Merwin Hancock Silverthorn (September 22, 1896 – August 14, 1985) was a highly decorated officer of 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 c ...

with the rank of

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 th ...

. He was an expert in amphibious warfare and taught courses at Marine Corps training facilities in the 1930s. He served in numerous conflicts including

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

as field commander and during

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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

as a senior staff officer. Following World War II, Silverthorn served in many important capacities like Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, director of the

Marine Corps Reserve The Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES or MFR), also known as the United States Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) and the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, is the reserve force of the United States Marine Corps. It is the largest command, by assigned p ...

or commanding general of the

Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island (often abbreviated as MCRD PI) is an military installation located within Port Royal, South Carolina, approximately south of Beaufort, the community that is typically associated with the installation. ...

Early career

Silverthorn was born on 22 September 1896 in

Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origi ...

, as the son of Civil War veteran, Asahel C. Silverthorn (1844–1940) and his wife Emma C. Silverthorn (1861–1921). He studied at

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public land-grant research university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. ...

, but left the university before graduation and enlisted in the

Minnesota National Guard The Minnesota National Guard is a state-based military force of more than 13,000 soldiers and airmen, serving in 61 communities across the state. Operated in the U.S. state of Minnesota, it is reserve component of the National Guard. The Cons ...

. Serving on

Mexican Border Mexico shares international borders with three nations: *To the north the United States–Mexico border, which extends for a length of through the states of Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas. *To the southe ...

during the

Pancho Villa Expedition The Pancho Villa Expedition—now known officially in the United States as the Mexican Expedition, but originally referred to as the "Punitive Expedition, U.S. Army"—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the p ...

, Silverthorn subsequently enlisted in the Marine Corps as a private on 27 April 1917.

World War I

After basic training he was assigned to the newly created

5th Marine Regiment The 5th Marine Regiment (also referred to as "5th Marines") is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the most highly decorated regiment in the Marine Corps and falls u ...

. Silverthorn sailed to

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

as a member of 16th Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. He was promoted to sergeant and transferred to the 45th Company of the same Battalion and participated in the

Battle of Belleau Wood The Battle of Belleau Wood (1–26 June 1918) occurred during the German spring offensive in World War I, near the Marne River in France. The battle was fought between the U.S. 2nd (under the command of Major General Omar Bundy) and 3rd Divisi ...

. Silverthorn distinguished himself and received a

battlefield commission A battlefield promotion (or field promotion) is an advancement in military rank that occurs while deployed in combat. A standard field promotion is advancement from current rank to the next higher rank; a "jump-step" promotion allows the recipient ...

as a second lieutenant on 9 June 1918. To his new rank, he was appointed platoon leader in the 20th Company, 3rd Battalion. Silverthorn subsequently led his platoon during the battle and was decorated with the

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...

for gallantry in action. He commanded his platoon during the Battle of Château-Thierry, Battle of Soissons and

Second Battle of the Marne The Second Battle of the Marne (french: Seconde Bataille de la Marne) (15 July – 18 July 1918) was the last major German offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. The attack failed when an Allied counterattack, supported by s ...

. Silverthorn was ordered to Army school for further training during the August 1918. He returned in the middle of September and subsequently commanded his platoon during the

Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge The Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge (3 October to 27 October 1918) occurred during World War I, northeast of Reims, in Champagne, France Champagne () was a province in the northeast of the Kingdom of France, now best known as the Champagne wi ...

. Silverthorn was decorated with his second Silver Star for his leadership during the beginning of the battle. During the combats near the village of St. Etienne on 4 October 1918, ''he carried an important message, at a critical time, to his battalion commander under heavy machine-gun and shell fire, exhibiting extraordinary heroism and disregard for his personal safety. After being wounded, he then continued the attack.'' For his actions, Silverthorn was decorated with 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) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...

and later with 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 ...

. He was also decorated with the French Croix de guerre 1914–1918 with Gilt Star and promoted to the rank of first lieutenant.

Interwar period

After the war, Silverthorn remained in the Europe and participated in the

Allied occupation of the Rhineland The Occupation of the Rhineland from 1 December 1918 until 30 June 1930 was a consequence of the collapse of the Imperial German Army in 1918, after which Germany's provisional government was obliged to agree to the terms of the 1918 armist ...

and 'Pershing's Own' E Company, 3rd Army Composite Regiment until September 1919. He subsequently returned to the United States and was assigned to the Marine Barracks at Mare Island,

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 ...

. Silverthorn served there until April 1921, when he was transferred to the Marine Barracks at Quantico. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of captain on 1 July 1921. At the beginning of May 1923, Silverthorn was assigned to the 1st Brigade of Marines and sent to

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and s ...

in March 1924, where he served as district commander within ''

Gendarmerie d'Haïti The Gendarmerie of Haiti (french: Gendarmerie d'Haïti ), also known as the ''Haitian Constabulary'', was a collaborationist gendarmerie raised by the United States during its occupation of Haiti in the early 20th century. Established in late 1915 ...

'' at Aux Cayes and later as chief of police at

Port-au-Prince Port-au-Prince ( , ; ht, Pòtoprens ) is the capital and most populous city of Haiti. The city's population was estimated at 987,311 in 2015 with the metropolitan area estimated at a population of 2,618,894. The metropolitan area is define ...

. In this capacity, Silverthorn was responsible for the training and organizing of police units. He returned to the States in May 1926 and was appointed assistant quartermaster at Quantico Base,

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 are ...

. Silverthorn was transferred to the Marine Barracks at

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...

in April 1930 and appointed to the same role as at Quantico.

World War II

At the time of 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 ...

, Silverthorn served still in Washington, D.C., at War Plans Section – Operations Department, Navy Department under Admiral

Ernest King Ernest Joseph King (23 November 1878 – 25 June 1956) was an American naval officer who served as Commander in Chief, United States Fleet (COMINCH) and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) during World War II. As COMINCH-CNO, he directed the U ...

. He 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 ...

in January 1942 and transferred as Naval member to the Joint U.S. Strategic Committee,

Joint Chiefs of Staff The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, that advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the ...

. Silverthorn remained in this capacity until June 1943, when he was assigned to the Army Navy Staff College as Chief of the Amphibious Warfare Section. For his service in this capacity, he was decorated with the

Army Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...

at the end of his assignment in January 1944. Silverthorn was then finally transferred to the Pacific theater and appointed

chief of staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...

of I Marine Amphibious Corps under Lieutenant General

Roy Geiger General Roy Stanley Geiger (January 25, 1885 – January 23, 1947) was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served in World War I and World War II. In World War II, he became the first Marine Corps general to lead a field army. Geig ...

. He relieved Brigadier General Oscar R. Cauldwell in this capacity, while stationed at

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 se ...

. The I Marine Amphibious Corps was redesignated

III Amphibious Corps 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 ...

in April 1944 and started to prepare for

Mariana and Palau Islands campaign The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, also known as Operation Forager, was an offensive launched by United States forces against Imperial Japanese forces in the Mariana Islands and Palau in the Pacific Ocean between June and November 1944 du ...

. At the end of July 1944, Silverthorn participated in the Recapture of Guam and made several trips to the front line positions to secure necessary information and to give assistance and advice to organization commanders. For the planning and staff work during the Guam operation, Silverthorn received 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 u ...

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 ...

. The next important battle came in the middle of September 1944, when III Marine Corps launched 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 ...

. Silverthorn distinguished himself again during the planning and execution of the campaign and was promoted to the rank of

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 appointe ...

in December 1944. He later participated in 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 ...

in April 1945 and received 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 ...

for his service during Peleliu and Okinawa campaign.

Later career

Silverthorn remained on active service after the war and was appointed to the capacity of chief of staff,

Fleet Marine Force, Pacific The United States Fleet Marine Force, Pacific (FMFPAC) is the largest maritime landing force in the world. Its units are spread across the Pacific Ocean and reports to the United States Pacific Command. It is headquartered at MCB Camp H. ...

. He served in this capacity until September 1946, when he was reassigned as commander of the Troop Training Unit, Training Command, Amphibious Forces, Atlantic Fleet, located at

Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It includ ...

. During September 1947, Silverthorn was transferred to Washington, D.C., where he was appointed a Marine Corps

liaison officer A Liaison officer is a person who liaises between two or more organizations to communicate and coordinate their activities on a matter of mutual concern. Generally, liaison officers are used for achieving the best utilization of resources, or empl ...

with the Office of the

Chief of Naval Operations The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...

under Fleet admiral

Chester W. Nimitz Chester William Nimitz (; February 24, 1885 – February 20, 1966) was a fleet admiral in the United States Navy. He played a major role in the naval history of World War II as Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet, and Commander in C ...

. He remained in this capacity until May 1949, when he was promoted to the 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 ...

and appointed director of the

within

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, ...

. Under his command, Marine Corps Reserve grew from 38,403 to 123,000 reservists. A great honor and also responsibility came in July 1950, when Silverthorn was appointed Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, succeeding Major General

Oliver P. Smith Oliver Prince Smith (October 26, 1893 – December 25, 1977) was a U.S. Marine four star general and decorated combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He is most noted for commanding the 1st Marine Division during the first year of ...

in this capacity. For his new duties, he was promoted to the temporary rank of

on 22 February 1951. Final duties came in February 1952, when he was appointed commanding general of the

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 = ...

Retirement

He was placed on the retired list on 30 June 1954 and was also advanced to the rank of

for having been specially commended in combat. After his retirement from the Marine Corps, Silverthorn served as an assistant director of the

Office of Defense Mobilization The Office of Defense Mobilization (ODM) was an independent agency of the United States government whose function was to plan, coordinate, direct and control all wartime mobilization activities of the federal government, including manpower, economi ...

within

Executive Office of the President The Executive Office of the President (EOP) comprises the offices and agencies that support the work of the president at the center of the executive branch of the United States federal government. The EOP consists of several offices and agenc ...

from July 1956. He resigned from this capacity during September 1957. He was later active in the International Christian Leadership and served as its vice president. Lieutenant General Merwin Hancock Silverthorn died of cancer on 14 August 1985, in

Bethesda Naval Hospital The Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), formerly known as the National Naval Medical Center and colloquially referred to as the Bethesda Naval Hospital, Walter Reed, or Navy Med, is a United States' tri-service military medi ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...

and is buried in

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 ...

.Burial Detail: Silverthorn, Merwin H
– ANC Explorer Each of his sons were career Marine officers: * Colonel Merwin H. Silverthorn Jr. (1920–2008) * Lieutenant Colonel Russell Lane Silverthorn (1922–2013) * Captain Robert Sterner Silverthorn (1928–2013)

Decorations

References

: * {{DEFAULTSORT:Silverthorn, Merwin Hancock 1896 births 1985 deaths People from Minneapolis Military personnel from Minneapolis United States Marine Corps generals United States Marine Corps World War II generals United States Marine Corps personnel of World War I Assistant Commandants of the United States Marine Corps Naval War College alumni 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 Legion of Merit Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) Burials at Arlington National Cemetery American military personnel of the Banana Wars