Ralph Kaspar Rottet (February 25, 1911 – November 26, 1971) was a decorated officer and

naval aviator Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-based a ...

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 ...

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 the ...

. A 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 ...

, where he distinguished as commanding officer,

Marine Aircraft Group 31 Marine Aircraft Group 31 (MAG-31) is a United States Marine Corps aviation group based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina that is currently composed of two F/A-18C Hornet squadrons, one F/A-18A++ Hornet squadron, two F/A-18D Ho ...

, he later rose to through the ranks and completed his career as Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs 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, ...

in 1968.

Early career

Ralph K. Rottet was born on February 25, 1911 in

Jasper, Indiana Jasper is a city in, and the county seat of, Dubois County, Indiana, United States, located along the Patoka River. The population was 16,703 at the 2020 census making it the 48th largest city in Indiana. On November 4, 2007, Dubois County returne ...

as the son of cabinet maker at furniture company, John Fredrick Rottet and his wife Elisa Otilda Diendofer. His parents were of German and French descent and he was youngest of three children. Ralph attended

Shelbyville High School The Shelbyville High School is a historic school complex located at Shelbyville, Shelby County, Indiana. The high school was designed by architects William Butts Ittner and built in 1911. It is a two-story, Neoclassical style brick building on ...

, where he was a member of the

Indiana National Guard The Indiana National Guard (INNG) is a component of the United States Armed Forces, the United States National Guard and the Military Department of Indiana (MDI). It consists of the Indiana Army National Guard, the Indiana Air National Guard, a ...

. He graduated in 1929 and received an appointment to the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

. While at the Academy, Rottet was active in football, baseball and

track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...

and earned nickname "Rolo" by classmates. Many of his classmates became general officers later including

Henry W. Buse Jr. Henry William Buse Jr. (April 12, 1912 – October 18, 1988) was a lieutenant general in the United States Marine Corps. He was Chief of Staff, Headquarters Marine Corps and later commanding general of the Fleet Marine Force Pacific. Following h ...

John P. Condon John Pomeroy Condon (December 20, 1911 – December 26, 1996) was a highly decorated aviator in the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general. He distinguished himself successively during World War II and Korea and completed his ca ...

Victor H. Krulak Victor Harold Krulak (January 7, 1913 – December 29, 2008) was a decorated United States Marine Corps officer who saw action in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Krulak, considered a visionary by fellow Marines, was the author of ''First to Figh ...

, Harold O. Deakin, Frank C. Tharin,

Gordon Chung-Hoon Gordon Paiea Chung-Hoon (July 25, 1910 – July 24, 1979) was an admiral in the United States Navy, who served during World War II and was the first Asian American flag officer. He received the Navy Cross and Silver Star for conspicuous gall ...

, Henry G. Sanchez,

Samuel R. Shaw Samuel Robert Shaw (June 6, 1911 – April 4, 1989) was a decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of Brigadier general (United States), brigadier general. He is most noted for his service as commanding officer, 6th Marin ...

, and John E. Weber. He graduated on May 31, 1934 with

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 and was commissioned Second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. Following his commissioning, Rottet was ordered to

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 ...

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 ...

for Marine Corps Officer instruction, which he completed in May of the following year. He was then assigned to the Marine Detachment aboard heavy cruiser ''Salt Lake City'' and took part in the patrol cruises along the coast of

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

and extensive gunnery exercises at

San Clemente Island San Clemente Island (Tongva: ''Kinkipar''; Spanish: ''Isla de San Clemente'') is the southernmost of the Channel Islands of California. It is owned and operated by the United States Navy, and is a part of Los Angeles County. It is administered b ...

in early 1936. Rottet requested for flight training, which was granted and he was ordered to

Naval Air Station Pensacola Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola (formerly NAS/KNAS until changed circa 1970 to allow Nassau International Airport, now Lynden Pindling International Airport, to have IATA code NAS), "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United State ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

in June that year. Rottet completed his training in July 1937 and was designated

and promoted to first lieutenant. He was then ordered to the

Naval Air Station San Diego Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (NBC ...

, where he served for three years. While in that assignment, he was promoted to captain in July 1940 and transferred back to Pensacola Station in November that year. Rottet served there as an instructor for a year, before he was transferred to

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, ...

for duty at the

Bureau of Aeronautics The Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) was the U.S. Navy's material-support organization for naval aviation from 1921 to 1959. The bureau had "cognizance" (''i.e.'', responsibility) for the design, procurement, and support of naval aircraft and relate ...

Navy Department Navy Department or Department of the Navy may refer to: * United States Department of the Navy, * Navy Department (Ministry of Defence), in the United Kingdom, 1964-1997 * Confederate States Department of the Navy, 1861-1865 * Department of the Na ...

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 ...

and the United States entry into World War II, Rottet was promoted to Major in May 1942. He was ordered to

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point (*) is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, United States, in the eastern part of the state. It was built in 1941, and was commissioned in 1942 and ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

and joined the newly activated

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (abbreviated as 3rd MAW) is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in San Diego, California and provides the aviation combat el ...

under Brigadier general Claude A. Larkin. Rottet was appointed commanding officer of new Marine Fighting Squadron 311 attached to the Wing and was tasked with the mission of preparing squadrons for deployment and training replacement pilots for combat squadrons. Rottet was appointed Commanding officer of newly established

(MAG-31) at Cherry Point by the end of January 1943 and later assumed capacity of Group's executive officer, when more senior Colonel Calvin R. Freeman was appointed Commanding officer in August 1943. The MAG-31 embarked for

American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the International ...

in late September and attached to

4th Marine Aircraft Wing The 4th Marine Aircraft Wing is the reserve airwing of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana but its subordinate units are scattered throughout the United States. Mission Conduct air operations in support ...

under Brigadier general

Harold D. Campbell Harold Denny Campbell (March 30, 1895 – December 29, 1955) was a United States Marine Corps major general who served in World War I and World War II. He is most noted for his service as an aviation officer who commanded the 2nd Marine Aircraf ...

. Rottet was promoted to lieutenant colonel in June 1943. The MAG-31 flew neutralization missions against many of the Japanese garrisons that had been by-passed in the

Marshall Islands The Marshall Islands ( mh, Ṃajeḷ), officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands ( mh, Aolepān Aorōkin Ṃajeḷ),'' () is an independent island country and microstate near the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, slightly west of the Internati ...

such as

Rabaul Rabaul () is a township in the East New Britain province of Papua New Guinea, on the island of New Britain. It lies about 600 kilometres to the east of the island of New Guinea. Rabaul was the provincial capital and most important settlement in ...

and Rottet participated in twenty-one combat missions, flying on

F4U Corsair The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft which saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Chance Vought, the Corsair was soon in great demand; additional production contract ...

. He took part in the strikes on

Makin Atoll Butaritari is an atoll in the Pacific Ocean island nation of Kiribati. The atoll is roughly four-sided. The south and southeast portion of the atoll comprises a nearly continuous islet. The atoll reef is continuous but almost without islets al ...

Tarawa Tarawa is an atoll and the capital of the Republic of Kiribati,Kiribati
''

Roi-Namur Roi-Namur ( ) is an island in the north part of the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Today it is a major part of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, hosting several radar systems used for tracking and characterizing missi ...

and earned Distinguished Flying Cross and three

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...

s. Rottet assumed again the command of MAG-31 in September 1944 and under his command, the group developed an effective napalm bombing method, and conducted the first napalm bombing strikes, inflicting extensive damage on the enemy. For his service as Commanding officer, MAG-31, Rottet was decorated with

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" 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 held that assignment until December that year, when he returned to the United States after fifteen months overseas. Following his return stateside, Rottet was ordered to the Army-Navy Staff College in

for an instruction. He graduated in June 1945 and was ordered to the

, where he assumed command of Aircraft Engineering Squadron 46.

Korea and postwar service

While at Cherry Point, Rottet was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations (G-3) within Operations and Training Department there. He was ordered to

Armed Forces Staff College The Joint Forces Staff College (JFSC), located in Norfolk, Virginia, was established as the Armed Forces Staff College in 1946 and incorporated into the National Defense University in August 1981. It educates and acculturates joint and multinat ...

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

in August 1946 and served on the faculty of the college until July 1948. Rottet was then transferred to

and joined the staff of Commander, Air Force, Pacific Fleet as Marine Aviation Planning Officer. He served consecutively under Vice admirals

Harold B. Sallada Harold Bushnell Sallada (January 23, 1895 April 25, 1977) was a admiral and naval aviator in the United States Navy. He served in the US navy as a vice admiral and retired from the service in October 1949 as a four star admiral. Before his re ...

and

Thomas L. Sprague Thomas Lamison Sprague (October 2, 1894 – September 17, 1972) was a Vice admiral (United States), vice admiral of the United States Navy, who served during World War II as commander of the aircraft carrier and took part in the battles of Batt ...

and was promoted to colonel in July 1949. In June 1950, Rottet was ordered to the Naval Air Station Minneapolis,

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, where he served as Commanding officer of the Marine Air Detachment within Marine Air Reserve Training Command. He was ordered to the

in July 1951 and assumed duty as Head, Operations and Training Branch, Division of Aviation under Brigadier general

Clayton C. Jerome Clayton Charles Jerome CBE (22 September 1901 – 13 February 1978) was an aviator who served in the United States Marine Corps from to 1922 to 1952. He distinguished himself in combat during World War II and the Korean War, earning the Distingu ...

. Rottet was ordered to the

Marine Corps Air Station El Toro Marine Corps Air Station El Toro was a United States Marine Corps Air Station located next to the community of El Toro, near Irvine, California. Before it was decommissioned in 1999, it was the home of Marine Corps Aviation on the West Coast ...

in July 1953 and completed two-month Jet indoctrination course there. Upon completion of the course, he was sent to

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 ...

and assumed command of

Marine Aircraft Group 12 Marine Aircraft Group 12 (MAG-12) is an active air group of the United States Marine Corps, tasked with providing fighter and assault support aircraft. It is currently part of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW), itself an integral part of t ...

attached to

1st Marine Aircraft Wing The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Activ ...

(1st MAW) under Major general

Albert D. Cooley Albert Dustin Cooley (October 11, 1900 – December 10, 1976) was a highly decorated Naval aviator of the United States Marine Corps, who reached the rank of lieutenant general. For his actions during the Battle of Guadalcanal, he received the N ...

. Rottet was later transferred to command of

Marine Aircraft Group 11 Marine Aircraft Group 11 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of two F-35C squadrons, one F-35B squadron, two F/A-18C squadrons, one fleet replacement squadron, one KC- ...

also attached to 1st MAW. Although the units of 1st MAW did not see much combat and took part only in patrolling along the

Korean Demilitarized Zone The Korean Demilitarized Zone (Korean: ; Hanbando Bimujang Jidae) is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula near the 38th parallel north. The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a border barrier that divides the peninsula roughly in ha ...

, Rottet was decorated with

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 ...

for his service. In July 1954, Rottet returned to the United States and joined the staff of the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico as a member of the Advanced Research Group at the Marine Corps Educational Center, tasked with the development of recommendations on how the Marine air-ground task force should evolve structurally to meet the challenges of atomic warfare and new technologies such as helicopters and jet aircraft. He served in that capacity until June 1955, when he reported to Headquarters, Aircraft,

Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic (FMFLANT) is an American maritime landing force that is spread across the Atlantic Ocean. It is headquartered at Naval Station Norfolk and directs and commands all the subordinate elements of the Navy Expeditiona ...

Norfolk Navy Yard The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships. It is the oldest and largest industrial facility tha ...

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 ...

. Rottet was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations (G-3) of that command and served under his former superior from Division of Aviation, now Major general

. He was promoted to the capacity of Chief of Staff of superior command,

under lieutenant general

Alfred H. Noble General Alfred Houston Noble (October 26, 1894 – September 27, 1983) was a United States Marine Corps general who served in combat with the Marines from World War I in the Battle of Belleau Wood to World War II in the Pacific theater. His ...

in July 1956 and thus became the first aviator appointed to that position. Following the promotion to brigadier general in July 1957, Rottet assumed command of 4th Provisional Marine Air Ground Task Force built around several units from

2nd 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 ...

and

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The Wing provides the aviation combat element for the ...

. He held that command until December that year, when he was ordered to

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

for duty as Assistant Commander,

under Major general Charles H. Hayes. In March 1959, Rottet returned to the United States and assumed duty as Commander, Marine Corps Air Bases, Eastern Area with additional duty as Commanding general,

. While serving in this capacity, he was promoted to major general in July 1960. Three months later, Rottet was appointed Commanding general,

and held that assignment until October 1961, when he was transferred to

Marine Corps Base Quantico Marine Corps Base Quantico (commonly abbreviated MCB Quantico) is a United States Marine Corps installation located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly of southern Prince William County, Virginia, northern Stafford County, and southeaster ...

for duty as Director, Marine Corps Educational Center. His main responsibility was the Education of Marine Corps officers at each stage of officer's career. The Marine Corps Educational Center consisted of four resident schools and one correspondce or extension school. These are known as

focused on basic training for newly commissioned officers; Junior School for second and first lieutenants; Senior School for Captain and above; Communication Officers School trained selected junior officers in the operational aspects of communications; and Extension School prepared and administered correspondence courses that parallel resident instruction.

Vietnam War period

In July 1963, Rottet was ordered back to

, and assumed duty as Deputy Commander,

under lieutenant general

James P. Berkeley James Phillips Berkeley (July 1, 1907 – February 13, 1995) was an officer of the United States Marine Corps who attained the rank of lieutenant general. He is most noted as Signal Officer of 5th Marine Division during the Battle of Iwo Jima and ...

. While in this capacity, Rottet was co-responsible for the administration of

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 ...

, and other units. He was transferred to

in April 1966 and assumed duty as Marine Corps liaison officer in the

Office of the Chief of Naval Operations An office is a space where an organization's employees perform administrative work in order to support and realize objects and goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a position within an organization with specific duti ...

under Admiral

David L. McDonald David Lamar McDonald (September 12, 1906 – December 16, 1997) was an admiral in the United States Navy, who served as the 17th Chief of Naval Operations from 1 August 1963 to 1 August 1967 during the Vietnam War era. Early life and education ...

. Rottet was decorated with his second

for his service in that assignment. Rottet was promoted to

on July 1, 1967, and assumed duty as deputy chief of staff for plans and programs at

. Health problems forced him to resign from the service early, and Rottet retired on September 1, 1968, after 34 years of active duty. For his service as deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, he was decorated with 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 ...

Death

Rottet's diagnosis was fatal, Carcinoma prostate, metastatic to bone and vicera. He settled in

New Bern, North Carolina New Bern, formerly called Newbern, is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 29,524, which had risen to an estimated 29,994 as of 2019. It is the county seat of Craven County and t ...

, and following a cardio-pulmonary collapse, Rottet was transported to the Naval Hospital at

, where he died on November 26, 1971, aged 60. His body was cremated and ashes scattered over the

Neuse River The Neuse River ( , Tuscarora: Neyuherú·kęʔkì·nęʔ) is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in No ...

at his own request. He was survived by his wife, Adele Sparhawk and five children.

Decorations

Lieutenant general Rottet's personal decorations include:

References

: {{DEFAULTSORT:Rottet, Ralph K. 1911 births 1971 deaths People from Jasper, Indiana Military personnel from Indiana United States Naval Academy alumni United States Naval Aviators United States Marine Corps generals United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II United States Marine Corps personnel of the Korean War Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Recipients of the Air Medal