Keller E. Rockey
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Keller Emrick Rockey (September 22, 1888 – June 6, 1970) was a highly decorated
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 ...
in the
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 ...
, who commanded the Fifth Marine Division in the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II and the Third Amphibious Corps during the occupation of North China following the war. For outstanding services with the Third Amphibious Corps, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army), and for exceptionally meritorious service with the Fifth Marine Division, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal (Navy). The citation for the latter reads in part:


Early life and career

Keller Rockey was born September 22, 1888, in
Columbia City, Indiana Columbia City is a city in Columbia Township, Whitley County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 9,892 (2020 Census), growing by 13% since the 2010 Census. The city is the county seat of Whitley County. History The Whitley Count ...
. He was a graduate of
Gettysburg College Gettysburg College is a private liberal arts college in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1832, the campus is adjacent to the Gettysburg Battlefield. Gettysburg College has about 2,600 students, with roughly equal numbers of men and women. ...
with a Bachelor of Science degree, and was a student at
Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...
. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps, November 18, 1913. His first duty assignment as a Marine Corps junior officer was a student under instruction at the Officers Basic School, Norfolk, Virginia. Following graduation there in May, 1915, he went to sea; first as a member of the Marine Detachment aboard , then a member of the Marine detachment aboard .


World War I

Following sea service, Rockey sailed for France in June 1917, and one year later, as a member of the Fifth Marine Regiment, participated in the Aisne-Marne Defensive (
Château-Thierry Château-Thierry () is a French commune situated in the department of the Aisne, in the administrative region of Hauts-de-France, and in the historic Province of Champagne. The origin of the name of the town is unknown. The local tradition at ...
). He was awarded the
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 ...
for his actions at Château-Thierry where, on July 6, 1918, he performed distinguished service by bringing up supports and placing them in the front lines at great personal exposure, showing exceptional ability and extraordinary heroism. Rockey also received the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
and was cited in the General Orders of the
Second Division In sport, the Second Division, also called Division 2 or Division II is usually the second highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Following the rise of Premier League style compet ...
,
American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.) was a formation of the United States Army on the Western Front of World War I. The A. E. F. was established on July 5, 1917, in France under the command of General John J. Pershing. It fought along ...
. He was entitled to wear the French
Fourragère The ''fourragère'' () is a military award, distinguishing military units as a whole, in the form of a braided cord. The award was first adopted by France, followed by other nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, and Luxembourg. Fou ...
.


Interwar years

Shortly after returning to the United States in 1919, Rockey went to foreign shore duty in Haiti as a member of the Haitian Constabulary, where he remained until 1921, then returned to this country to join Marine Barracks,
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
Following duty 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, ...
, Washington, D.C., he became a student in the Field Officers' Course, Marine Corps Schools, MCB Quantico,
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 ...
. After graduation in July 1925, he was again assigned to school, this time as a student at the
Command and General Staff School The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military ...
,
Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., and the oldest perma ...
,
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
. Upon graduation in June 1926, he became an instructor in the Department of Tactics, Marine Corps Schools. From January to November 1928, he was commanding officer, First Battalion, Eleventh Artillery Regiment, Second Marine Brigade, stationed in
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 countr ...
, where he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Navy Cross for outstanding services. Rockey next became Base Intelligence, Operations and Training Officer of the MCB San Diego,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, and later Chief of Staff of the Base. In June 1934, he was assigned to duty as chief of the War Plans Division, Marine Corps Headquarters, following which he became Force Marine Officer, U.S. Battle Force aboard the . He returned to Washington in July 1939, to assume duties with Operations, Navy Department (War Plans) and in August 1941, became chief of staff of the
Second Marine Division The 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The division is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina ...
the position he was serving in when the United States entered World War II.


World War II

Rockey was assigned duties as director, Division of Plans and Policies at Headquarters Marine Corps, in August 1942, and one year later assumed duties as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. In February 1944, he went to the
Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contine ...
where he was successively commanding general of the Fifth Marine Division and the Third Amphibious Corps. Following deactivation of the Third Amphibious Corps, he assumed command of the First Marine Division (Reinforced), with headquarters at
Tientsin Tianjin (; ; Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Tientsin (), is a municipality and a coastal metropolis in Northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the nine national central cities in Mainland China, with a total popul ...
, China. He returned to the United States and became commanding general of the
Department of the Pacific The Department of the Pacific or Pacific Department was a major command (Department) of the United States Army from 1853 to 1858. It replaced the Pacific Division, and was itself replaced by the Department of California and the Department of Or ...
,
San Francisco, California San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
, in September 1946.


Post-war years

On January 1, 1947, he was advanced 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 ...
(temporary), and the following day assumed command of the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic with headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia. On July 1, 1949, when he was detached to again become commanding general, Department of the Pacific, San Francisco, California, he returned to his permanent rank of
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 ...
. He retired as a lieutenant general on September 1, 1950. General Rockey died of a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...
, aged 81, June 6, 1970, in Harwich Port, Massachusetts. Funeral services with full military honors were held June 11, 1970 at
Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
,
Arlington, Virginia Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county ...
.


Decorations and medals


First Navy Cross citation

Citation:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Keller Emrick Rockey (MCSN: 0-838), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the First Battalion, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action at Chateau-Thierry, France, on 6 June 1918. Captain Rockey performed distinguished service by bringing up supports and placing them in the front lines at great personal exposure, showing exceptional ability and extraordinary heroism. He was indefatigable and invaluable in carrying forward the attack and organizing and holding the position.


Second Navy Cross citation

Citation:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to Major Keller Emrick Rockey (MCSN: 0-838), United States Marine Corps, for distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer, First Battalion, Eleventh Regiment, Second Brigade, U.S. Marine Corps, operating in the Northern Area of Nicaragua from 19 January 1928 to 11 November 1928. Major Rockey displayed great zeal, initiative and sound judgment in planning and leading many combat patrols against the numerous and active bandit groups infesting the practically unexplored area. His courage, ability and good judgment contributed largely to the successful suppression of banditry in the province of Nuevo Segovia and in the northern area.


Distinguished Service Cross citation

Citation:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain Keller Emrick Rockey (MCSN: 0-838), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the First Battalion, Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., in action at Chateau-Thierry, France, on 6 June 1918. Captain Rockey performed distinguished service by bringing up supports and placing them in the front lines at great personal exposure, showing exceptional ability and extraordinary heroism. He was indefatigable and invaluable in carrying forward the attack and organizing and holding the position.


References


External links


USMC biography of Keller E. Rockey
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rockey, Keller E. 1888 births 1970 deaths Battle of Iwo Jima United States Marine Corps generals Gettysburg College alumni United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni People from Columbia City, Indiana People from Harwich, Massachusetts American military personnel of the Banana Wars United States Marine Corps personnel of World War I United States Marine Corps World War II generals Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Military personnel from Massachusetts