17th Commandant of the Marine Corps

"You will be the first officer of the Corps to hold the rank of General - the highest rank in our Armed Forces. I know of no other officer to whom that distinction more fittingly belongs."

- Secretary of the U.S. Navy, 1944

On December 1, 1936, (then) Major General Thomas Holcomb was appointed to the office of Major General of the Marine Corps. Continued beyond the mandatory retirement age - by order of the President - and advanced to Lieutenant General on January 20, 1942, Lieutenant General Holcomb became the highest ranking officer ever to command the United States Marine Corps up to that time.

On January 1, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt - pursuant to an act of Congress - advanced Lieutenant General Holcomb one rank on the retired list. He thus became the first U.S. Marine ever to hold the rank of General.

General Holcomb came home to his native New Castle, Delaware in 1964.

In his honor and memory

Semper Fidelis

Marker can be reached from West 3rd Street.

Courtesy hmdb.org

Credits and Sources: