Edwin Howard Simmons (August 25, 1921 – May 5, 2007) was a

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

brigadier general. He was a career officer who served in combat during three wars — including landing at

Inchon Incheon is a city located in northwestern South Korea, bordering Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to the east. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Incheon was home to just 4,700 people when it became an international port in 1883. As of February 2020, ...

and fighting at the

Chosin Reservoir The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Battle of Lake Changjin (), was an important battle in the Korean War. The name "Chosin" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation "''Chōshin'', instead of th ...

in the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

. He was renowned as the official Marine Corps historian, being called "the collective memory of the Marine Corps". His 1974 book ''The United States Marines: A History'' is a seminal reference text.

Biography

Edwin Howard Simmons was born on August 25, 1921, in

Paulsboro, New Jersey Paulsboro is a Borough (New Jersey), borough situated on the banks of the Delaware River in Gloucester County, New Jersey, Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the Philadelphia metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United State ...

, and graduated from

Paulsboro High School Paulsboro High School is a comprehensive community six-year public high school that serves students in seventh through twelfth grade from Paulsboro, in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the sole secondary school of th ...

in 1938. He earned a bachelor of arts in journalism in 1942 at

Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU), in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States, is a private university, private research university. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer. Lehigh University's undergraduate programs have been mixed ...

, where he had been elected to

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, ...

the previous year, and a master's degree in journalism in 1955 at

Ohio State University The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...

. Prior to accepting his commission as a Marine Corps second lieutenant on June 12, 1942, he held an

Army Reserve Army Reserve refers to a land-based military reserve force, including: *Army Reserve (Ireland) *Army Reserve (United Kingdom) *Australian Army Reserve *Canadian Army Reserve * New Zealand Army Reserve *United States Army Reserve *United States Navy ...

commission. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he trained at Marine Corps Schools,

Marine Corps Base Quantico Marine Corps Base Quantico (commonly abbreviated MCB Quantico) is a United States Marine Corps installation located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly of southern Prince William County, Virginia, northern Stafford County, and southe ...

, and Camp Lejeune, N.C., prior to serving overseas with the 5th Field Depot in the South and Central Pacific. He took part in combat during the

capture of Guam The Capture of Guam was a bloodless engagement between the United States and Spain during the Spanish–American War. The U.S. Navy sent a single cruiser, , to capture the island of Guam, which was under Spanish control. The Spanish garrison ...

and later served with the 7th Service Regiment on Okinawa and in China. He was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in January 1944 and to

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

in June 1949. Following the war, he served for three and one-half years as

Managing Editor A managing editor (ME) is a senior member of a publication's management team. Typically, the managing editor reports directly to the editor-in-chief and oversees all aspects of the publication. United States In the United States, a managing edi ...

of the ''

Marine Corps Gazette The ''Marine Corps Gazette'' is a professional journal by and for members of the United States Marine Corps. Known as "The Professional Journal of U.S. Marines", the ''Gazette'' was founded in 1916 at Marine Corps Base Quantico by Colonel Jo ...

'', then completed the Amphibious Warfare School, Junior Course, Quantico, in 1950. At the outbreak of the

, he commanded the

Weapons Company A weapons company, sometimes called a manoeuvre support company, is a company-sized military unit attached to an infantry battalion to support the rifle companies of the battalion. It usually possesses some combination of machine-guns, mortars, an ...

, 1st Battalion, 6th Marines,

Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune ( or ) is a United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Its of beaches make the base a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports ( ...

. The half-strength battalion was just back from the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

when it boarded a troop train west. It was redesignated

3rd Battalion, 1st Marines 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (3/1) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Camp Horno on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. Nicknamed the "Thundering Third", the battalion consists of approximately 1,200 ...

. They were ordered to

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

in August 1950 and participated in the

Inchon Landing The Battle of Inchon (), also called Inchon landing, was an amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command (UN). The operation involved some ...

that September. He continued in combat as weapons company commander during the initial phases of the war; and as a battalion

operations officer Military operations is a concept and application of military science that involves planning the operations for the projected maneuvering forces' provisions, services, training, and administrative functions—to allow them to commence, insert, t ...

and

executive officer An executive officer is a person who is principally responsible for leading all or part of an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization. In many militaries and police forces, an executive officer ...

during the

Chinese Spring Offensive The Chinese spring offensive (), also known as the Chinese Fifth Phase Offensive (), was a military operation conducted by the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) during the Korean War. Mobilizing three field armies totaling 700,000 men for th ...

. Returning to the United States in July 1951, he served in various assignments with the Training and Replacement Command at

Camp Pendleton, California Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast of the United States, West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Di ...

; with the

Naval ROTC The Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) program is a college-based, commissioned officer training program of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. Origins A pilot Naval Reserve unit was established in September 1924 ...

unit at Ohio State University; and with the G-4 Division at

Headquarters Marine Corps The Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) 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. The funct ...

. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in December 1954. From August 1959 until October 1960, he served as

Naval Attaché A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations ...

to the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...

. Carbine rifles from his office, left behind after the United States interrupted formal diplomatic relations, were used in the assassination of

Rafael Trujillo Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina ( ; ; 24 October 1891 – 30 May 1961), nicknamed ''El Jefe'' (; "the boss"), was a Dominican military officer and dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from August 1930 until Rafael Trujillo#Assassination, ...

according to the

Church Committee The Church Committee (formally the United States Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities) was a US Senate select committee in 1975 that investigated abuses by the Central Intelligence ...

. However, Simmons denied he played any direct role in the assassination. Prior to returning to the Dominican Republic in September 1961 as U.S. Military Liaison Officer, U.S. Embassy, Santo Domingo, he was assigned as senior editor, Publications Group, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico. In January 1962, he joined the Strategic Plans Section, G-3 Division at Headquarters Marine Corps, and in July 1963 was promoted to

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

. From July 1965 until July 1966, he served in

South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...

, first as G-3 of

III Marine Amphibious Force III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and d ...

(III MAF), and later, as commanding officer, 9th Marine Regiment, the "Striking Ninth". Returning from Vietnam, he was a student at the

National War College In the United States, the National War College (NWC) is a school within the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. History The National ...

for the next year prior to reporting to Headquarters Marine Corps where he served as Deputy Fiscal Director of the Marine Corps from August 1967 until May 1970. He was advanced to the rank of brigadier general on June 1, 1968. Brigadier General Simmons returned to Vietnam for another one-year tour, and served as Assistant Division Commander,

1st Marine Division The 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) is a Marine (military), Marine Division (military), division of the United States Marine Corps headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the ground combat element of the I Marine E ...

(Rein), "The Old Breed", and subsequently as deputy commander, III MAF. He returned to

on July 20, 1971, where he became special assistant to the chief of staff for strategic studies. On December 1, 1971, he assumed duties as director of Marine Corps History and Museums. He went on the retired list on July 1, 1972, but continued on active duty without interruption of service as director of Marine Corps History and Museums. On July 1, 1978, he reverted to inactive status on the retired list. In late October 1978, he returned as a

Civil Service The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil service offic ...

employee to his previous position as director of Marine Corps History and Museums. Brigadier General Simmons died on May 5, 2007, at his home in Alexandria, Virginia. He is survived by his wife, the former Frances G. Bliss of Denver, Colorado, two sons, Edwin H. Jr., and Clarke V., and two daughters, Bliss and Courtney.

Memberships

He was a fellow, governor, and treasurer of the

Company of Military Historians The Company of Military Historians is a non-profit organization in the United States whose mission is to disseminate "information on the uniforms, equipment, history, and traditions of members of the Armed Forces of the United States worldwide and ...

and a member of the boards of trustees of the

American Military Institute The Society for Military History is a United States–based international organization of scholars who research, write, and teach military history of all time periods and places. It includes naval history, air power history, and studies of techno ...

, the Marine Corps War Memorial Foundation, and the United States Commission on Military History. He also served as president of the 1st Marine Division Association, president of the American Society of Military Comptrollers, and vice-president of the National War College Alumni Association. In 1970, he received a Centennial Distinguished Graduate Medallion from Ohio State University.

Publications

Simmons wrote for numerous military and general publications, including the ''

Naval Review A Naval Review is an event where select vessels and assets of the United States Navy are paraded to be reviewed by the President of the United States or the Secretary of the Navy. Due to the geographic distance separating the modern U.S. Na ...

'', '' Naval Institute Proceedings'', ''

'', ''Sea Power'', and Army. He was the author of the history, The United States Marines'' (published in London, 1974; and New York, 1976) and contributed extensively to various histories and standard works including the ''

Encyclopædia Britannica The is a general knowledge, general-knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It has been published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. since 1768, although the company has changed ownership seven times. The 2010 version of the 15th edition, ...

'' and the ''Dictionary of American History''. His novel, ''Dog Company Six'', received the W.Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction from the

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world. History 19th century ...

in 2001,http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/awards/2/all_years Boyd Award Recipients List and the Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature in 2000.

Honors

In May 2013, construction began for the Senator John W. Warner Center for Advanced

Military Studies Military science is the study of military processes, institutions, and behavior, along with the study of warfare, and the theory and application of organized coercive force. It is mainly focused on theory, method, and practice of producing mi ...

Marine Corps University Marine Corps University is a military education university system of the United States Marine Corps. It is part of the Naval University System and accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools t ...

Quantico, Virginia Quantico (; formerly Potomac) is a town in southeastern Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 578 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Quantico is approximately 35 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., bound ...

. A portion of this facility will house the Brigadier General Edwin H. Simmons Center for Marine Corps History. The Simmons Center will consolidate resources from the Marine Corps History Division and the Archives and Special Collections Branch, currently held in three locations, into one facility.

Military awards

Simmons's military decorations and awards include:

Selected works by Edwin H. Simmons

* * A novel about the Korean War. * * * History of Marines at the Battle of Soissons during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. *

Notes

References

: * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Simmons, Edwin H. 1921 births 2007 deaths Lehigh University alumni United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II United States Marine Corps personnel of the Korean War United States Marine Corps personnel of the Vietnam War American military historians Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Legion of Merit American recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam) United States Marine Corps generals 5 Simmons, Edwin H. United States naval attachés American male non-fiction writers Ohio State University School of Communication alumni Paulsboro High School alumni People from Paulsboro, New Jersey 20th-century American male writers Historians from New Jersey Military personnel from Gloucester County, New Jersey Writers from Gloucester County, New Jersey