Samuel B . Griffith Brigadier General Samuel B . Griffith II ( May 31 , 1906 - March 27 , 1983 ) , was an officer and commander in the United States Marine Corps . Griffith entered the Marines in 1929 after graduating from the United States Naval Academy . He served in and commanded Marine units in the Pacific theater of World War II and retired from service in 1956 . After his retirement , Griffith wrote several books and numerous articles on military history and lectured widely . He died on March 27 , 1983 in Rhode Island . Early life through World War II . Griffith was born May 31 , 1906 , in Lewistown , Pennsylvania . Upon graduation from the U . S . Naval Academy in 1929 , he accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps . Prior to World War II , he took part in the Second Nicaraguan Campaign , and served in China , Cuba , and England . During his first tour of duty in China , he was a language officer at the American Embassy in Nanking . During World War II , following a period observing British commando training in England and Scotland , he returned to the 1st Marine Division and served as executive officer and later commander of the 1st Marine Raiders Battalion on Guadalcanal , and executive officer of the 1st Raider Regiment in operations on New Georgia . He received the Navy Cross on Guadalcanal in September 1942 for “ extreme heroism and courageous devotion to duty ” during the fighting near the Matanikau River . During this action , Griffith suffered wounds for which he was awarded the Purple Heart . For his exploits in July in New Georgia , he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross . Post - war career . After participating in the post - World War II occupation of North China , where he commanded the 3rd Marine Regiment and later the U . S . Marine Forces in Qingdao , he was a student and then a faculty member at the U . S . Naval War College in Newport from 1947 to 1950 . From 1951 to 1952 , he was Chief of Staff , Fleet Marine Force , Atlantic , and from 1953 to 1956 , General Griffith was on the staff of the U . S . Commander in Chief , Europe . He retired from the Marine Corps in 1956 , after completing more than 25 years of active service . Post - retirement career . Following his retirement , General Griffith entered Oxford University ( New College ) and was awarded his D . Phil . in Chinese Military History in 1961 . With an interest in China and the Chinese language dating back to pre - World War II days , he translated Mao Zedong ’ s " On Guerrilla War " in 1961 and Sun Tzu ’ s " The Art of War " in 1963 . He also wrote the definitive " The Battle for Guadalcanal " , " The Chinese People ’ s Liberation Army " , and , his last major work , " In Defense of the Public Liberty " , a book concerned with the Revolutionary War . He was a Research Fellow , China Study , at the Council on Foreign Relations and a member of the Institute for Defense Studies in London . General Griffith published widely in such journals as The New Yorker , Saturday Evening Post , U . S . Naval Institute Proceedings , Town & Country , Marine Corps Gazette , and Foreign Affairs . He has also lectured widely at such establishments as the Armed Forces Staff College , United States Military Academy , Foreign Policy Association , and Marine Corps Schools . General Griffith was a life member of the 1st Marine Raider Association and the 1st Marine Division Association . He died " unexpectedly " on March 27 , 1983 in Newport , Rhode Island .