 14, 1955), known as "Red Mike", was a general in the United States Marine Corps. Among the decorations he received were the Medal of Honor, two Navy Crosses, the Silver Star, and ...

. In late 1927, he returned to the United States and was assigned to the Marine Barracks Quantico,

. The next orders for sea duty came in August 1928, when he was attached to the

Marine Detachment A Marine Detachment, or MarDet, was a unit of 35 to 85 United States Marines aboard large warships including cruisers, battleships, and aircraft carriers. They were a regular component of a ship's company from the formation of the United States Ma ...

aboard the cruiser USS ''Galveston''. He sailed with that ship to the Panama Canal and participated in the watchful cruises between Balboa and Corinto. Following his return in June 1930, Pollock was assigned to the staff of the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico. During his time there, he spent a period of intensive training aboard the battleship USS ''Arkansas'', while attached to the

1st Marine Regiment The 1st Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. The regiment is under the command of the 1st Marine Division and the I Marine Expeditionary Force. The 1st ...

. At the beginning of August 1934, Pollock was transferred to the cruiser USS ''Salt Lake City'', where he assumed command of the Marine detachment aboard. While in this capacity, he was promoted to the rank of captain in November 1934. During June 1936, Pollock was assigned to the Marine barracks at Naval Ammunition Depot St. Julien's Creek,

and spent there one year of duty, before he was ordered to the

Philadelphia Navy Yard The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was an important naval shipyard of the United States for almost two centuries. Philadelphia's original navy yard, begun in 1776 on Front Street and Federal Street in what is now the Pennsport section of the cit ...

, where he was appointed as officer in charge of the Publicity Bureau. He was promoted to the rank of major during September 1938 and finally left Philadelphia in June 1939. Pollock was subsequently attached to the Senior Course at the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico and following his graduation, he remained in Quantico Schools as Assistant Instructor in the Base Defense Weapons and Reserve Officers' courses.

World War II

Following the Japanese

Attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...

, Pollock was promoted to the rank of

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

January 1942 and subsequently assumed command of the 2nd Battalion,

under Colonel

Clifton B. Cates Clifton Bledsoe Cates (August 31, 1893 – June 4, 1970) was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as the 19th Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1948 to 1951. He was honored for his heroism during World War I at the Battle ...

. The 1st Marines went overseas as a part of the

1st Marine Division The 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) is a Marine division of the United States Marine Corps headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the ground combat element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF). It is the ...

in June 1942 and Pollock subsequently led his troops on

Guadalcanal Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the south-western Pacific, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomon Islands by area, and the seco ...

during the

Battle of the Tenaru The Battle of the Tenaru, sometimes called the Battle of the Ilu River or the Battle of Alligator Creek, was a land battle between the Imperial Japanese Army and Allied ground forces that took place on 21 August 1942, on the island of Guadal ...

at the end of August 1942. During the Japanese attack in the night of 20–21 August, 2nd Battalion under Pollock's command hold defensive positions on

Tenaru River The Tenaru is the name of a river on the northern coast of Guadalcanal with a tributary at Ironbottom Sound (called Savo Sound prior to World War II). During World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as ...

. Pollock left his command post and advanced through severe enemy mortar and machine-gun fire to a position in the front line, where he directed the defense of his forces for next twelve hours. The men under his command destroyed practically the entire enemy force of seven hundred. For his courage and leadership during the battle, Pollock was decorated with the second-highest

decoration Decoration may refer to: * Decorative arts * A house painter and decorator's craft * An act or object intended to increase the beauty of a person, room, etc. * An award that is a token of recognition to the recipient intended for wearing Other ...

awarded for

valor Valor, valour, or valorous may mean: * Courage, a similar meaning * Virtue ethics, roughly "courage in defense of a noble cause" Entertainment * Valor (band), a Christian gospel music group * Valor Kand, a member of the band Christian Death * ' ...

in combat,

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps' second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is eq ...

. He also received his first

Navy Presidential Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enem ...

, which is awarded for gallantry and determination of the whole unit. His Navy Cross citation states in part:

''"When the troops under his command were subjected to a powerful and determined surprise attack at the
Tenaru River The Tenaru is the name of a river on the northern coast of Guadalcanal with a tributary at Ironbottom Sound (called Savo Sound prior to World War II). During World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as ...
, Lieutenant-Colonel Pollock, immediately leaving his Command Post, advanced through severe enemy mortar and machine-gun fire to a position in the front line, and while thus constantly exposed to extreme danger, directed the defense of our forces for a period of twelve hours. As a result of his excellent judgment and superb leadership, the men under his command destroyed practically the entire enemy force of seven hundred."''

Pollock was succeeded by Lieutenant Colonel William W. Stickney on 23 September 1942 and was subsequently appointed Executive Officer of the 1st Marines. He was later transferred to the staff of the

under Major General

William H. Rupertus William Henry Rupertus (November 14, 1889 – March 25, 1945) was a major general in the United States Marine Corps, who commanded the famed 1st Marine Division in the Pacific in World War II and also authored the USMC Rifleman's Creed. Military ...

and appointed Assistant Chief of Staff (G-3) for plans and operations in July 1943. Pollock was promoted to the rank of

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

in November 1943 and then served in this capacity during the

Battle of Cape Gloucester The Battle of Cape Gloucester was fought in the Pacific theater of World War II between Japanese and Allied forces on the island of New Britain, Territory of New Guinea, between 26 December 1943 and 16 January 1944. Codenamed Operation Backhande ...

in December 1943. He later earned the

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

with

Combat "V" Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...

for his part in the battle. He was transferred to the United States in March 1944 and appointed an instructor at the Army and Navy Staff College. Pollock joined

4th Marine Division The 4th Marine Division is a reserve division in the United States Marine Corps. It was raised in 1943 for service during World War II, and subsequently fought in the Pacific against the Japanese. Deactivated after the war, the division was re-fo ...

under his old superior, Major General

in December 1944 and was appointed operations officer. He served in that capacity during the

Battle of Iwo Jima The Battle of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945) was a major battle in which the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and United States Navy (USN) landed on and eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army (IJ ...

in February 1945 and received

Bronze Star The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

with

for his merits and also second

Later career

In November 1945, Pollock was again ordered to Quantico. He served there successively as Commanding Officer of the Basic School, Executive Officer of the Marine Corps Schools, and Chief of Staff of the Marine barracks. Subsequently assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., he was appointed military secretary to the

Commandant of the Marine Corps The commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) is normally the highest-ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Joint Chiefs of Staff: composition; functions. The CMC reports directly to the secr ...

in June 1948. In July 1949, with his promotion to

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

, he became Director of Plans and Policies at

Headquarters Marine Corps Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The function, ...

. Pollock was promoted to

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

in October 1951. That December, he became Commanding General of the 2nd Marine Division at

Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune () is a United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Its of beaches make the base a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports ( Wilmingt ...

, North Carolina. In August 1952, he arrived in

to assume command of the 1st Marine Division. The

Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a high award of a nation. Examples include: *Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) (established 1991), awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force for distinguished leadership in action * Distinguishe ...

was awarded to him for outstanding service in this capacity during the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

from August 1952 to June 1953 during bitter engagements on the Reno-Carson-Vegas Complex. Shortly after returning from Korea, the general reported to Quantico in July 1953 as director of the Marine Corps Educational Center. A year later, he assumed command of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina. In January 1956, Pollock was promoted to

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

and appointed Commandant of the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico. Pollock left Quantico in August 1956 to assume duty the following month at

Camp H. M. Smith Camp H. M. Smith is a United States Marine Corps installation in the Hawaiian town of Aiea on the island of Oahu, near the community of Halawa (ha-LA-va) Heights. It is the headquarters of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), Spec ...

as Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, Honolulu, T.H. Following this assignment, he served as Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, from December 1957 until his retirement on 1 November 1959.

Retirement

In 1965, he was instrumental in helping found the

Marine Military Academy The Marine Military Academy is a private college preparatory academy located in Harlingen, Texas, US, offering a college preparatory curriculum for boys in grades 7–12 plus one year of post-graduate study. The school was founded in 1965. Its ...

in Harlingen,

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

, and served as the school's first president and commandant, he later served as chairman of the board of visitors at The Citadel and was named chairman emeritus upon the completion of his term. The auditoriums at the headquarters of the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic in Norfolk, Virginia, and Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC) in Hawaii are named in his honor. The bridge leading to the main gate at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina is named the General Edwin Pollock Causeway. Pollock died on 5 November 1982 and is buried at

Beaufort National Cemetery Beaufort National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Beaufort County, in the city of Beaufort, South Carolina. Managed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, it encompasses , and as of 2014, had over 19,000 in ...

, South Carolina.interment.net
/ref>

Awards and decorations

A complete list of the general's medals and decorations include:

References