Graves B . Erskine General Graves Blanchard Erskine ( June 28 , 1897May 21 , 1973 ) was a United States Marine Corps officer who led the 3rd Marine Division during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II . Early life and education . Graves Erskine was born in Columbia , Louisiana , on June 28 , 1897 , where he graduated from high school at age 15 as class valedictorian . He entered Louisiana State University in the fall of 1912 , and joined the Louisiana National Guard . In 1916 , he saw duty on the Mexican border . He joined the U . S . Marine Corps Reserve , May 21 , 1917 ; and graduated in June 1917 . Career . Upon graduation , Erskine reported for active duty in the U . S . Marine Corps as a second lieutenant on July 5 , 1917 . World War I . In January 1918 , he sailed for France , and as a platoon leader in the 6th Marine Regiment , participated in the Aisne - Marne Defensive ( Battle of Chateau - Thierry ) , where he was wounded in action ; also fighting at Belleau Wood ; Bouresches ; and Soissons . In the St . Mihiel Offensive , he was so seriously wounded , that he was evacuated to the United States in October 1918 for hospitalization , spending a year in the hospital and undergoing nine surgeries . For bravery in action , he was awarded the Silver Star Medal , was cited by the Commander - in - Chief , AEF , and in General Orders of the War Department , and entitled to wear the French Fourragère as a member of the 6th Marine Regiment . Following recruiting duty in Kansas City , Missouri , he was assigned foreign shore duty with the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade in Haiti ; sea duty aboard the USS " Olympia " ; and again foreign shore duty , with the 2nd Marine Brigade in Santo Domingo . In September 1924 , he became Depot Quartermaster , Marine Barracks , Quantico , Virginia . He later completed instruction at the U . S . Army Infantry School , Fort Benning , Georgia , and was assigned to the Marine Corps Schools , Quantico as an instructor . In March 1928 , he was assigned two years ' duty in Nicaragua , serving briefly with the 2nd Marine Brigade , and later with the Nicaragua National Guard Detachment . During this period , he organized the Presidential Guard , served as aide and personal bodyguard to President José María Moncada Tapia , and commanded a battalion of the Guardia Nacionale in jungle operations against organized bandits in northern Nicaragua . Upon his return to the United States , he was an instructor at the Basic School , Marine Barracks , Philadelphia Navy Yard ; completed the Command and General Staff School , Fort Leavenworth , Kansas ; and served as an instructor again at Marine Corps Schools , Quantico . From January 1935 until May 1937 , he was stationed in China , serving as a member of the Marine Detachment at the American Embassy in Peiping . In June 1937 , he began a three - year assignment as a section chief at Marine Corps Schools , Quantico , then served as Executive Officer of the 5th Marine Regiment at Quantico and Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . World War II . When World War II broke out , he was serving as Chief of Staff , Amphibious Force , Atlantic Fleet ( later redesignated Amphibious Corps , Atlantic Fleet ) . In September 1942 , he joined the Amphibious Corps , Pacific Fleet , in San Diego , California , as Chief of Staff , and performed duty in Alaska in July and August 1943 during the planning and training phase of the assault on Attu and Kiska in the Aleutians . Immediately after this , he assumed duty as Chief of Staff of the V Amphibious Corps and embarked for the Pacific area . Overseas , he was promoted to brigadier general in November 1943 ( with rank from September 1942 ) , and was assigned additional duty as Deputy Commander , V Amphibious Corps . For exceptionally meritorious service during the assault and capture of Kwajalein , Saipan , and Tinian , he received two awards of the Legion of Merit , both with combat " V " . He also performed additional duties during the Marianas campaign as Chief of Staff of East Marine Force , Pacific . Following the Marianas operation , he was promoted to major general in September 1944 , and the following month assumed command of the 3rd Marine Division . He led the 3rd Division in the battle for Iwo Jima where members of the division were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for heroism , and he was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal . Post - war military career . Immediately after the war , as Commanding General of the 3rd Marine Division then stationed on Guam , he organized vocational schools on Guam to aid Marines under his command in postwar trades and skills , prior to their return to civilian life . In October 1945 , General Erksine was ordered to Washington and as a result of a special Congressional Act was appointed Administrator of the Retraining and Reemployment Administration ( RRA ) . In June 1947 , upon his request to return to duty with the Marine Corps , the general assumed command of the Marine Barracks , Marine Training and Replacement Command , Camp Pendleton , California . The following month , with the return of the 1st Marine Division from China to Camp Pendleton , he became Commanding General of the 1st Marine Division , as well as Commanding General of Camp Pendleton . In May 1949 , he was assigned additional duty as Deputy Commander of Fleet Marine Force , Pacific . During this period , the Marine air units at El Toro were molded together with the 1st Marine Division troops at Camp Pendleton , and it was this combination that embarked for Korea when hostilities erupted in that area . In June 1950 , the Secretary of Defense appointed General Erskine as Chief of Military Group , Joint State - Defense Mutual Defense Assistance Program Survey Mission to Southeast Asia . In carrying out his assigned duties with the Mission , he visited the Philippines , French Indochina , Malaya , Thailand and Indonesia . Upon completing this assignment , General Erskine received orders in December 1950 directing him to assume duties as Commanding General of the Department of the Pacific , San Francisco , California . He also performed additional duties as Member of the Advisory Group , Western Sea Frontier ; and Commanding General , Marine Corps Emergency Forces , Western Sea Frontier . In July 1951 , as a lieutenant general , he became Commanding General , Fleet Marine Force , Atlantic . Upon his retirement from active duty in the Marine Corps , General Erskine was advanced to four - star rank , July 1 , 1953 , by reason of having been specially commended for heroism in combat . Department of Defense . He was authorized to retire from active service by a Special Act of the United States Congress , in June 1953 , for the purpose of accepting a position as Assistant to the Secretary of Defense as Director of Special Operations of the United States Department of Defense , and served in this post for over eight years , until October 31 , 1961 . Death . Erskine died , on May 21 , 1973 , at Bethesda , Maryland . He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery . Awards and decoirations . Erskine ' s awards include :