Samuel L . Howard Samuel Lutz Howard ( March 8 , 1891 – October 12 , 1960 ) was a United States Marine Corps general who served with distinction in the Marine Corps for thirty - eight years . In the early stages of World War II , General Howard commanded the 4th Marine Regiment on Bataan and Corregidor from December 7 , 1941 to May 6 , 1942 . For distinguished service in that bitter encounter , he was awarded the Navy Cross . Captured by the Japanese at Corregidor , he was forced to march many miles to a prison camp where he was held as a prisoner of war from 1942 until being liberated in 1945 . He was the senior U . S . Marine held captive during World War II . After the war , he continued to serve until 1953 , including posts as Commanding General of the 1st Marine Division , and his final post as Inspector General of the Marine Corps . Biography . Samuel Lutz Howard was born on March 8 , 1891 in Washington , D . C . He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1912 . He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on May 11 , 1914 , at which time he reported for duty at the Marine Officers ' School , Marine Barracks in Norfolk , Virginia . Early military career . In August 1915 , Howard was sent on his first tour of foreign duty to Port au Prince , Haiti with a Marine Expeditionary regiment , which was sent to Haiti after two Americans were killed by snipers . In December 1916 , he went to sea as a member of the Marine Detachment aboard the and remained on sea duty for almost three years , assuming command of the Marine Detachment , in 1917 , and the Marine Detachment on the in 1918 . Two years of recruiting duty in Richmond , Virginia , and a year at the Marine Barracks , Washington , D . C . , preceded the General ' s second tour of foreign duty , this time with the Second Brigade Marines in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic . Returning to the United States in August 1924 , he served at the Marine Corps Base , San Diego , California , with the Fourth Marine Regiment until assigned to the Field Officers ' Course , Marine Corps Schools , Quantico , Virginia , the following year . Upon graduation in May 1926 , he was assigned to duty at Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington , D . C . , where he was a member of the War Plans Section , and later a member of the Commandant ' s Department ( then John A . Lejeune ) . In June 1929 , Howard joined the United States occupation of Haiti where his duties for the next years included Chief of Police and Department Commander , Port au Prince , Haiti . He was returned to the U . S . and assumed duties with the First Battalion , Seventh Marines , until August 1934 , at which time he was again transferred to Marine Corps Headquarters . From August 1934 until June 1938 , he served as the Executive Officer , Division of Operations and Training , Headquarters Marine Corps . In June 1938 , he was ordered to the Naval War College in Newport , Rhode Island as a student in the Senior Course . Following graduation , the Howard joined the Second Brigade , Fleet Marine Force , as Commanding Officer , Sixth Marine Regiment later becoming Brigade Executive Officer , and finally Division Chief of Staff of the Marine Division . He was promoted to the rank of colonel in October 1938 . World War II . Eight months prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor , Howard went to China to take command of the Fourth Marines at Shanghai , assuming command on May 14 , 1941 . In late November , the Regiment was withdrawn from China , and arrived in the Philippines on December 2 . Five days later , Howard and the 4th Marines began the fight that lasted until the fall of Corregidor in May 1942 . For his distinguished service during the bitter fighting at Bataan and Corregidor , he was awarded the Navy Cross . Howard ' s Navy Cross citation reads in part : Howard was taken captive — and was the most senior U . S . Marine taken captive during World War II . Howard remained a prisoner of war until liberated in August 1945 . He was retroactively promoted to major general , effective March 30 , 1942 . He was returned to the United States , and after several months , was ordered to the Marine Barracks , Parris Island , South Carolina , as Deputy Commanding General . He served as acting Commander from February 2 , 1946 – February 12 , 1946 . Post war years . Returning to China in September 1946 , General Howard assumed command of the First Marine Division ( Reinforced ) with headquarters in Tientsin . Upon withdrawal of the First Marine Division from China in June 1947 , he was transferred to Pearl Harbor to become Commanding General , Marine Garrison Forces , Pacific , which post to held until September 1 , 1948 , when he returned to the United States . On September 10 , 1948 , he was ordered to Headquarters Marine Corps , Washington , D . C . , as President of the Naval Examining Board and President of the Marine Corps Reserve Examining Board . He assumed his final post as of Inspector General of the Marine Corps on June 6 , 1950 ; holding the post for almost three years . Retirement . Howard retired from the Marine Corps on March 31 , 1953 and was advanced to the grade of lieutenant general . Howard died on October 12 , 1960 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery . Awards and decorations . Lieutenant General Howard ' s decoration and medals include :