George R. E. Shell

George Richard Edwin Shell (October 20, 1908 – October 30, 1996) was a decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general, who is most noted as the commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines during World War II. He later served as the 9th Superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute.

Early career

Shell was born on October 20, 1908, in Phoebus, Virginia, and later attended high school in Hampton. During the summer of 1927, he entered the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in June 1931. Shell was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps the same month and assigned for officers training to the Basic School at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
Shell finished basic training in June 1932 and spent the following months serving at the Marine Barracks in Quantico. He was transferred to San Diego, California, at the end of March 1933 and spent a year of service there. He was attached to the Marine detachment aboard the newly commissioned heavy cruiser USS ''Astoria'' in March 1934 and took part in the shake-down cruise in the Pacific Ocean with the stops at Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, Australia and Hawaii. While aboard that vessel, he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant in November 1934.

Detached from the USS ''Astoria'' in June 1935, Shell spent the following three years of service at the Marine Corps Base San Diego and with the headquarters Department of the Pacific in San Francisco. He was promoted to the rank of captain in July 1938 and assigned to the Battery Commanders' course at Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in September of that year.

World War II

Upon the graduation from the Field Artillery School in June 1939, Shell joined the 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Artillery Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel John B. Wilson at San Diego. He served as a battery commander and took part in exercises at San Clemente Island. Shell served with 2nd Battalion until September 1940, when he was appointed commanding officer of the Marine detachment aboard the patrol gunboat USS ''Charleston''. He took part in cruises to Alaska and Aleutian Islands. Promoted to the rank of major in May 1942, he subsequently rejoined the 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines, as executive officer in July of that year.

The 2nd Battalion had recently returned from a period of service in Iceland and conducted training and preparation for combat deployment for another eight months. Meanwhile, Shell was appointed commanding officer of 2nd Battalion and led it overseas as a part of 2nd Marine Division under Major General John Marston in October 1942. They arrived at Wellington in New Zealand, on October 19 and remained there until the end of December 1942.

Shell sailed for Guadalcanal at the beginning of January 1943 and took part in the final drive against Japanese forces. His battalion provided support artillery fire for the advancing Marine and United States Army units during the attack on Cape Esperance and remained in the combat area until February 19, 1943. Along with the rest of the 10th Regiment, the battalion then sailed back to New Zealand for recuperation and Shell was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel the next month.

The 10th Marines remained in New Zealand until November 1943, when they embarked for their new mission, the landings at Tarawa Atoll

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