page_title: Thomas F. Riley
section_title: Early career
hierarchical_section_title: Thomas F. Riley / Early career
caption_attribution_description: United States Marines pose for a team photograph at the Norfolk Naval Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia in 1936. Brigadier General Thomas F. Riley, wearing #12 jersey, is seated in the last row, far right. From the Thomas F. Riley (COLL/3876) at the Marine Corps Archives and Special Collections OFFICIAL USMC PHOTOGRAPH
context_page_description: Thomas Felton Riley was a decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general. He is most noted for his service during the Guadalcanal Campaign as the commanding officer of First Aviator Engineer Battalion. Riley completed his career as Inspector General of the Marine Corps in 1964 and then served as Orange County Supervisor 1974–1994.
context_section_description: Thomas F. Riley was born on July 6, 1912, in Harrisonburg, Virginia, as the son of Thomas A. Riley and attended the high school there in summer of 1931. He was then admitted to the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington and graduated in June 1935 with Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. While in college, Riley was a member of ROTC unit and held reserve commission since July 1931. He was also active in football, baseball and boxing teams and served as president of the Shenandoah Club in his senior year.
  Following his graduation from VMI, he resigned his Army Reserve commission and accepted appointment as second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on July 10, 1935. He was subsequently ordered to the Basic School at Philadelphia Navy Yard for further officer training and completed the school in March 1936. With 124 students, it was the largest Basic School class to that date. This class provided two future Marine Corps Commandants (Leonard F. Chapman Jr. and Robert E. Cushman Jr.), five lieutenant generals (Lewis J. Fields, Frederick E. Leek, Herman Nickerson Jr., William J. Van Ryzin, Richard G. Weede), five major generals (William R. Collins, William T. Fairbourn, Bruno Hochmuth, Raymond L. Murray, Carey A. Randall) and six brigadier generals (William W. Buchanan, Odell M. Conoley, Frederick P. Henderson, Roy L. Kline, John C. Miller Jr. and Riley).
  Riley was then ordered to the Norfolk Navy Yard and served with the local Marine Barracks until January 1937. While stationed at Norfolk, Riley was also a member of Marine Corps Football Team. Riley was subsequently attached to the Marine detachment aboard the newly commissioned cruiser USS Vincennes and took part in the voyage to the Panama Canal Zone and participated in the Fleet Problem XIX.
  His sea duties ended in June 1938, when he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and attached to the 29th U.S. Army Engineers in Portland, Oregon, and attended instruction in aerial photo mapping. Riley then served with 1st Marine Brigade under Brigadier General Richard P. Williams at Quantico, Virginia, as commanding officer of 1st Engineer Company until September 1939 and following the expansion of the company to 1st Engineer Battalion, he was appointed a company commander within that unit.
  He sailed with his battalion to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in September 1940 and participated amphibious exercises. Riley was promoted to the rank of captain in May 1941 and appointed commanding officer of the Marine detachment aboard the battleship USS "New York. While aboard that ship, he took part in the escorting of cargo and troop ships to Iceland and Scotland.
caption: U.S. Marine Corps Football Team, Norfolk Naval Yard in 1936. Riley, wearing #12 jersey, is seated in the last row, far right.
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