John Archer Lejeune served more than forty years in the Marine Corps, taking part in campaigns in Panama, Cuba, Mexico, France, and Germany, and earned distinction in World War I by leading the famed 2nd Division, American Expeditionary Force, including the critical action at St. Mihiel, for which he received the French Legion of Honor. Born in Pointe Coupee Parish on 10 January 1867, he attended Louisiana State University, entered the United States Naval Academy, graduated in 1888, and began his Marine career aboard the USS Vandalia. Commissioned a second lieutenant in 1890, he excelled during the Spanish-American War, quelled uprisings in Panama in 1903, graduated from the U.S. Army War College in 1910 after service in the Philippines, commanded the 2nd Advanced Base Regiment at Vera Cruz in 1914, and in 1917 became a brigadier general and the first commander of Marine Barracks at Quantico, Virginia. In 1918 he commanded a brigade of the 32nd Division at Brest, led the 4th Marine Brigade after the Soissons offensive, was promoted to major general, became commander of the 2nd Division, American Expeditionary Force, and became the first Marine officer to command a division in combat, later assaulting the Marbeche sector at St. Mihiel, storming Blanc Mont Ridge in the Champagne offensive, and leading the 2nd Division into Germany after its surrender. He again commanded Marine Barracks at Quantico in 1919, was named Major General Commandant of the Marine Corps in 1920, developed the Fleet Marine Force concept, established formal Marine officers schools at Quantico, founded the Marine Corps Association, Marine Corps Institute, and Marine Corps League, and gave the Corps leadership and vision when efforts were underway to dissolve it, preserving its future through a distinctive role in amphibious expeditionary operations. Retiring from active duty in 1929, he then became superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute until poor health forced his resignation in 1937. In 1942 he was promoted to lieutenant general on the retired list, becoming the first Marine to hold that rank; that same year, at age 75, he died in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 20 and was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.