Thomas E . Watson ( USMC ) Lieutenant General Thomas Eugene Watson ( January 18 , 1892 – March 6 , 1966 ) was a United States Marine Corps General who served in the Marine Corps from 1912 – 1950 . His last command ( January 1 , 1948 – July 1 , 1950 ) was as Commanding General , Fleet Marine Force , Pacific . Previously , he had commanded the Second Marine Division at Camp Lejeune , North Carolina , and was Commanding Officer of the famed Second Division in the battle for Saipan and Tinian during World War II . For outstanding services in this capacity , he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal . Biography . Thomas Eugune Watson was born on January 18 , 1892 , in Oskaloosa , Iowa . He attended Penn College in Oskaloosa and on November 11 , 1912 , enlisted in the Marine Corps . He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on October 20 , 1916 . For the next three years he was a member of the Second Provisional Brigade in the Dominican Republic and on several occasions participated in engagements with bandits in that country . He returned to the States in April 1919 , but one year later was again on foreign shore duty . On this occasion with the Guardia Nacional of the Dominican Republic . In 1924 , the General returned to the States and was assigned to the Marine Corps Base , San Diego , California , where he was Commanding Officer of the Recruit Detachment and Officer - in - Charge , Drills and Instruction . Three years later , in March 1927 , he joined the Third Marine Brigade in China and saw service in Shanghai , Tientsin , and Hsin Ho . Upon return to this country he attended the Field Officers ' School , Marine Corps Schools , Quantico , Virginia , whereupon completion of the course he remained as an instructor . From October 1930 to February 1934 , he was successively U . S . Naval Attache , Santo Domingo City , Dominican Republic , a member of the Major General Commandant ' s Department , Headquarters Marine Corps , Director of Operations and Area Commander , Nicaragua National Guard Detachment , and again a member of the Major General Commandant ' s Department . After a year as Commanding Officer of the Naval Prison , Navy Yard , Mare Island , California , he assumed duties as Commanding Officer , Second Battalion , Sixth Marine Regiment and in July 1936 , became Assistant Chief of Staff , Four Section , and Chief of the Planning Section , Fleet Marine Force . In August 1937 , he was assigned as a student at the Army War College , Washington , D . C . and upon graduation was ordered to Headquarters Marine Corps where he became Chief of the War Plans Section , Division of Plans and Policies . In November 1941 , he assumed duties as Executive Officer of the Division of Plans and Policies . Four months after the United States ' entry into World War II , the Watson joined the Third Marine Brigade as Chief of Staff and sailed for Samoa in April 1942 , where he took command of the Brigade in August 1942 . In November 1943 , he became Commanding General of Tactical Group One which included the Twenty - Second Marine Regiment and certain Army Units and led this organization in the assault and capture of Eniwetok Atoll , Marshall Islands , from February 6 , to March 22 , 1944 , for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal . General Watson became Commanding General of the Second Marine Division in April 1944 , and led that organization in active operations against enemy forces at Saipan and Tinian in the Marianas Islands for which he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal . During the period April 1 – April 13 , 1945 , the General led the Division as part of Task Group 51 . 2 in diversionary activities off the coast of Okinawa and as a floating reserve for the U . S . Tenth Army . In August 1945 , he returned to Headquarters Marine Corps and became Director of Personnel , which position he held until detached in June 1946 . At that time he assumed command of the Second Marine Division and Camp Lejeune , North Carolina . LtGen Watson died on March 6 , 1966 in a hospital in the Panama Canal Zone . Awards and decorations . Lt . Gen . Watson ' s awards include : Award citation . For outstanding services in his capacity as Commanding General of the Second Marine Division at the Battle of Saipan and Battle of Tinian , he was awarded an award star in lieu of a second Navy Distinguished Service Medal . His citation reads in part :