LeRoy P. Hunt

American Marine Corps general

LeRoy Philip Hunt (March 17, 1892 – February 8, 1968) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Marine Corps with the rank of general. A veteran of World War I, he was decorated with the Navy Cross and Army Distinguished Service Cross, the United States military's two second highest decorations awarded for valor in combat. Hunt later served on Guadalcanal as commanding officer, 5th Marine Regiment during World War II, but was relieved of command due to poor leadership. However he restored his career later and distinguished himself as commanding general, 2nd Marine Division at the end of War and during the Occupation of Japan. He completed his service as commanding general, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic in 1951.

LeRoy P. Hunt was born on March 17, 1892, in Newark, New Jersey, as the son of Philip and Charlotte Hunt, but he grew up in Berkeley, California. He completed the public and high schools there and later attended the University of California. He embarked for France in August 1917 and arrived to St. Nazaire, where his unit was tasked with the unloading of cargo from U. S. convoy ships. Hunt participated in the intensive training with French elite mountain infantry, Chasseurs Alpins. The training was focused on offensive and defensive trench warfare, including trench construction, grenade throwing, bayonet fighting, gas mask drill, weapons firing at land targets and airplanes and artillery and infantry artillery demonstrations. He was promoted to captain by that time. Hunt and his unit were ordered to the trenches in quiet Toulon Sector, southeast of Verdun in mid March 1918 and remained there until the end of May. During the Battle of Belleau Wood in June of that year, Hunt was gassed and evacuated to the rear. He rejoined his unit few days later and resumed his duties as commanding officer of 17th Company. Hunt led his company during the Battle of Soissons in July 1918 and was tasked with the capture of Translor Farm southwest of the town of Chaudun. Following his recovery, Hunt resumed again command of 17th Company and led it during the Battle of Saint Mihiel in mid September 1918. For his previous two wounds, he was later decorated with the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster. The First battalion, 5th Marines including Hunt's 17th Company arrived to the area on October 1 with the rest of 4th Marine Brigade and captured the Essen trench without resistance on the following day. During the advance toward the Essen trench, Hunt distinguished himself during the capturing of the village of Somme Py and received his second Silver Star for the leadership of his company. In February 1941, Hunt was transferred to the newly activated 2nd Marine Division under Major General Clayton B. Vogel and served as commanding officer of the Divisional Special and Service Troops for few months. While in this capacity, he was also on temporary duty on Iceland with 1st Provisional Marine Brigade in June 1941. Shortly thereafter, 1st Marine Division participated in the amphibious exercise at Onslow Beach, North Carolina. The exercise did not go well, because of the problems with landing boats and insufficient ground warfare training of First Division men. Hunt's and Torrey's leadership was criticized by some of Divisional staff, mostly by Operations officer, lieutenant colonel Gerald C. Thomas.

Hunt was subsequently ordered back to the South Pacific and joined the 2nd Marine Division under Major General Thomas E. Watson as assistant division commander. The division was stationed in the Mariana Islands and had conducted mopping up operations on Saipan against scattered remnants of the enemy. Hunt remained on Saipan until the end of March 1945, when 2nd Marine Division was ordered to Okinawa. The Second Division did not go ashore and remained as a floating reserve of U. S. Tenth Army, and made feints along the southern approaches to Okinawa. The division was ordered back to Saipan in mid April 1945 and remained there until September of that year. Some parts of the division took part in the mopping up operations on Okinawa and also made unopposed landings on the islands of Iheya and Aguni.

Hunt was promoted to the rank of major general on June 23, 1945, and succeeded major general Watson in command of 2nd Marine Division. He sailed with his division to Japan in September 1945 and assume control of Nagasaki, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima Prefectures in southern Kyushu. His main task was to supervise the repatriation and demobilization of returning Japanese from Manchukuo and China. His zone of occupation was expanded to highly industrialized prefecture of Kumamoto in central Kyushu in October 1945 and following the withdrawal of 5th Marine Division in early 1946, the Second Marine Division would be the only major Marine unit remaining on occupation duty in southern Japan. For his service in early occupation of Kyushu, Hunt received the Bronze Star Medal. In January 1947, Hunt was transferred to San Francisco, where he assumed duty as commanding general, Department of the Pacific. This command was responsible for the administration, training and equipment of the Marine Corps Units on the West Coast, 14th Naval District (Hawaii and outlying Pacific islands) and all non Fleet Marine Force units in the Pacific Ocean Area. He held that command until July 1, 1949, when he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and appointed commanding general, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic with headquarters at Norfolk Navy Yard. While in this capacity, he held operational control over the 2nd Marine Division, the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, and the 2nd Marine Logistics Group until his retirement on July 1, 1951. Upon his retirement, Hunt was advanced again to the rank of four star general for having been specially commended in combat. He was appointed Commissioner of State Building and Loan Commission in mid 1953 and remained in that capacity for several years, before he retired for second time. General LeRoy P. Hunt died on February 8, 1968, and is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California, together with his wife Hazel Alma Orr Hunt (1892–1970). They were survived by their son, LeRoy P. Hunt Jr. who also served in the Marines and was decorated with the Silver Star on Saipan and Bronze Star Medal in China and retired from active duty as colonel.