Leonard Fielding Chapman Jr. (November 3, 1913 – January 6, 2000) 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 ...
who served as the 24th
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 ...
from 1968 to 1972. He was a
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 ...
combat veteran, decorated for his actions in the
Battle of Peleliu
The Battle of Peleliu, codenamed Operation Stalemate II by the US military, was fought between the United States and Japan during the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign of World War II, from September 15 to November 27, 1944, on the island of P ...
and the
Battle of Okinawa
The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...
. He retired from the Marine Corps after 37 years of service. In retirement, he served as the Commissioner of the
Immigration and Naturalization Service
The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor from 1933 to 1940 and the U.S. Department of Justice from 1940 to 2003.
Referred to by some as former INS and by others as legacy INS, ...
.
Early life
Chapman was born in
Key West, Florida
Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Sigsbee Park, Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Isla ...
, on November 3, 1913, and graduated from high school and had a 4.0 GPA in
DeLand, Florida
DeLand is a city in central Florida. It is the county seat of Volusia County. The city sits approximately north of the central business district of Orlando, and approximately west of the central business district of Daytona Beach. As of the 2020 ...
. In 1931, he entered the
University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
, where he became a member of the
Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps
The Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program is a college-based, commissioned officer training program of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps.
Origins
A pilot Naval Reserve unit was established in September 19 ...
unit for four years, was initiated into
Phi Kappa Tau
Phi Kappa Tau (), commonly known as Phi Tau (), is a collegiate fraternity located in the United States. The fraternity was founded in 1906. As of November 2022, the fraternity has 161 chartered chapters, 79 active chapters, 6 Associate chapte ...
fraternity, and was tapped into the
Florida Blue Key
Florida Blue Key is a student leadership honor society at the University of Florida which was founded in 1923.
History
Founding and early years
"Florida Blue Key was founded on November 1, 1923, several days prior to the University's Homecom ...
leadership honorary. Upon graduation in June 1935, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant 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 ...
.
Military career
After completing The
Basic School
The Basic School (TBS) is where all newly commissioned and appointed (for warrant officers) United States Marine Corps officers are taught the basics of being an "Officer of Marines". The Basic School is located at Camp Barrett, Quantico, Vir ...
at 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 ...
, Chapman served with the 1st Battalion, 10th Marines at
Quantico, Virginia
Quantico ( or ; formerly Potomac) is a town in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 480 at the 2010 census. Quantico is approximately 35 miles southwest of Washington, DC, bordered by the Potomac River to the east a ...
, from April 1936 until August 1937. In June 1938, after completing
Field Artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement.
Until the early 20t ...
School at
Fort Sill, Oklahoma
Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (136.8 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost .
The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark ...
, he was assigned to the 10th Marines at Marine Corps Base,
San Diego, California
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 eighth most populous city in the United States ...
. He was promoted to first lieutenant in September 1938.
In June 1940, Chapman departed San Diego for
Honolulu
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
. There he completed Gunnery School aboard before reporting to in July 1940 for a two-year assignment as commanding officer of the Marine detachment. He was promoted to captain in April 1941.
On board ''Astoria'' following the outbreak of World War II, Chapman took part in the early Pacific raids culminating in the battles of the
Coral Sea
The Coral Sea () is a marginal sea of the South Pacific off the northeast coast of Australia, and classified as an interim Australian bioregion. The Coral Sea extends down the Australian northeast coast. Most of it is protected by the Fre ...
and
Midway, and earned the
Navy Commendation Ribbon 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 ...
. He was promoted to major in May 1942 and returned to the United States in June.
Chapman was assigned to Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, in August 1942 as an instructor in the Artillery Course. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in May 1943, and that October was named
executive officer
An executive officer is a person who is principally responsible for leading all or part of an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization. In many militaries and police forces, an executive officer, o ...
of the Artillery Section at Marine Corps Schools.
In June 1944, Chapman again departed for combat duty, joining the 1st Marine Division in the Pacific area. He 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" for meritorious service as operations officer, 11th Marines, and commanding officer,
4th Battalion, 11th Marines, during combat at Peleliu in September and October 1944; and the
Bronze Star Medal
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 Combat "V" as 4th Battalion commander at
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
, April to July 1945.
Following the war, Chapman served as secretary of the general staff, Fleet Marine Force (FMF) Pacific from September 1945 to July 1946. From August 1946 until May 1949, he was stationed 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, ...
(HQMC), Washington, D.C., serving as executive officer, G-3 Section, Division of Plans and Policies. Ordered to Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Chapman served as coordinator, Reserve Artillery Training Unit; completed the Amphibious Warfare School, Senior Course, in June 1950; and then served as chief of the Supporting Arms Group, Marine Corps Development Center. While at Quantico, he was promoted to colonel in July 1950.
In July 1952, Chapman departed Quantico for
Camp Pendleton, California
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Diego County and is bordered by Oc ...
, where he joined the 3rd Marine Division as commanding officer,
12th Marine Regiment. He sailed with the division in August 1953 for Japan, where he continued to command the 12th Marines. In August 1954, he was named commanding officer, Marine Barracks, United States Fleet Activities, Yokosuka, Japan, serving in this capacity until May 1956.
![Marine general officers symposium group photo 1967](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Marine_general_officers_symposium_group_photo_1967.jpg)
In July 1956, Chapman assumed duties in Washington, D.C., as commanding officer, Marine Barracks, and director of the
Marine Corps Institute
The Marine Corps Institute, commonly referred to as MCI, developed and maintained a curriculum of Marine Corps education. Subjects included infantry strategy/tactics, leadership skills, MOS qualifications, personal finance, and mathematics. Compl ...
. Two years later, he was promoted to brigadier general on July 1, 1958. Following his promotion, Chapman was assigned to
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 serving as commanding general, Force Troops, FMF Atlantic, until August 1961. He reported to HQMC in September 1961 for duty as assistant chief of staff, G-4 and was promoted to major general in November 1961. For exceptionally meritorious service in this capacity from September 1961 through December 1963, he was awarded his second Legion of Merit.
![JointChiefsofStaff January1971](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/JointChiefsofStaff_January1971.jpg)
On January 1, 1964, Chapman was designated as chief of staff, with the rank of lieutenant general. He was awarded the
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919 and is presented to sailors and Marines to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritoriou ...
by the
Secretary of the Navy
The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense.
By law, the se ...
. On July 1, 1967, Chapman became
Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. While serving as assistant commandant, he was awarded the Armed Forces Management Association Merit Award for 1967. On December 4, 1967, Chapman was nominated by President
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
to be the 24th
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 ...
and was confirmed by the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
on December 13. On January 1, 1968, he was promoted to general on assuming the office of commandant.
During his first year in office, Chapman traveled widely, covering nearly 100,000 miles while visiting Marines stationed around the world. The heavy commitment to
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
took him to that country twice in 1968. In January 1969, President
Pak Chong-Hui of the Republic of
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
presented Chapman with the
Order of National Security Merit
The Order of National Security Merit (Hangul: 보국훈장) is one of South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land b ...
, First Class. Later that month, Chapman earned a Gold Star in lieu of a second award of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. As commandant, General Chapman issued orders in 1969, changing some policies within the Corps to bring an end to racial violence while maintaining discipline against persons of any race who failed to live up the standards of the United States Marines, acknowledging discrimination in the past, making concessions to African-American culture, and ordering that "legitimate grievances" of racial discrimination would "receive sympathetic consideration and rapid response."
"End Color Line, Marines Told"
''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', September 4, 1969, p2
By the end of his tenure, Chapman witnessed the III Marine Amphibious Force
III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and d ...
withdrawal from Vietnam and the strength of the Corps drop from a peak of 289,000 to 198,000. Anticipating an austere budget and fewer Marines, he had earlier made his move for a "hard, lean, fully combat-ready Corps," reduced in size, but not in professionalism. Before his retirement, President Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
presented Chapman a third award of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, December 10, 1971.
Immigration and Naturalization Service
Chapman retired from the Marine Corps on January 1, 1972, and became Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service
The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor from 1933 to 1940 and the U.S. Department of Justice from 1940 to 2003.
Referred to by some as former INS and by others as legacy INS, ...
, retiring in 1977.
Malcolm Gladwell ha
argued
that Chapman's efficient and rigorous enforcement of US borders—ironically stemming from Chapman's idealism and military background—inadvertently created a rise in the population of unauthorized immigrants in the United States. (The Mexican border had been a porous border characterized by circular immigration; stricter enforcemen
raised the cost of crossing the border
and incentivized border crossers to stay longer to justify the cost.)
Later life and family
Chapman died on January 6, 2000, at age 86 from complications resulting from cancer. He was buried 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 ...
with full military honors on January 14, 2000, at which he was eulogized by former Commandant General Carl Mundy, a friend, fraternity brother, and protégé.
His sons, Leonard F. Chapman III and Walton F. Chapman, were both Marines who served in Vietnam. Chapman was married to Emily Walton Ford Chapman, who died in 1992. His son Leonard died in a scuba diving accident in 1979.
His father, Leonard F. Chapman Sr., was the superintendent (warden) of the Florida State prison at Raiford, Florida from the early 1930's to the mid-1950's, some 25 years. L.F. Chapman Sr. was a nationally noted penologist and authority on prisons.
Awards and decorations
Chapman's awards include:
See also
*List of United States Marine Corps four-star generals
This is a complete list of four-star generals in the United States Marine Corps. The rank of general (or ''full general'', or ''four-star general'') is the highest rank in the Marine Corps. It ranks above lieutenant general (''three-star general'' ...
References
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* Malcolm Gladwell, Revisionist History "General Chapman's Last Stand" http://revisionisthistory.com/episodes/25-general-chapman's-last-stand
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapman, Leonard F. Jr.
1913 births
2000 deaths
United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II
Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
Joint Chiefs of Staff
People from DeLand, Florida
Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Recipients of the Legion of Merit
4 Chapman, Leonard F.
United States Marine Corps generals
United States Marine Corps Commandants
University of Florida alumni
People from Key West, Florida