Edwin North McClellan
Encyclopedia
Edwin North McClellan was a United States Marine Corps
officer, author, and historian. He was the first director of the Historical Section of Headquarters Marine Corps
, a historigraphical
organization now known as Marine Corps History Division
.
. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant
in the United States Marine Corps
on 18 June 18, 1907, attended School of Application
, starting his first assignment on 25 December 1908 aboard in time to participate in the cruise of the Great White Fleet
. On 25 December 1909, he was reassigned to the Marine Barracks at Naval Station Norfolk
, and promoted to first lieutenant
on 25 May 1910. The same day, he departed for the Philippines
, arriving in Manila
on 2 December and remaining there until departing for Peking
, China
on 1 August 1912. While there, he would command the Mounted Detachment
of the China Marines
from 18 December 1912 to 9 July 1913.
After a brief stayover at Mare Island Naval Shipyard
, McClellan served in the Judge Advocate General's Corps
in Washington, D.C.
from 14 November 1913 to 9 February 1917. His work was mostly writing, preparing the Index-Digest of Court-Martial Orders from 1914 to 1916, and the Naval Digest of 1916. During this assignment, he attended the George Washington University Law School, graduating in 1916, and was promoted to captain on 29 August of that same year. He then returned to sea aboard , commanding the ship's Marine Detachment. When named to command the Marines of Battleship Force No. 1, Atlantic Fleet
aboard on 22 May 1917, he was temporarily promoted to major
, later made permanent. He served most of World War I
aboard the Minnesota, till she struck a mine on 29 September 1918, then being detached to Marine Barracks, Quantico
, Virginia
, on 14 October when she put in for repairs.
After the Armistice with Germany brought the war to a close, McClellan was assigned on 28 February 1919 for duty with the Historical Section of the United States Army War College, detached to the American Expeditionary Forces in France
. Charged with documenting the activities of the Marine Corps during the war, he remained in Europe until 17 August. Three days later, he returned to the United States and was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps
. On 8 September, the Historical Section
, Adjutant and Inspectors Department, was established by Marine Corps Order No. 53, and McClellan was ordered in charge, a post he would hold until 1925. The section consisted of one officer and several enlisted clerks. On 7 Nov, 1924 Private Arman Manookian
, a young artist, was assigned as one of McClellan’s clerks.
On 21 October 1921, Maj McClellan suggested to the Commandant of the Marine Corps
, MajGen
John A. Lejeune
, that 10 November be designated as the birth date of the Marine Corps, an anniversiary that had not typically been celebrated to that point. He suggested the date be declared a holiday, with celebrations held throughout the Corps, to include a ball. Lejeune issued Marine Corps Order No. 47, which mandated this celebration, and the order would be republished each year at the United States Marine Corps birthday ball
. Also during his tenure, he was Secretary-Treasurer of the Marine Corps Association
from 1 July 1921 to 1 October 1922, and edited five issues of the Marine Corps Gazette.
On 1 June 1925, McClellan was transferred to the Marine Barracks at Pearl Harbor
, in Hawaii
, and took Manookian with him. McClellan departed Hawaii 15 November 1927, when he briefly toured the Western Recruiting Region
. On 19 October 1928 he joined the 5th Marine Regiment to serve as a photographer of the occupation of Nicaragua until 24 July of the next year. After a brief stop in Quantico to attend the Field Officer’s Course, he returned to direct the Historical Section again on 20 June 1930. During this second tour, he compiled a seven-volume history of the Corps, but the Great Depression
made printing unfeasable, to which he resorted to hand-mimeographed copies for distribution.
Promoted to lieutenant colonel
on 1 March 1934, McClellan performed a brief tour at the end of the occupation of Haiti from 15 June to 15 August that same year. After a few months at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
, he was sent to Shanghai
to serve with the 4th Marine Regiment briefly before being diverted to the Philippines again. There, he commanded the Marine Barracks at the Cavite Navy Yard
until his retirement on 30 June 1936.
In retirement, McClellan returned briefly to Philadelphia before moving to Honolulu, only to return in 1941. He lived there until his death on July 25, 1971 at Naval Hospital Philadelphia
.
Several of McClellan’s works were originally published as mimeographed sheets. Two of his books, Uniforms of the American Marines, 1775 to 1829 and The United States Marine Corps in the World War have each been republished more than once.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
officer, author, and historian. He was the first director of the Historical Section of Headquarters Marine Corps
Headquarters Marine Corps
Headquarters Marine Corps is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions...
, a historigraphical
Historiography
Historiography refers either to the study of the history and methodology of history as a discipline, or to a body of historical work on a specialized topic...
organization now known as Marine Corps History Division
United States Marine Corps History Division
The United States Marine Corps History Division is a branch of Headquarters Marine Corps tasked with researching, writing, and maintaining the History of the United States Marine Corps. It also provides reference and research assistance; preserves personal experiences and observations through oral...
.
Biography
He was born on December 5, 1881 in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
on 18 June 18, 1907, attended School of Application
Officer Candidates School (United States Marine Corps)
The United States Marine Corps Officer Candidates School is the entry-level training for Marine officers, equivalent to recruit training for enlisted Marines. Located at Marine Corps Base Quantico, the school trains, screens, and evaluates potential Marine Corps officers...
, starting his first assignment on 25 December 1908 aboard in time to participate in the cruise of the Great White Fleet
Great White Fleet
The Great White Fleet was the popular nickname for the United States Navy battle fleet that completed a circumnavigation of the globe from 16 December 1907 to 22 February 1909 by order of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. It consisted of 16 battleships divided into two squadrons, along with...
. On 25 December 1909, he was reassigned to the Marine Barracks at Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...
, and promoted to first lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
on 25 May 1910. The same day, he departed for the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, arriving in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
on 2 December and remaining there until departing for Peking
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
on 1 August 1912. While there, he would command the Mounted Detachment
Mounted infantry
Mounted infantry were soldiers who rode horses instead of marching, but actually fought on foot . The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry...
of the China Marines
China Marines
The term China Marines originally referred to those United States Marines from the 4th Marine Regiment who were stationed in Shanghai, China during 1927 - 1941 to protect American citizens and their property in the Shanghai International Settlement during the Chinese Revolution and the Second...
from 18 December 1912 to 9 July 1913.
After a brief stayover at Mare Island Naval Shipyard
Mare Island Naval Shipyard
The Mare Island Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean. It is located 25 miles northeast of San Francisco in Vallejo, California. The Napa River goes through the Mare Island Strait and separates the peninsula shipyard from the main portion of the...
, McClellan served in the Judge Advocate General's Corps
Judge Advocate General's Corps
Judge Advocate General's Corps, also known as JAG or JAG Corps, refers to the legal branch or specialty of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy. Officers serving in the JAG Corps are typically called Judge Advocates. The Marine Corps and Coast Guard do not maintain separate JAG Corps...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
from 14 November 1913 to 9 February 1917. His work was mostly writing, preparing the Index-Digest of Court-Martial Orders from 1914 to 1916, and the Naval Digest of 1916. During this assignment, he attended the George Washington University Law School, graduating in 1916, and was promoted to captain on 29 August of that same year. He then returned to sea aboard , commanding the ship's Marine Detachment. When named to command the Marines of Battleship Force No. 1, Atlantic Fleet
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
aboard on 22 May 1917, he was temporarily promoted to major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
, later made permanent. He served most of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
aboard the Minnesota, till she struck a mine on 29 September 1918, then being detached to Marine Barracks, Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico, sometimes abbreviated MCB Quantico, is a major United States Marine Corps training base located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly in southern Prince William County, northern Stafford County, and southeastern Fauquier County...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, on 14 October when she put in for repairs.
After the Armistice with Germany brought the war to a close, McClellan was assigned on 28 February 1919 for duty with the Historical Section of the United States Army War College, detached to the American Expeditionary Forces in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Charged with documenting the activities of the Marine Corps during the war, he remained in Europe until 17 August. Three days later, he returned to the United States and was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps
Headquarters Marine Corps
Headquarters Marine Corps is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions...
. On 8 September, the Historical Section
United States Marine Corps History Division
The United States Marine Corps History Division is a branch of Headquarters Marine Corps tasked with researching, writing, and maintaining the History of the United States Marine Corps. It also provides reference and research assistance; preserves personal experiences and observations through oral...
, Adjutant and Inspectors Department, was established by Marine Corps Order No. 53, and McClellan was ordered in charge, a post he would hold until 1925. The section consisted of one officer and several enlisted clerks. On 7 Nov, 1924 Private Arman Manookian
Arman Manookian
Arman Tateos Manookian was an Armenian-American painter. He was the oldest of three children born to a Christian Armenian family in Constantinople. As a teenager, he survived the Armenian Genocide. Manookian immigrated to the United States in 1920, at the age of 16, and studied illustration at...
, a young artist, was assigned as one of McClellan’s clerks.
On 21 October 1921, Maj McClellan suggested to the Commandant of the Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
, MajGen
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
John A. Lejeune
John A. Lejeune
Lieutenant General John Archer Lejeune, was the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps. Known as the "greatest of all Leathernecks" and the "Marine's Marine", he served for nearly 40 years. His service included commanding the U.S...
, that 10 November be designated as the birth date of the Marine Corps, an anniversiary that had not typically been celebrated to that point. He suggested the date be declared a holiday, with celebrations held throughout the Corps, to include a ball. Lejeune issued Marine Corps Order No. 47, which mandated this celebration, and the order would be republished each year at the United States Marine Corps birthday ball
United States Marine Corps birthday ball
The United States Marine Corps Birthday is celebrated every year on the 10th of November with a traditional ball and cake-cutting ceremony.-Historical birthday:...
. Also during his tenure, he was Secretary-Treasurer of the Marine Corps Association
Marine Corps Association
The Marine Corps Association is an independent association which provides a professional organization for members of the United States Marine Corps...
from 1 July 1921 to 1 October 1922, and edited five issues of the Marine Corps Gazette.
On 1 June 1925, McClellan was transferred to the Marine Barracks at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, and took Manookian with him. McClellan departed Hawaii 15 November 1927, when he briefly toured the Western Recruiting Region
Marine Corps Recruiting Command
The Marine Corps Recruiting Command is a command of the United States Marine Corps responsible for military recruitment of civilians into the Corps...
. On 19 October 1928 he joined the 5th Marine Regiment to serve as a photographer of the occupation of Nicaragua until 24 July of the next year. After a brief stop in Quantico to attend the Field Officer’s Course, he returned to direct the Historical Section again on 20 June 1930. During this second tour, he compiled a seven-volume history of the Corps, but the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
made printing unfeasable, to which he resorted to hand-mimeographed copies for distribution.
Promoted to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
on 1 March 1934, McClellan performed a brief tour at the end of the occupation of Haiti from 15 June to 15 August that same year. After a few months at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
The Philadelphia Naval Business Center, formerly known as the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and Philadelphia Navy Yard, was the first naval shipyard of the United States. The U.S. Navy reduced its activities there in the 1990s, and ended most of them on September 30, 1995...
, he was sent to Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
to serve with the 4th Marine Regiment briefly before being diverted to the Philippines again. There, he commanded the Marine Barracks at the Cavite Navy Yard
U.S. Naval Station Sangley Point
Naval Station Sangley Point was a communication and hospital facility of the United States Navy which occupied the northern portion of the Cavite City peninsula and is surrounded by Manila Bay, approximately eight miles southwest of Manila, the Philippines. The station was a part of the Cavite...
until his retirement on 30 June 1936.
In retirement, McClellan returned briefly to Philadelphia before moving to Honolulu, only to return in 1941. He lived there until his death on July 25, 1971 at Naval Hospital Philadelphia
Naval Hospital Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Naval Hospital was the first high-rise hospital building constructed by the United States Navy. At its 1935 opening it represented a state-of-the-art facility for the Navy with 650 beds and a total floor space of...
.
Publications
McClellan’s published works consist of more than a hundred articles and books, some of which include:- The Naval Digest: Containing Digests of Selected Decisions of the Secretary of the NavyUnited States Secretary of the NavyThe Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense...
and Opinions of the Judge Advocate General of the NavyJudge Advocate General of the NavyThe Judge Advocate General of the Navy is the highest ranking uniformed lawyer in the United States Department of the Navy. The Judge Advocate General is the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations on legal matters pertaining to the Navy...
, Washington, United States Government Printing OfficeUnited States Government Printing OfficeThe United States Government Printing Office is an agency of the legislative branch of the United States federal government. The office prints documents produced by and for the federal government, including the Supreme Court, the Congress, the Executive Office of the President, executive...
, 1916. - The True SandinoAugusto César SandinoAugusto Nicolás Calderón Sandino was a Nicaraguan revolutionary and leader of a rebellion against the U.S. military occupation of Nicaragua between 1927 and 1933...
, (no publisher), 1934. - UniformsUniforms of the United States Marine CorpsThe Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps serve to distinguish Marines from members of other services. Among current uniforms in the United States Armed Forces, the Marines' uniforms have been in service the longest...
of the American Marines, 1775 to 1829, Washington, Marine Corps History and Museums Division, 1974. - How the Marine Band Started, (no publisher), 1923.
- “The American Island of Washington”, Paradise of the Pacific, 52(5):19,24, May, 1940. (as "Ned North")
- “Is Fanning an American Islands?”, Paradise of the Pacific, 52(4):23-4, April, 1940. (as "Ned North")
- “Seventeenth Cruise to Line Islands”, Paradise of the Pacific, 52(1):21, Jan, 1940. (as "Ned North")
- “Eighteenth Cruise to Line Islands”, Paradise of the Pacific, 52(5):30, May, 1940. (as "Ned North")
- The United States Marine Corps in the World WarWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Nashville, TennesseeNashville, TennesseeNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Battery Press, 1997.
Several of McClellan’s works were originally published as mimeographed sheets. Two of his books, Uniforms of the American Marines, 1775 to 1829 and The United States Marine Corps in the World War have each been republished more than once.
See also
- History of the United States Marine CorpsHistory of the United States Marine CorpsThe history of the United States Marine Corps began with the founding of the Continental Marines on November 10, 1775 to conduct ship-to-ship fighting, provide shipboard security and discipline enforcement, and assist in landing forces. Its mission evolved with changing military doctrine and...