Wilson, Louis Hugh

Born in Brandon, Mississippi . In 1941 he graduated from Milsaps College in Jackson , the capital of Mississippi with a bachelor of arts degree, where he played soccer and jogged. He was a member of the Alpha Iota branch of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, which began on February 23, 1939.

In May 1941, Wilson joined the ranks of the Marine Corps, in November of the same year he received the rank of second lieutenant. After completing the basic officer training course, he was enrolled in the 9th Marine Regiment at the Corps Base in San Diego , California .

In February 1943, Lieutenant Wilson, together with the 9th Regiment, went to the Pacific theater of war, participating in the battles for Guadacanal , Efat and Bougainville . In April 1943 he was promoted to captain. During the landing on about. Guam July 25-26, 1944, commanding company F, the 2nd battalion of the 9th regiment, Wilson earned the highest American award for his heroism in battle, when his company repelled the attacks and destroyed a superior enemy. Having been injured, he was evacuated to the naval hospital in San Diego, where he stayed until December 16, 1944.

He returned to service as company commander of D in the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton , California. In December 1944, he was transferred to Washington, where he served as the commander of a unit in the marine barracks. While in Washington, he received a medal of honor from the hands of President Truman . In March 1945, Wilson was promoted to majors.

From June 1946 to August 1951, Major Wilson served as dean and assistant director of the Marine Corps Institute, adjutant commander of the Pacific Marine Forces, acting commander of the New York City Recruitment Recruitment Station.

In November 1951, Wilson, while in Quantico , Virginia, was promoted to lieutenant colonel and served as commander of the 1st base school training battalion, camp commander Barett, and served in the base school chancellery. In August 1954, he completed courses for senior officers.

After a short-term service as a senior school instructor at the Marine Corps School in Quantico, Wilson went to Korea where he served as Assistant Chief of Operations (G-3) of the 1st Marine Division. In August 1955, together with the 1st Division, he returned to the United States and was appointed commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 5th Regiment of the 1st Marine Division. In March 1956, Lt. Col. Wilson was sent to the headquarters of the corps, where he served two years as head of operations (G-3). Then he returned to Quantico, where he was first the commander of the training and test regiment and later headed the elementary school.

In June 1962, after graduating from the National Military College, he was appointed coordinator for joint planning under the deputy chief of staff of the corps for planning and programs.

Wilson was transferred to the 1st Marine Division and in August 1965 went with her to Vietnam , making a stop in Okinawa . He served as assistant (G-3) to the chief of staff of the division, was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor and the South Vietnamese Cross “for courage” with a gold star.

Upon returning to the United States, Colonel Wilson took command of the 6th Marine Corps in Atlanta, Georgia. In November 1966, he was promoted to brigadier general and in January 1967 was appointed to the corps headquarters as assistant corps commandant for legal affairs, who held until July 1968. Then he served as chief of staff of the Pacific Marines, was awarded the second order " Legion of Honor. ”

In March 1970 he was promoted to major general and took command of the 1st Amphibious Detachment of the 3rd Marine Division in Okinawa, where he received the third Order of the Legion of Honor.

In April 1971 he returned to Quantico where he became deputy director of education and then director of the corps command for development and education. In August 1972 he was promoted to lieutenant general and on September 1, 1972 took command of the Pacific Maritime Forces. During his service at this post, General Wilson was awarded the Korean Order of Merit in the national defense, Hookseon 2nd class medal and became commander of the Philippine Order of the Legion of Honor for his service for these countries.

July 1, 1975 was promoted to full generals and assumed the post of commandant of the corps. In this post, he repeatedly emphasized the need for modernization of the corps after the Vietnam War. He insisted on maintaining combat readiness, mobility response by introducing mobile strike expeditionary units, each should have a single integrated system of modern ground and air firepower, tactical mobility and electronic countermeasures. General Wilson became the first corps commander to serve full time in the Joint Chiefs of Staff ^[2] .

General Wilson resigned on June 30, 1979 and returned to his home in Mississippi. For “exclusively outstanding service” during his four-year tenure as commandant and his contribution as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he was awarded the “For Outstanding Service” medal (with oak leaf) upon his retirement.

He died on June 21, 2005 in his home in Birmingham , Alabama . Pursuant to Section 1288 of the Fleet Rules, on the day of Wilson’s burial, all ships and fleet department bases lowered the national flag from Wilson’s death until sunset. July 19, 2005 Wilson was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery . In honor of Wilson, the boulevard and the gate at the base of Camp Ledge, North Carolina ^[3] , the Wilson Hall in the headquarters of the Quantico Marine Corps Candidates School, were named after Wilson. Virginia State ^{[4] [5]}

The US President is pleased to present the Medal of Honor
Captain Louis Wilson Jr.
from the US Marine Corps
for the service described below

For outstanding valor and courage shown when performing a life-threatening duty in the service as a company commander of the F 2nd battalion of the ninth regiment of the third marine division in battle with enemy Japanese forces at the height of Font, Guam, Mariana Islands on July 25 and 26, 1944. Having received ordered to capture part of the height in his area of ​​responsibility, Captain Wilson launched an attack at noon, walked 300 yards across rough open terrain under terrifying machine-gun and rifle fire, and successfully captured the target. Immediately taking command of other disorganized units and equipment, in addition to his company and one reinforced platoon, he organized a night defense under continuous enemy fire and, despite being wounded three times during a five-hour period, completed the deployment of his men and guns before leaving the command post to receive medical care. Soon the enemy launched the first of a series of violent counterattacks that lasted all night. He voluntarily joined his units under siege and repeatedly went under the merciless hail of shrapnel and bullets. One time he ran fifty yards through open terrain to rescue a wounded marine who was helplessly lying behind the front line. Fiercely fighting in hand-to-hand battles, he led his people in a fierce battle that lasted about ten hours, tenaciously holding his lines and repulsing fanatically repeated counterattacks until the morning when he managed to repel the last efforts of strong pressure from the Japanese. Then, having assembled a detachment of 17 people, he immediately went on the offensive on a strategic slope important for his position, despite the intense mortar, machine gun and rifle fire, which killed thirteen of his people, steadily moved forward with the remnants of his detachment to capture an important height. Thanks to his indomitable leadership, bold combat tactics and fearless courage in the face of a superior enemy, Captain Wilson managed to capture and maintain strategic height in the sector of his regiment, which made a significant contribution to the task of the regiment and the destruction of 350 Japanese troops. His inspiring behavior during the critical periods of this decisive battle of the course was enhanced and supported by the highest traditions of the US naval service.

Original text

"The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to

CAPTAIN LOUIS H. WILSON, JR.

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of Company F, Second Battalion, Ninth Marines, Third Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces at Fonte Hill, Guam, Marianas Islands, 25 and July 26, 1944. Ordered to take that portion of the hill within his zone of action, Captain Wilson initiated his attack in midafternoon, pushed up the rugged, open terrain against terrific machine-gun and rifle fire for 300 yards and successfully captured the objective. Promptly assuming command of other disorganized units and motorized equipment in addition to his own company and one reinforcing platoon, he organized his night defenses in the face of continuous hostile fire and, although wounded three times during this five-hour period, completed his disposition of men and guns before retiring to the company command post for medical attention. Shortly thereafter, when the enemy launched the first of a series of savage counterattacks lasting all night, he voluntarily rejoined his besieged units and repeatedly exposed himself to the merciless hail of shrapnel and bullets, dashing fifty yards into the open on one occasion to rescue a wounded Marine lying helpless beyond the front lines. Fighting fiercely in hand-to-hand encounters, he led his men in furiously waged battle for approximately ten hours, tenaciously holding his line and repelling the fanatically renewed counterthrusts until he succeeded in crushing the last efforts of the hard-pressed Japanese early the following morning. Then, organizing a seventeen-man patrol, he immediately advanced upon a strategic slope essential to the security of his position and, boldly defying intense mortar, machine-gun and rifle fire which struck down thirteen of his men, drove relentlessly forward with the remnants of his patrol to seize the vital ground. By his indomitable leadership, daring combat tactics and dauntless valor in the face of overwhelming odds, Captain Wilson succeeded in capturing and holding the strategic high ground in his regimental sector, thereby contributing essentially to the success of his regimental mission and to the annihilation of 350 Japanese troops. His inspiring conduct throughout the critical periods of this decisive action enhanced and sustained the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

/ S / HARRY S. TRUMAN »

• General Louis Hugh Wilson, Jr., USMC (Neopr.) . Who's Who in Marine Corps History . United States Marine Corps History Division . Date of treatment January 12, 2008. Archived July 17, 2012.
• Capt Louis H. Wilson Jr., Medal of Honor, 1944, 2/9/3, Guam (Medal of Honor citation) (neopr.) . Marines Awarded the Medal of Honor . History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived February 20, 2007.
• Louis Hugh Wilson, Jr., General, United States Marine Corps (neopr.) . Arlington National Cemetery. Date of treatment April 21, 2007.
• Commandants of the Marine Corps . - Annapolis, Maryland : Naval Institute Press , 2004. - P. 427–436. - ISBN 978-0-87021-012-9 .
• Crockett, Staff Sgt David L. 26th Commandant laid to rest, a hero (neopr.) . Headquarters Marine Corps . United States Marine Corps (July 19, 2005). Archived on May 31, 2012.