Bruno Hochmuth Bruno Arthur Hochmuth ( May 10 , 1911 - November 14 , 1967 ) was a Major General in the United States Marine Corps who was killed during the Vietnam War . He would be the first and only Marine division commander to be killed in any war . He was also the first American general to be killed in Vietnam , although Air Force Major General William Crumm had been killed in a B - 52 collision over the South China Sea . He was killed when a UH - 1E Huey from VMO - 3 exploded and crashed 5 miles northwest of Huế . Four others also died in this crash . Biography . Bruno Arthur Hochmuth was born on May 10 , 1911 in Houston , Texas . He graduated from high school in 1930 and then graduated in 1935 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Education from Texas A & M . He was commissioned a Marine second lieutenant in July 1935 , upon resigning a U . S . Army Reserve commission . After completing The Basic School at the Philadelphia Navy Yard , he joined the Marine Detachment at the Texas Centennial in Dallas , Texas in June 1936 . In December 1936 , he was transferred to 2nd Battalion , 6th Marines in San Diego , California . Departing for Shanghai , China , in August 1937 , he served briefly with the 6th Marines , then served two and a half years duty with the 4th Marines . While overseas , he was promoted to first lieutenant in July 1938 . He remained with the 4th Marines in China until 1940 . Upon his return to the United States , Lieutenant Hochmuth was attached to the 7th Defense Battalion in September 1940 . In February 1941 , he embarked with the 7th Defense Battalion to American and British Samoa . He was promoted to major in May 1942 . He remained in the Pacific Theater for two years , returning to the United States in March 1943 , where he was assigned to the Antiaircraft Artillery School at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune , North Carolina until June 1943 . From June until May 1944 , Hochmuth served as Assistant Director , Command and Staff School , Quantico , Virginia , prior to embarking again for the Pacific area . In May 1944 , Major Hochmuth deployed again as Assistant Operations Officer for the III Marine Amphibious Corps and participated in the Battle of Saipan and Battle of Tinian . He then commanded 3rd Battalion , 4th Marines during the Battle of Okinawa . Following the surrender of Japan he was the executive officer of the 4th Marine Regiment when they landed in Japan on August 29 , 1945 . As Executive Officer of the 4th Marines , he made the initial landing on Japan August 29 , 1945 , and on September 2 of the same year attended the formal surrender ceremony at Yokosuka . He then commanded the Marine Barracks at Yokosuka for almost two years . For his service there , he was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal . Returning to the United States in August 1947 , he served at Headquarters Marine Corps for three years , then entered the Industrial College at Fort McNair in Washington , D . C . He graduated in June 1951 , and returned to Camp Lejeune as Commanding Officer , 2nd Marines . In July 1952 , he was named G - 1 Officer , 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune . He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in August 1947 with rank from October 1942 , and to colonel in January 1951 . Ordered to Kingston , Ontario , in September 1953 , he served as Instructor , Canadian Army Staff College , for two years . He again went to the Far East in August 1955 and served as G - 4 Officer , 3rd Marine Division , Japan and Okinawa . In August 1956 , Colonel Hochmuth was assigned to Marine Corps Base Quantico , Virginia , as a member of the Advanced Research Group , Marine Corps Educational Center . In July 1957 , he was transferred to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and served as Chief of Staff through October 1959 . While stationed in San Diego , he was promoted to brigadier general in November 1959 and served briefly thereafter as Commanding General of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot and , later , as Commanding General of the Recruit Training Command . In January 1960 , General Hochmuth reported to Headquarters Marine Corps , where he served as Deputy Chief of Staff ( Research and Development ) . While serving in this capacity , he was promoted to major general in August 1963 . That November , he assumed duty as Commanding General , Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island , South Carolina . For meritorious achievement from November 1963 to February 1967 , General Hochmuth was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Navy Commendation Medal . From March 19 to November 14 , 1967 , Hochmuth served as Commanding General , 3rd Marine Division , in the Republic of Vietnam . While involved in an inspection tour on November 14 he was killed when the helicopter , in which he was riding , exploded in mid - air and crashed . At the time of his death , Major General Hochmuth was the most senior U . S . military officer to be killed in the war . For service during this period , he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Medal . General Hochmuth was buried with full military honors at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery , San Diego , California , on November 18 , 1967 . Medals and decorations . A complete list of General Hochmuth ' s ' s medals and decorations includes : Honors . Hochmuth Hall , MCIA headquarters building at Marine Corps Base Quantico is named in Honor of MajGen Hochmuth .