US Marine Corps General, World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. A highly decorated World War II Marine combat officer, he rose in rank to become the Commandant of the Marine Corps. After completing high school, he attended Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi and graduated in 1941 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He then enlisted in the US Marine Corps Reserve and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in November of that year, with his first assignment to the 9th Marine Regiment, Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California. In February 1943, following the US entry into World War II, he was sent to the Pacific Theater of Operations with his unit and saw combat action on Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and Guam. It was during the assault on Guam that he earned the Medal of Honor for leading his unit to defeat and annihilate a superior Japanese enemy force. He was wounded in action and returned to the US for medical treatment at the Naval Hospital in San Diego, California. After recovering, he became commander of Company D, Marine Barracks at Camp Pendleton. In December 1944 he was assigned to Washington DC as the Detachment Commander of the Marine Barracks and was presented with the Medal of Honor by US President Harry S. Truman in March 1945 and promoted to the rank of major. For the next eight years he served in various tours and attended military schools. In August 1954 he was assigned to Korea as assistant operations officer of the 1st Marine Division. The following year he returned to the US and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, as their commanding officer. In March 1956 he became the Chief of the Operations Section, G-3 Division at Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington DC and two years later he was assigned to Quantico, Virginia in two separate commander positions. In 1961 he attended the National War College at Fort McNair, Virginia and following his graduation in June 1962, he was reassigned to Headquarters Marine Corps and Joint Plans Coordinator to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs. In August 1965 he was sent to Vietnam with the 1st Marine Division and became the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations. In August 1966 he returned to the US and became commander of the 6th Marine Corps District in Atlanta, Georgia. Three months later he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and in January 1967 he became the Legislative Assistant to the Commander of the Marine Corps in Washington DC. In July 1968 he was assigned to Headquarters, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific in Hawaii as Chief of Staff. He was then promoted to the rank of major general in March 1970 and became commander of the I Marine Amphibious Force, 3rd Marine Division at Okinawa, Japan. The following year he returned to the US and was assigned to Quantico, Virginia as the Deputy for Education/Director, Education Center, Marine Corps Development and Education Command. In August 1972 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and the following month became commander of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, in Hawaii. After returning to the US in In July 1975, he was promoted to the rank of general and became the Commandant of the US Marine Corps and retired at that position in June 1979 with 38 years of continuous military service. In addition to the Medal of Honor, his military decorations and awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with bronze oak leaf cluster), the Legion of Merit (with combat "V" valor device and two award stars), the Purple Heart (with two award stars), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy Presidential Unit Citation (with one service star), the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (with three service stars), the World War II Victory Medal, the National Defense Service Medal (with one service star), the Vietnam Service Medal (with two service stars), the National Order of Vietnam Medal (officer degree), the Vietnam Gallantry Cross (with palm and one gold star), the Korean Order of National Security Merit (Gugseon Medal), the Philippine Legion of Honor (rank of commander), the Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal. He died at the age of 85. His Medal of Honor citation reads: " For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of Company F, Second Battalion, Ninth Marines, Third Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces at Fonte Hill, Guam, Marianas Islands, 25 and July 26, 1944. Ordered to take that portion of the hill within his zone of action, Captain Wilson initiated his attack in midafternoon, pushed up the rugged, open terrain against terrific machine-gun and rifle fire for 300 yards and successfully captured the objective. Promptly assuming command of other disorganized units and motorized equipment in addition to his own company and one reinforcing platoon, he organized his night defenses in the face of continuous hostile fire and, although wounded three times during this five-hour period, completed his disposition of men and guns before retiring to the company command post for medical attention. Shortly thereafter, when the enemy launched the first of a series of savage counterattacks lasting all night, he voluntarily rejoined his besieged units and repeatedly exposed himself to the merciless hail of shrapnel and bullets, dashing fifty yards into the open on one occasion to rescue a wounded Marine lying helpless beyond the front lines. Fighting fiercely in hand-to-hand encounters, he led his men in furiously waged battle for approximately ten hours, tenaciously holding his line and repelling the fanatically renewed counterthrusts until he succeeded in crushing the last efforts of the hard-pressed Japanese early the following morning. Then, organizing a seventeen-man patrol, he immediately advanced upon a strategic slope essential to the security of his position and, boldly defying intense mortar, machine-gun and rifle fire which struck down thirteen of his men, drove relentlessly forward with the remnants of his patrol to seize the vital ground. By his indomitable leadership, daring combat tactics and dauntless valor in the face of overwhelming odds, Captain Wilson succeeded in capturing and holding the strategic high ground in his regimental sector, thereby contributing essentially to the success of his regimental mission and to the annihilation of 350 Japanese troops. His inspiring conduct throughout the critical periods of this decisive action enhanced and sustained the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."