| The United States Marine Corps prepared to send troops to Korea immediately after the North
Korean People's Army crossed the 38th Parallel and a plea from the South Korean government was sent to the
United Nations in July of 1950. The KWE encourages visitors to return often to this page to learn more
about the USMC's role during the Korean War. New material is always welcome. Send it to Lynnita
Brown, 111 E. Houghton St., Tuscola, IL 61953; e-mail
lynnita@koreanwar-educator.org.
Page Contents:
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Commanding Generals & Officers
1st Marine Division, Korean War Era
1st Marine Division Commanding Generals Korean War era
MajGen Graves B. Erskine 7 July 1947-25 July 1950
MajGen Oliver P. Smith 26 July 1950-23 February 1951
BGen Lewis B. Puller (Acting) 24 February 1951-4 March 1951
MajGen Oliver P. Smith 5 March 1951-26 April 1951
MajGen Gerald C. Thomas 27 April 1951-10 January 1952
MajGen John T. Seldon 11 January 1952-28 August 1952
MajGen Edwin A. Pollock 29 August 1952-15 June 1953
MajGen Randolph Mcc. Pate 16 June 1953-11 May 1954
Commanding Officers 1st Marines Korean War era
The 1st Marines was reactivated 4 August 1950 at Camp Pendleton, California and assigned to the 1st Marine
Division. Deployed during September 1950 to Kobe, Japan. Participated in the Korean War, September 1950-July
1953, operating from Inchon-Seoul, Chosin Reservoir, East Central Front, Western Front. Participated in the
defense of the Korean Militarized Zone, July 1953-April 1955. Relocated during April 1955 to Camp Pendleton,
California.
Col. Lewis B. Puller 5 August 1950-24 January 1951
Col. Francis M. McAlister 25 January 1951-18 May 1951
Col. Wilburt S. Brown 19 May 1951-17 July 1951
Col. Thomas A. Wornham 18 July 1951-11 October 1951
Col. Sidney S. Wade 12 October 1951-7 April 1952
Col. Walter N. Flournoy 8 April 1952-24 July 1952
Col. Walter P. Layer 25 July 1952-20 November 1952
Col. Hewitt D. Adams 21 November 1952-30 April 1953
Col. Wallace N. Nelson 1 May 1953-10 October 1953
Col. Ormond R. Simpson 11 October 1953-15 February 1954
Col. William K. Jones 16 February 1954-9 July 1954
Col. Wilmer E. Barnes 10 July 1954-24 January 1955
Col. Nelson K. Brown 25 January 1955-30 September 1955
Commanding Officers 5th Marines Korean War era
The 5th Marines were deployed during August 1950 to Pusan, Korea. Participated in the Korean War, operating
from Pusan Perimeter, Inchon-Seoul, Chosin Reservoir, East Central Front, Western Front. Participated in the
defense of the Korean Demilitarized Zone, July 1953-February 1955. Relocated during March 1955 to Camp
Pendleton, California.
Col. Raymond L. Murray 10 June 1950-14 March 1951
Col. Richard W. Hayward 15 March 1951-5 August 1951
Col. Richard G. Weede 6 August 1951-18 November 1951
Col. Frank P. Hager, Jr. 19 November 1951-23 February 1952
Col. Thomas A. Culhane, Jr. 24 February 1952-15 August 1952
Col. Eustace R. Smoak 16 August 1952-9 December 1952
Col. Lewis W. Walt 10 December 1952-13 April 1953
Col. Harvey C. Tschirgi 14 April 1953-1 August 1953
Col. Rathvon McC. Thompkins 2 August 1953-1 February 1954
Col. Elby D. Martin 2 February 1954-18 July 1954
Col. Hamilton M. Hoyler 19 July 1954-29 November 1954
Col. Robert H. Rudd 30 November 1954-25 June 1955
Commanding Officers 7th Marines Korean War era
The 7th Marines were reactivated 17 August 1950 at Camp Pendleton, California and assigned to the 1st Marine
Division. Deployed during September 1950 to the Republic of Korea. Participated in the Korean War, September
1950-July 1953, operating from: Inchon-Seoul, Chosin Reservoir, East Central Front, Western Front. Participated
in the defense of the Korean Demilitarized Zone, July 1953-March 1955. Relocated during March 1955 to Camp
Pendleton, California.
Col. Homer L. Litzenberg, Jr. 17 August 1950-15 April 1951
Col. Herman Nickerson, Jr. 16 April 1951-20 September 1951
LtCol. John J. Wermuth, Jr. 21 September 1951-10 March 1952
Col. Russell E. Honsowetz 11 March 1952-10 June 1952
Col. Thomas C. Moore, Jr. 11 June 1952-4 November 1952
Col. Loren E. Haffner 5 November 1952-26 March 1953
Col. Glenn C. Funk 27 March 1953-3 August 1953
Col. Jack P. Juhan 4 August 1953-4 December 1953
Col. Wendell H. Duplantis 5 December 1953-24 February 1954
Col. Earl A. Sneeringer 25 February 1954-3 July 1954
Col. Henry H. Crockett 4 July 1954-3 October 1954
Col. Odell M. Conoley 4 October 1954-1 June 1955
Commanding Officers 11th Marines Korean War era
The 11th Marines were deployed during August-September 1950 to Korea. Participated in the Korean War,
operating from: Pusan Perimeter, Inchon-Seoul, Chosin Reservoir, East Central Front, Western Front. Participated
in the defense of the Korean demilitarized zone, July 1953-March 1955. Relocated during March 1955 to Camp
Pendleton, California.
Col. James H. Brower 29 July 1950-10 December 1950
LtCol. Carl A. Youngdale 11 December 1950-10 March 1951
Col. Joseph L. Winecoff 11 March 1951-4 August 1951
Col. Curtis Burton, Jr. 5 August 1951-18 November 1951
Col. Bruce T. Hemphill 19 November 1951-26 March 1952
Col. Frederick P. Henderson 27 March 1952-19 September 1952
Col. Harry N. Shea 20 September 1952-21 February 1953
Col. James E. Mills 22 February 1953-4 July 1953
Col. Manly L. Curry 5 July 1953-16 December 1953
Col. Lewis J. Fields 17 December 1953-20 April 1954
Col. John S. Oldfield 21 April 1954-29 October 1954
Col. Ernest P. Foley 30 October 1954-10 June 1955
Source: The 1st Marine Division and Its Regiments, History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine
Corps, Washington, D.C., November 1981.
Our First Year in Korea:
Accounts by the Historical Branch, G-3, HQ, Marine Corps
- Marine Corps Gazette articles
There was little to indicate that the Sunday morning of 25 June 1950 was a landmark for thousands of young
men all over the United States. As they read their newspapers after breakfast, the pennant chances of the
Dodgers probably concerned them more than the outbreak of an intramural war in Korea. It would hardly have
occurred to these civilians that it was actually D-Day minus 82 for them. But these young men were Marine
reservists, and in less than 12 weeks many of them would be halfway around the earth, making an amphibious
landing in a flaming town on an Asiatic peninsula.  |
