Marine Major General Julian C. Smith

A beloved soft-spoken warrior, Major General Julian Constable Smith led and loved his Marines, especially the 2nd Marine Division (2ndMarDiv).?As a peer of famous Marines: General “Howling Mad” Holland Smith, Lewis “Chesty” Puller, and Victor “Brute” Krulak, Julian Smith had remained in the shadows of history.?General Julian Smith had a long career serving in various roles, such as a naval attaché to the American Embassy in London, commander of the 2nd Marine Division (2ndMarDiv), and instructor at the Marine Officers' Training Camp.[1] Handpicked by Marine Commandant General Thomas Holcomb, Julian Smith took over the malaria-plagued 2ndMarDiv Guadalcanal combat veterans.?Preparing for a long-distance amphibious operation launched from naval carriers and over coral reefs, General Smith gave his depleted Marines time to rest as he trained them for amphibious combat.

The Battle of Tarawa remained controversial since it was the first time the carnage of war appeared in American newspapers.?For the United States Marine Corps, the Battle of Tarawa was necessary. When General Holland Smith stirred up the debate with his negative comments on the Battle of Tarawa, General Julian Smith responded by writing “Tarawa.” Julian Smith stated he disagreed.?He wrote, “Tarawa in the hands of the Japanese was a menace to our communications with New Zealand, Australia, and MacArthur’s forces in the South Pacific, as well as to those in the Central Pacific as the war advanced westward.”[2]

General Julian Smith had understood the significance of the Battle of Tarawa since the Marines would test the nascent amphibious doctrine here. For the 2ndMarDiv, Betio (Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands) was a classroom to develop and try new tactics, such as using the amphibious tracks (LVT or amtrac) to carry troops into combat and attaching flamethrowers to tanks to work with patrols.?As a result of General Julian Smith and his Marines’ amphibious combat experience in the Battle of Tarawa, the lessons learned assisted the ensuing amphibious operations to become more effective.

For his marksmanship and his awards, General Julian Smith needs to be acknowledged. In 1928 and 1930, Julian Smith captained the Marine Corps Rifle and Pistol Team Squad.[3] In addition, General Julian Smith earned the Navy Cross in the Second Nicaraguan Campaign. He received the award for his leadership in directing his troops against the bandits and for his ability to listen and work well with the local populations. During World War II, he earned two Navy Distinguished Service Medals. Julian Smith merited the first when he came ashore under Japanese fire to establish a command post at Betio.?He received the second medal for his planning for the Palaua Group, training the THIRD Fleet, and his leadership.[4]

[1] Marine Corps University, “Julian C. Smith: A Register of His Paper,” 3-4, Archives Branch, Marine Corps Histor Division, Quantico, VA, https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/HD/Finding%20Aids/Smith-Julian-finding-aid.pdf?ver=2019-03-08-102228-477.tes ?

[2] Lieutenant General Julian Smith, USMCRet., “Tarawa,” United States Institute. Proceedings 79, no.11 (November 1953); 1163-1175, https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1953/november/tarawa.

[3] Marine Corps University, “Julian Smith,” 3.

[4] “Julian Smith, “The Hall of Valor Project,” 2003, https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/8962.