Evening star., 1947-05-27
Gen. EyonsC CorIson, Marine Hero
AndLeodero Maxim Roid, Dies
Heart Disease Fotol
To Often Decorated
Veteran Of z Wars
sy The Associated Press

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Veteran Of z Wurs
sysh. As.eeiassd Pres.
PORTLAND, Greg. May n. Brig.
Gen. Evans r. Carlson. 81. famed
leader of the Marine unit known as
Carlson,s raiders In the Pacific war,
died In a Portland hospital at $50
am. today,
The famed veteran Of two wars
was admitted to the Emmanuel Hos
pital last hight and placed under
oxygen. He was stricken at his
mountain lodge retreat in the foot
hills OF Mount Hood. where he has
made his home since retirement
from active service in 1916.
Gen. Carlson suffered two earlier
heart attacks, both critical, and had
been release January from the As
toria (Orego Naval Hospital, where
he was patient for two months
Former Vice President Henry Wal
lace visited the Carlson home
Sunday.
The general won recognition In
the Pacific warfare leading Marine
battalions behind enemy lines and
in preinvasion exploits, first at
Maxim Island in the summer of 1912.
and then at Guadalcanal, Tarawa
and Saipan. His retirement was due
to wounds from the Saipan cam
paign.
One. of his chief aides in the Maxim
and other raids was Col. James
Roosevelt, son of the late President.
Evans Fordyce Carlson quit high
school at 16 to join the Army as q
private, fought in two World Wars,
won 81 decorations and retired at
so as a brigadier general.
His outfit of Japanese -bedeviling
leathernecks won renown in the
second conflict as "Carlson's Raid
ers," whom the Navy described in
1912 as experts In death, demoli-
ton and destruction
Gen. Carlson was minister's son
who chose q military career and
rose to captain Of field artillery in
the Army during World War I,
then started over again in 1922 as a
private in the Marines. Even be-
tween wars he found plenty OF
activity.
Fought Nicaraguan Bandits.
In 1890 he went to Nicaragua
as an officer in the Guardia Ma
cional when the Marines were as
sisting in its formation. A first
lieutenant at the time, he led Il
Marines against 100 bandits who
were looting a town. Two of the
bandits were killed, several others
wounded and the loot recovered.
Gen. Carlson's force came through
unscathed and he won the Navy
Cross for extraordinary heroism. y
Later he received the equivalent OF
two additional Navy Crosses.
He also was recommended for his
actions following the Managua
earthquake in 1881, and for per-
formance of duties as chief of po-
lice in 1928.
After two previous tours Of duty
in China, he went there in 1887 as
an official student of the Chinese
language and a military observer
with the Chinese forces. Attaching
himself to Chinese guerrilla forces
he travelled thousands of miles
through the interior of China, often
on foot and horseback over hazard
GUS terrain and lived under the
primitive conditions of native
troops.
Resigned to Write.
Impressed with the danger o1
Japanese aggression in the Far East
Garrison resigned his commission as
a Marine captain in 1899 in order te
be free to write and lecture. He
wrote two books in 1910, Twin Stars
of China" and THE Chinese Army
AS the danger he foresaw from
Japan neared reality in 1941. Gen
Carlsonapplied to be recommis-
stoned In the Marine Corps and be-
came a major. The next year HI
was placed in command of the 2e
Raider Battalion with the rank oi
lieutenant colonel.
"Carlson's Raiders" first wor
recognition in the summer of 1874.
in the Maxim raid, wiping out al
enemy garrison and destroying
valuable installations. That exploi
won him q gold star in lieu of ,
second Navy cross. In Novembe
and December he distinguishes
himself on Guadalcanal and re
ceived the equivalent of a thirt
Navy cross.
On Bloody Tarawa.
| In the spring of 1943 he was force'
| to return to the United States TO
medical treatment, but went back t.
the Pacific as an observer on Tarawa
landing with the Marines on tn
bloody beaches there.
Gen. Carlson was wounded during
the Saipan operation in the sum
mer of 1914 while he was aiding
an enlisted man who had been hi
by machine gun fire. The officel
sought to carry the wounded Ma
rine to safer place. but was sho
in the right shoulder and left arm
in the attempt. When stretches
bearers prepared to remove hin
first, he instructed them to take th'
enlisted man instead.
He was given Gold Star in het
of a second Purple Heart. He wor
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