Smith — Part I

This fellow’s name was Holland McTyeire Smith (1882 – 1967).  He was of the “old breed” of U.S. Marines.  He was a son of Alabama, of Dutch-American ancestry, who, before he joined the Marines, was a First Sergeant in the Alabama National Guard, a graduate of Auburn University with a bachelor of science degree, and a law degree from the University of Alabama.  In 1905, he applied to the U.S. Marine Corps for an officer’s commission.  Following his appointment as Second Lieutenant, Headquarters Marine Corps directed Smith to serve in the Philippine Islands with the First Marine Brigade.  Between 1906 and 1917, Smith followed the normal progression of an officer’s career: duty in the field, duty at sea, and assignments with shore installations (Marine Barracks).

On 30 May 1917, Smith assumed command of the 8th Machine Gun Company of the Fifth Marine Regiment (5th Marines).  After arriving in France, however, Army Command ordered Holland’s company to undergo pre-combat training from experienced French troops.  Until the First World War, U.S. Marines performed naval duties to project U.S. Naval power ashore.  However, fighting within the American Expeditionary Force (A.E.F.) as part of a land army was a new experience for Marines.  The average Marine did know about small unit leadership; he did not know about fighting divisions on the forward edge of the battle area in what became known as trench warfare.  Until Marines could learn how to fight a land war, the Army assigned them necessary but lackluster duties, such as offloading American vessels.

In January 1918, Army officials selected Captain Smith to attend the Army General Staff College in Langres, France.  He was the first of six Marines to complete the course.  Afterward, upon return to the Marine Brigade, he was named adjutant, which was by then part of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division.  During the Battle of Belleau Wood, Smith played a vital (but undramatic role as a brigade liaison and communications officer.  In July 1918, Smith transferred to the I Corps, First U.S. Army, where he served as the Corps Assistant Operations Officer.  In November, Smith advanced to Major, U.S.M.C.  During the war, Smith received the French Croix de Guerre and, later, when the latter was authorized in 1932, the Purple Heart Medal.

After his return to the United States in 1919, Smith resumed his regular duties as a Marine Corps field grade officer — which included a resumption of Barracks duty, professional education at the Naval War College, staff duty with the office of the Chief of Naval Operations, sea duty as Fleet Marine Officer, and Brigade Chief of Staff.  As a brigadier general, Smith served as Assistant Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps under Major General Thomas Holcomb.

In 1940, Smith commanded the First Marine Brigade.  Anticipating World War II, Smith began a rigorous amphibious warfare training program at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  In February 1941, the brigade was redesignated as the First Marine Division (1stMarDiv), and Smith became its first commander.  The division transferred to Quantico, Virginia in April.  In June, the Marine Corps directed Smith to assume command of the Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet.  The Amphibious Force included the 1st Marine Division, U.S. First Army Division, and the U.S. Ninth Army Division.  In this capacity, Smith oversaw the amphibious training of the U.S. Army.  The Marine Corps promoted him to Major General in October 1941.

Moving to San Diego, California, in August 1942, Smith assumed command of the Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet.  In this assignment, Smith oversaw the training of the Second and Third Marine Divisions before overseas deployment.  Included in this training were the U.S. Seventh Army Division and other units involved in the Aleutian Islands campaign.  Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet later became the V Amphibious Corps, which became involved in the Gilbert Islands campaign.

Headquarters Marine Corps promoted Smith to Lieutenant General in February 1944.  In August, he assumed command of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.  At this stage in the war, there was no other individual with greater knowledge of amphibious warfare than Holland M. Smith.  He was an aggressive officer and an experienced field commander who understood the importance of teamwork and, more than that, the necessity for victory in battle.  When an Army division failed to keep pace with the plan for fighting at Saipan, Smith relieved its commanding general.  The act, although in some circles judged prudent (and concurred with by senior Navy commanders), ruffled feathers in the Army.  Accordingly, when the U.S. Pacific Command was looking for a senior commander to lead the assault on Okinawa, Smith was passed over in favor of General Simon Bolivar Buckner, U.S. Army.

Holland Smith retired from the Marine Corps in 1946.  He passed away in 1967 at the U.S. Naval Hospital in San Diego, California.  He was 84 years old.  During his service, Smith was the recipient of (3) Navy Distinguished Service Medals, the Purple Heart Medal, and campaign and service medals involving three campaigns: Mexican service, Dominican campaign, World War I, Occupation Service (Germany), American Defense, American Campaign, Dominican Order of Merit, and the Croix de Guerre.

(Continued next week)

Sources:

1. Gailey, H. A.  Howlin’ Mad vs. The Army: Conflict in Command Saipan, 1944.  Dell Publishing, 1987.

Goldberg, H. J.  D-day in the Pacific: The Battle of Saipan.   Indiana University Press, 2007.