Oscar F . Peatross Oscar Franklin Peatross born 2 March 1916 died 26 May 1993 , was a United States Marine Corps Major General who served in World War II , the Korean War and the Vietnam War . He is remembered with a plaque on the parade deck at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island Early life . Peatross was born in Raleigh , North Carolina and graduated from Needham B . Broughton High School in 1934 . He later graduated from North Carolina State College with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1939 . U . S . Marine Corps . 1940s . He joined the Marine Corps in 1940 , reporting to Marine Corps Base Quantico , Virginia . In November he entered Officer ’ s Candidate School . Peatross was commissioned a second lieutenant upon completion of the school in February 1941 . Lieutenant Peatross was assigned to the 2d Marine Division in San Diego , California then joined the 2d Marine Raider Battalion . As a platoon leader with Company B , he earned the Navy Cross for his actions during the Makin Island raid . During the raid Peatross , leading a dozen Raiders in one of 18 rubber boat s , did not receive word on a change of plan in the landing area . He led his 12 men onto the original planned landing site whilst the other 17 boats landed on a different beach . Taking the initiative , his Navy Cross citation read : " Captain [ then Lieutenant ] Peatross boldly landed his men behind the enemy lines and attacked a superior enemy force . Continuing to harass the enemy ' s rear , thereby creating confusion in their ranks , Captain Peatross ' daring tactics caused one of the enemy ' s aerial bombing formations to bomb its own troops . In this forceful and courageous engagement he and his group killed or wounded fifteen Japanese . His resourcefulness , leadership and personal valor were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service . " Peatross was promoted to Captain and then served with the Raiders in the Battle of Guadalcanal and Bougainville campaign where he was executive officer of the 2nd Marine Raider Regiment ( Provisional ) . Promoted to Major , he attended the Command and Staff School at Quantico in 1944 . During the Battle of Iwo Jima he was the Regimental R - 3 Operations Officer of the 28th Marines then became executive officer of 3rd Battalion , 28th Marines . He returned to Quantico in 1946 as an instructor with the Tactical Section , The Basic School , for the next three years . 1950s . He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1951 whilst serving as the Amphibious Warfare Instructor at the United States Army Armor School in Fort Knox , Kentucky . During the Korean War Peatross commanded the 2nd Battalion 5th Marines with the 1st Marine Division . He was awarded the Legion of Merit with Combat “ V ” in 1952 . Lieutenant Colonel Peatross transferred to Headquarters Marine Corps , where he served as Assistant Head , Officer Procurement Branch , Personnel Department , for the next three years . He assumed command of the 1st Recruit Training Battalion at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island . He later served as the S - 3 Officer and Executive Officer of the Recruit Training Regiment . Peatross was promoted to Colonel in July 1959 . 1960s . Returning to Quantico , Colonel Peatross attended the Senior School and after graduation in June 1960 , commanded the Schools Demonstration Troops . He remained at Quantico until July 1963 , serving successively as Chief , Ground Combat Section , Landing Force Development Center , and as Chief , Publications Branch , Marine Corps Education Center . Colonel Peatross then joined the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton , California , serving for several months as Assistant Chief of Staff , G - 4 , and then as Chief of Staff of the III Marine Expeditionary Force during Exercise “ Winter Night . ” In March 1964 , he became Commanding Officer of the 7th Marines . When the 7th Marines was redesignated as the 7th Regimental Landing Team , 3d Marine Division , Colonel Peatross sailed with his unit to South Vietnam . Colonel Peatross was the Landing Force Commander during Operation Starlite at Chu Lai , South Vietnam and employed the Regiment on the Chu Lai Perimeter . The 7th Regimental Landing Team was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for its actions during the Operation . For his actions during Operation Starlite , Colonel Peatross was awarded the Silver Star Medal . He commanded eight regimental - size operations and was the Chief of Staff in Operation Utah . He then served for one month as Deputy Chief of Staff , 1st Marine Division . For service in Vietnam , he was also awarded a Gold Star in Lieu of a second Legion of Merit and four Vietnamese Medals ; the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm three times and one Cross of Gallantry with Gold Star . Back in the United States , he reported to Headquarters Marine Corps where he served consecutively as Head , Training Branch , G - 3 Division ; as Deputy Chief of Staff ( Administration ) ; and as Director , Management Anaylsis Group . For his service in the latter capacity , he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a third Legion of Merit . He was promoted to Brigadier General , 3 November 1966 . While stationed at Headquarters Marine Corps , General Peatross was ordered to Harvard University to attend the Advance Management Program , Graduate School of Business Administration , during September – December 1966 . Prior to his detachment , he was promoted to the rank of Major General , 18 October 1968 . He reported to Parris Island , South Carolina , in November 1968 as Commanding General , Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island , from November 1968 through May 1971 . Quotes . " “ We find that the Marine Corps is made up of 99 percent Marines and 1 percent bullshitters . In peacetime , the bullshitters tend to be the ones you hear from . But I waded ashore on Guadalcanal in ’ 42 . I looked all the way down the beach to my right and all the way up the beach to my left . There wasn ’ t a bullshitter in sight . ” " References . Peatross , Oscar F . " Bless ' em All : The Raider Marines of World War II " REVIEW PUBLISHING COMPANY ( 1995 )