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Marine earned Army, Nav y gallantr y awards
By Fred L. Borch and Robert F. Dorr
Special to the Times
Keller E. Rockey served in the Corps from 1913 to 1950. He was that unusual Marine who received gallantry decorations from both the Army and the Navy for battlefield heroism.
Born in Indiana in 1888, Rockey graduated from Gettysburg College, Pa., in 1909 and was commissioned a Marine second lieutenant in 1913.
After graduating from the Marine Officer ’s School at Norfolk, Va., Navy Yard, Rockey served briefly aboard the battleships Nebraska and Nevada before deploying to France during World War I.
In “United States Marine Corps Generals of World War II,” author George B.
Clark wrote that on June 6, 1918, then-Capt. Rockey, the adjutant of 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, “brought up support troops and placed them in the frontlines at great personal exposure.” He received the Army Distinguished Service Cross.
The Navy later awarded Rockey with the Navy Cross and a Silver Star for his performance in this battle.
After the war, then-Maj.
Rockey remained with 5th Marines in the occupation of Germany, before returning to the U.S. in 1919. He next deployed to Haiti, where he served in the Haitian “Gendarmerie” from 1919 to 1922.
After schooling at Quantico, Va., Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and an assignment as an instructor at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Rockey was sent to Nicaragua, where he took command of 1st Battalion, 11th Marines. For his extraordinary conduct in the fighting against Augusto Sandino’s guerrillas from January to November 1928, Rockey was awarded a second Navy Cross.
In the 1930s, Rockey served at Marine Barracks San Diego, and at Headquarters Marine Corps and in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C.
Shortly after the U.S. entered World War II, Rockey was promoted to brigadier general and appointed as director of the Plans and Policy Division at Marine Corps headquarters and, in August 1943, he received his second star and was made assistant to the commandant.
In February 1944, Rockey took command of 5th Marine Division. Within weeks, he and his Marines took part in the Battle of Iwo Jima, where the division had more than 1,000 killed and nearly 3,000 wounded. These were the highest casualty rates suffered by a Marine division in the invasion.
In June 1945, Rockey assumed command of III Marine Amphibious Corps.
After the war against Japan ended in August, Rockey became commanding general of Marine Forces China.
He later commanded Fleet Marine Force Atlantic from 1947 to 1949 and finished his career as commanding general of the Department of the Pacific. Rockey retired as a lieutenant general in 1950 and died in June 1970.
He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
“For 30 years, ... Rockey proved his leadership and courage at every level from company to division command,” historian and retired Marine Lt. Col. Gary D. Solis said. “In a day of heroic figures, Rockey was a Marine’s Marine.” Ë
Fred L. Borch, an Army veteran, can be reached at [email protected].
By Fred L. Borch and Robert F. Dorr
Special to the Times
Keller E. Rockey served in the Corps from 1913 to 1950. He was that unusual Marine who received gallantry decorations from both the Army and the Navy for battlefield heroism.
Born in Indiana in 1888, Rockey graduated from Gettysburg College, Pa., in 1909 and was commissioned a Marine second lieutenant in 1913.
After graduating from the Marine Officer ’s School at Norfolk, Va., Navy Yard, Rockey served briefly aboard the battleships Nebraska and Nevada before deploying to France during World War I.
In “United States Marine Corps Generals of World War II,” author George B.
Clark wrote that on June 6, 1918, then-Capt. Rockey, the adjutant of 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, “brought up support troops and placed them in the frontlines at great personal exposure.” He received the Army Distinguished Service Cross.
The Navy later awarded Rockey with the Navy Cross and a Silver Star for his performance in this battle.
After the war, then-Maj.
Rockey remained with 5th Marines in the occupation of Germany, before returning to the U.S. in 1919. He next deployed to Haiti, where he served in the Haitian “Gendarmerie” from 1919 to 1922.
After schooling at Quantico, Va., Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and an assignment as an instructor at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Rockey was sent to Nicaragua, where he took command of 1st Battalion, 11th Marines. For his extraordinary conduct in the fighting against Augusto Sandino’s guerrillas from January to November 1928, Rockey was awarded a second Navy Cross.
In the 1930s, Rockey served at Marine Barracks San Diego, and at Headquarters Marine Corps and in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C.
Shortly after the U.S. entered World War II, Rockey was promoted to brigadier general and appointed as director of the Plans and Policy Division at Marine Corps headquarters and, in August 1943, he received his second star and was made assistant to the commandant.
In February 1944, Rockey took command of 5th Marine Division. Within weeks, he and his Marines took part in the Battle of Iwo Jima, where the division had more than 1,000 killed and nearly 3,000 wounded. These were the highest casualty rates suffered by a Marine division in the invasion.
In June 1945, Rockey assumed command of III Marine Amphibious Corps.
After the war against Japan ended in August, Rockey became commanding general of Marine Forces China.
He later commanded Fleet Marine Force Atlantic from 1947 to 1949 and finished his career as commanding general of the Department of the Pacific. Rockey retired as a lieutenant general in 1950 and died in June 1970.
He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
“For 30 years, ... Rockey proved his leadership and courage at every level from company to division command,” historian and retired Marine Lt. Col. Gary D. Solis said. “In a day of heroic figures, Rockey was a Marine’s Marine.” Ë
Fred L. Borch, an Army veteran, can be reached at [email protected].
