QPME: The Lessons and Legacy of General John A. Lejeune

General Lejeune inspects Marine Corps Aviation units at Brown Field. (USMC Photo)

Marine Aviators celebrate the 153rd Birthday of the Marine Corps in Nicaragua. General Lejeune insisted that Marine Aviation be part of any major Marine deployment. (USMC Photo)

General Lejeune being presented with the Croix de Guerre, for his heroic leadership at Blanc Mont. (USMC Photo)

General Lejeune always felt his participation in World War I to be the most significant event in his career. As commander of the 2d Division in France, Lejeune led both Marines and Army units in three major battles.

Under his leadership, the 2d Division proved to be one of the great combat units of the war. Members of the division received Seven Medals of Honor, 675 Distinguished Service Crosses, and 2,740 Croix de Guerre. The division advanced over 60 kilometers in breaking through the German defenses, more than any other American division, capturing over 1800 prisoners and a large amount of German equipment.

General Lejeune plans the St Mihiel offensive, September 1918. This attack was the first major action of the 2d Division under Lejeune’s command.

"I believe it to be almost universally accepted as sound policy that the cultivation of athletics in a military organization is extremely beneficial to the personnel from the standpoint both of improved physique and improved morale."

- John A. Lejeune

The Marine Baseball Team played the U.S. Army III Corps at Quantico on September 9, 1922, in the second of a three-game series for the Southern Atlantic States Military Baseball Championship. Lejeune lent his support from the dugout. The Marine team won the series.