Ralph Birchard DeWitt (June 8, 1901 – January 2, 1974) was an officer in the

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 ...

with the rank of brigadier general. The

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...

graduate, he spent his career mostly in Quartermaster Department and completed his service as commanding general, Marine Supply Center Barstow.

Early career

DeWitt was born on June 8, 1901, in Newfane, Vermont, as the son of Frank Austin and Lena Ware DeWitt. He attended the high school in

Chester, Vermont Chester is a New England town, town in Windsor County, Vermont, Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,005 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. History The town was originally chartered by New Hampshire Governor Be ...

, and subsequently received appointment to the

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is the county seat of Anne Arundel County and its only incorporated city. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...

, in July 1918. DeWitt graduated in June 1922 with bachelor's degree and was commissioned second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on that date. During his time at the academy, DeWitt was active in fencing and also was a member of the editorial staff of the Log, the Midshipmen magazine. Many of his classmates became general officers later:

Hyman G. Rickover Hyman G. Rickover (27 January 1900 – 8 July 1986) was an admiral in the United States Navy. He directed the original development of naval nuclear propulsion and controlled its operations for three decades as director of the U.S. Naval Reacto ...

, Robert E. Blick Jr., Herbert S. Duckworth, Clayton C. Jerome, James P. Riseley, James A. Stuart,

Frank Peak Akers Frank Peak Akers (March 28, 1901 – March 22, 1988) was an American naval rear admiral who was the first aviator to make an instrument landing aboard an aircraft carrier. Military career Frank Akers graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1922 a ...

, Sherman Clark,

Raymond P. Coffman Raymond Paul Coffman (December 19, 1899 – December 17, 1973) was a decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general. He is most noted as quartermaster of 1st Marine Division during Pacific War. Coffman later b ...

, Delbert S. Cornwell, Frederick J. Eckhoff, Hugh H. Goodwin,

John Higgins John Higgins (born 18 May 1975) is a Scottish professional snooker player from Wishaw in North Lanarkshire. Since turning professional in 1992, he has won 33 ranking titles, placing him in third position on the List of snooker players by num ...

Vernon Huber Vernon Huber (August 28, 1899 – June 17, 1967) was a United States Navy rear admiral, and the governor of American Samoa from April 22, 1947, to June 15, 1949. He was born in Philadelphia, Illinois, and was appointed to the United States N ...

, Michael J. Malanaphy, William S. Parsons, Albert K. Morehouse, Harold F. Pullen, Harold R. Stevens, John P. Whitney, Lyman G. Miller and George J. O'Shea. Following his graduation, DeWitt was ordered to

the Basic School The Basic School (TBS) is where all newly commissioned and appointed (for warrant officers) United States Marine Corps officers are taught the basics of being an "Officer of Marines." The Basic School is located in Stafford County, Virginia to ...

at Marine Barracks Quantico for basic officer training, which he completed in April 1923. He was then attached to the

2nd Marine Regiment The 2nd Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. They are based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expeditionary Force. O ...

and ordered with 1st Marine Brigade to

Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...

. DeWitt participated in the jungle patrols against Cacos bandits until May 1925, when he returned to the United States. Upon his return stateside, DeWitt assumed duty as detachment commander of the Marine barracks at

Naval Submarine Base New London Naval Submarine Base New London is the primary United States Navy East Coast submarine base, also known as the "Home of the Submarine Force." It is located in Groton, Connecticut directly across the Thames River from its namesake city of New L ...

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

. He held this assignment until August 1926, when he was transferred to the Marine barracks at Naval Ammunition Depot at

Dover, Delaware Dover ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and the List of municipalities in Delaware, second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, Delaware, Kent County and the princ ...

. While in this capacity, he was promoted to first lieutenant on October 1, 1926. A tour of duty with the recruiting office in

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...

, followed in March 1927 when he was appointed Officer-in-Charge of the Recruiting Office. DeWitt was appointed commander of the Marine detachment aboard the cruiser USS ''Denver'' in May 1928 and served ashore on the East Coast of

Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...

expeditionary duty during the restoration of order during a period of rebel uprisings. Due to Great Depression and cuts in the Marine Corps budget, DeWitt was forced to resign his commission in the Marine Corps on April 9, 1930. He subsequently entered the Marine Corps Reserve and rose to the rank of captain during the next ten years. During his civilian career, DeWitt worked as an electrical rate engineer for Virginia Public Service Company in

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in Northern Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Washington, D.C., D.C. The city's population of 159,467 at the 2020 ...

, until summer 1940. For his service with the

Marine Corps Reserve The Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES or MFR), also known as the United States Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) and the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, is the reserve force of the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Corps Reserve is an expedi ...

, DeWitt received

Reserve Good Conduct Medal A Reserve Good Conduct Medal refers to any one of the five military conduct awards, four of which are currently issued and one of which was previously issued, by the United States Armed Forces to members of the Reserve and National Guard. The pr ...

World War II

DeWitt was recalled to active duty as a major on August 1, 1940, and was ordered to the

Industrial College of the Armed Forces The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy (Eisenhower School), formerly known as the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF), is a part of the National Defense University (Washington, D.C.), National Defens ...

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, for instruction. Upon the graduation in December of that year, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed officer in charge of War Plans and Statistical Division, Quartermaster Department,

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 ...

. DeWitt served under Major General Seth Williams until August 1944 and during that period, he was promoted to colonel in April 1944. He was subsequently ordered to

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

, where he joined 8th Field Depot as commanding officer of Rear Echelon. He was later reassigned at Pearl Harbor to become officer in charge of Planning Division, Supply Service,

Fleet Marine Force, Pacific The Fleet Marine Force, Pacific (FMFPAC) is the largest maritime landing force in the world. Its units are spread across the Pacific Ocean and reports to the United States Pacific Command. It is headquartered at Camp H. M. Smith, MCB Camp H. ...

under Lieutenant General

Holland Smith Holland McTyeire "Howlin' Mad" Smith, Order of the Bath, KCB (April 20, 1882 – January 12, 1967) was a General officer, general in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He is sometimes called the "father" of modern United St ...

. DeWitt remained in that capacity until June 1945 and received the

Navy Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fift ...

for his service at Pearl Harbor.

Later service

DeWitt saw duty on

Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...

from July to September 1945 as Chief of Supply, Marine Corps Section, U.S. Army Forces, Western Pacific, in connection with advanced planning with the army for the intended invasion of

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. He returned to the United States in February 1946 and was appointed Officer-in-Charge of the Supply Division, Depot of Supplies, Philadelphia. He served under Brigadier General Leonard E. Rea and was selected for integration into the Regular Marine Corps in July 1946. He was transferred to

Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major 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 Diego County and is bordered by ...

in July 1946 and assumed command of Supply Depot there. DeWitt was ordered to the

Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associa ...

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...

, in July 1952 and completed a course in strategy and logistics one year later. He was subsequently transferred to

, and attached to the Supply Department at

. DeWitt served as assistant to the executive officer of the supply department and was promoted to brigadier general on July 1, 1956. DeWitt assumed his final assignment as commanding general of Marine Supply Center Barstow in February 1957. In this capacity, he commanded 2,300 civilian personnel and 1,300 Marines and was responsible for the supplying of all Marine Forces West of

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

. His command handled the maintenance of physical facilities and provided approximately 840 pieces of motorized vehicles, including trucks and warehouse equipment. Further, his Repair Division of the center provided repair services and overhaul for

LVT LVT may refer to: * Land value tax, a levy on the value of land * Landing Vehicle Tracked The Amphibious Vehicle, Tracked (LVT or AMTRAC) is an amphibious warfare vehicle and Amphibious vehicle, amphibious landing craft, introduced by the ...

s, tanks, buses and trucks.

Retirement and death

DeWitt retired from the Marine Corps on August 1, 1958, after almost 30 years of service and settled in

Alameda County, California Alameda County ( ) is a List of counties in California, county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 1,682,353, making it the 7th-most populous county in the state and List ...

, and worked as secretary for Pacific State Mortgage Company. He then moved back to Vermont, where he died on January 2, 1974, in the town of

Brattleboro Brattleboro (), originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States, located about north of the Massachusetts state line at the confluence of Vermont's West River and the Connecticut River. With a 2022 Census populat ...

. He is buried at Morningside Cemetery together with his wife, Helen Bliss DeWitt (1901–1970). They had together three sons: Birchard B., Randolph A. and John B.

Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Brigadier General DeWitt:

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:DeWitt, Ralph B. 1901 births 1974 deaths People from Newfane, Vermont United States Naval Academy alumni Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy alumni Naval War College alumni United States Marine Corps Quartermaster Officers United States Marine Corps generals American military personnel of the Banana Wars United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II Burials at Arlington National Cemetery