Lt. Gen. Alan Shapley, USMC, was a highly decorated veteran of World War II and the Korean conflict.
Born on Feb 9, 1903 in Manhattan, New York to Elizabeth Harrison (McCormick) and Charles Frederick Herreshoff, his parents divorced in August 1912 and his mother remarried naval officer Lloyd Stowell Shapley (1875-1959) a few months later. In 1927, Alan received his commission as a Marine second lieutenant from the U.S. Naval Academy, where he had starred in football, basketball and track. He was active in athletics - competing, coaching, and refereeing - throughout his Marine Corps career.
On December 7, 1941, then-Major Shapley was the senior Marine on board the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor. One of eight Marine survivors from the Arizona, he was awarded the Silver Star for heroism when, in the water after the ship was bombed and burning, he disregarded enemy strafing to rescue one of his men from drowning. In the Pacific Theater, he led the 2nd Marine Raider Regiment at Bougainville, earning the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for outstanding service in November 1943, and later organized the 4th Marines, which he commanded at Emirau, Guam and Okinawa. As as a lieutenant colonel commanding the 4th Marines (Reinforced) on Guam from Jul 21 to Aug 10, 1944, he was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism. He also earned a second Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for outstanding service at Okinawa, where then-Colonel Shapley lead the 4th Marines in the capture of Naha airfield.
General Shapley served with the Atlantic Fleet Marine Force and later was chief of staff of the Recruit Depot at San Diego. He served on NATO's international planning staff, and earned the Bronze Star with Combat "V" for meritorious service as chief of staff of the 1st Marine Division in Korea. For subsequent service as senior advisor to the Korean Marine Corps, he was awarded the Republic of Korea's Ulchi Medal with Silver Star.
Gen. Shapley later commanded the 3rd Marine Division, was director of the Marine Corps Reserve, and was commanding general of the Marine Corps Base at Camp Pendleton. He was promoted to his final rank of lieutenant general in April 1961 upon assuming duties as commanding general, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. He served in this capacity until his retirement on July 1, 1962, at which time he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.
Following his retirement from the military, General Shapley taught at Bullis School, then located in Silver Spring, Maryland. Founded by Naval Commander William F. Bullis in 1930, Bullis School was originally a prep school for young men seeking acceptance to the United States Naval Academy.
He died on May 13, 1973 of lung cancer at the Bethesda Naval Hospital, and was survived by his wife, Eleanore (Oll) Shapley, their daughter, and son. His cremains were scattered at sea off Point Reyes, California on June 25, 1973 with military honors conducted by the Marine Detachment, USS Midway.
Born on Feb 9, 1903 in Manhattan, New York to Elizabeth Harrison (McCormick) and Charles Frederick Herreshoff, his parents divorced in August 1912 and his mother remarried naval officer Lloyd Stowell Shapley (1875-1959) a few months later. In 1927, Alan received his commission as a Marine second lieutenant from the U.S. Naval Academy, where he had starred in football, basketball and track. He was active in athletics - competing, coaching, and refereeing - throughout his Marine Corps career.
On December 7, 1941, then-Major Shapley was the senior Marine on board the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor. One of eight Marine survivors from the Arizona, he was awarded the Silver Star for heroism when, in the water after the ship was bombed and burning, he disregarded enemy strafing to rescue one of his men from drowning. In the Pacific Theater, he led the 2nd Marine Raider Regiment at Bougainville, earning the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for outstanding service in November 1943, and later organized the 4th Marines, which he commanded at Emirau, Guam and Okinawa. As as a lieutenant colonel commanding the 4th Marines (Reinforced) on Guam from Jul 21 to Aug 10, 1944, he was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism. He also earned a second Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for outstanding service at Okinawa, where then-Colonel Shapley lead the 4th Marines in the capture of Naha airfield.
General Shapley served with the Atlantic Fleet Marine Force and later was chief of staff of the Recruit Depot at San Diego. He served on NATO's international planning staff, and earned the Bronze Star with Combat "V" for meritorious service as chief of staff of the 1st Marine Division in Korea. For subsequent service as senior advisor to the Korean Marine Corps, he was awarded the Republic of Korea's Ulchi Medal with Silver Star.
Gen. Shapley later commanded the 3rd Marine Division, was director of the Marine Corps Reserve, and was commanding general of the Marine Corps Base at Camp Pendleton. He was promoted to his final rank of lieutenant general in April 1961 upon assuming duties as commanding general, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. He served in this capacity until his retirement on July 1, 1962, at which time he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.
Following his retirement from the military, General Shapley taught at Bullis School, then located in Silver Spring, Maryland. Founded by Naval Commander William F. Bullis in 1930, Bullis School was originally a prep school for young men seeking acceptance to the United States Naval Academy.
He died on May 13, 1973 of lung cancer at the Bethesda Naval Hospital, and was survived by his wife, Eleanore (Oll) Shapley, their daughter, and son. His cremains were scattered at sea off Point Reyes, California on June 25, 1973 with military honors conducted by the Marine Detachment, USS Midway.
Lt. Gen. Alan Shapley, USMC, was a highly decorated veteran of World War II and the Korean conflict.
Born on Feb 9, 1903 in Manhattan, New York to Elizabeth Harrison (McCormick) and Charles Frederick Herreshoff, his parents divorced in August 1912 and his mother remarried naval officer Lloyd Stowell Shapley (1875-1959) a few months later. In 1927, Alan received his commission as a Marine second lieutenant from the U.S. Naval Academy, where he had starred in football, basketball and track. He was active in athletics - competing, coaching, and refereeing - throughout his Marine Corps career.
On December 7, 1941, then-Major Shapley was the senior Marine on board the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor. One of eight Marine survivors from the Arizona, he was awarded the Silver Star for heroism when, in the water after the ship was bombed and burning, he disregarded enemy strafing to rescue one of his men from drowning. In the Pacific Theater, he led the 2nd Marine Raider Regiment at Bougainville, earning the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for outstanding service in November 1943, and later organized the 4th Marines, which he commanded at Emirau, Guam and Okinawa. As as a lieutenant colonel commanding the 4th Marines (Reinforced) on Guam from Jul 21 to Aug 10, 1944, he was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism. He also earned a second Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for outstanding service at Okinawa, where then-Colonel Shapley lead the 4th Marines in the capture of Naha airfield.
General Shapley served with the Atlantic Fleet Marine Force and later was chief of staff of the Recruit Depot at San Diego. He served on NATO's international planning staff, and earned the Bronze Star with Combat "V" for meritorious service as chief of staff of the 1st Marine Division in Korea. For subsequent service as senior advisor to the Korean Marine Corps, he was awarded the Republic of Korea's Ulchi Medal with Silver Star.
Gen. Shapley later commanded the 3rd Marine Division, was director of the Marine Corps Reserve, and was commanding general of the Marine Corps Base at Camp Pendleton. He was promoted to his final rank of lieutenant general in April 1961 upon assuming duties as commanding general, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. He served in this capacity until his retirement on July 1, 1962, at which time he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.
Following his retirement from the military, General Shapley taught at Bullis School, then located in Silver Spring, Maryland. Founded by Naval Commander William F. Bullis in 1930, Bullis School was originally a prep school for young men seeking acceptance to the United States Naval Academy.
He died on May 13, 1973 of lung cancer at the Bethesda Naval Hospital, and was survived by his wife, Eleanore (Oll) Shapley, their daughter, and son. His cremains were scattered at sea off Point Reyes, California on June 25, 1973 with military honors conducted by the Marine Detachment, USS Midway.
Born on Feb 9, 1903 in Manhattan, New York to Elizabeth Harrison (McCormick) and Charles Frederick Herreshoff, his parents divorced in August 1912 and his mother remarried naval officer Lloyd Stowell Shapley (1875-1959) a few months later. In 1927, Alan received his commission as a Marine second lieutenant from the U.S. Naval Academy, where he had starred in football, basketball and track. He was active in athletics - competing, coaching, and refereeing - throughout his Marine Corps career.
On December 7, 1941, then-Major Shapley was the senior Marine on board the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor. One of eight Marine survivors from the Arizona, he was awarded the Silver Star for heroism when, in the water after the ship was bombed and burning, he disregarded enemy strafing to rescue one of his men from drowning. In the Pacific Theater, he led the 2nd Marine Raider Regiment at Bougainville, earning the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for outstanding service in November 1943, and later organized the 4th Marines, which he commanded at Emirau, Guam and Okinawa. As as a lieutenant colonel commanding the 4th Marines (Reinforced) on Guam from Jul 21 to Aug 10, 1944, he was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism. He also earned a second Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for outstanding service at Okinawa, where then-Colonel Shapley lead the 4th Marines in the capture of Naha airfield.
General Shapley served with the Atlantic Fleet Marine Force and later was chief of staff of the Recruit Depot at San Diego. He served on NATO's international planning staff, and earned the Bronze Star with Combat "V" for meritorious service as chief of staff of the 1st Marine Division in Korea. For subsequent service as senior advisor to the Korean Marine Corps, he was awarded the Republic of Korea's Ulchi Medal with Silver Star.
Gen. Shapley later commanded the 3rd Marine Division, was director of the Marine Corps Reserve, and was commanding general of the Marine Corps Base at Camp Pendleton. He was promoted to his final rank of lieutenant general in April 1961 upon assuming duties as commanding general, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. He served in this capacity until his retirement on July 1, 1962, at which time he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.
Following his retirement from the military, General Shapley taught at Bullis School, then located in Silver Spring, Maryland. Founded by Naval Commander William F. Bullis in 1930, Bullis School was originally a prep school for young men seeking acceptance to the United States Naval Academy.
He died on May 13, 1973 of lung cancer at the Bethesda Naval Hospital, and was survived by his wife, Eleanore (Oll) Shapley, their daughter, and son. His cremains were scattered at sea off Point Reyes, California on June 25, 1973 with military honors conducted by the Marine Detachment, USS Midway.
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Cremated and cremains scattered in the Pacific Ocean from the USS Midway
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