Alexander Vandegrift
1887 – 1973

Alexander Vandegrift

United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient and Commandant of the Marine Corps (1887–1973)

military commandermilitary officer
Born
1887-03-13, Charlottesville
Died
1973-05-08
Birthplace state
Virginia

Biography

Alexander Archer Vandegrift was born in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1887 and died in 1973. A Marine Corps officer who rose to four-star general rank, he commanded the 1st Marine Division during the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942, the service's first ground offensive of World War II. He received the Navy Cross for his actions on August 7, 1942, in the Solomon Islands, and the Medal of Honor for his service in the Solomon Islands campaign from August through December 1942. Vandegrift served as Commandant of the Marine Corps from January 1944 to December 1947, and became the first active-duty Marine promoted to four-star general in April 1945.

Occupation

Alexander Vandegrift is recorded as a military commander and a military officer, born in Virginia (1887–1973).

Connections to Virginia

Alexander Vandegrift was born in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1887. Explore other notable figures from Virginia, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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More notable figures from Virginia

Other historical figures born in Virginia, ranked by historical prominence.

George Washington
George Washington
founding Father and first U.S. president; soldier and slave owner (1732–1799)
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
president of the United States from 1801 to 1809 (1743–1826)
James Madison
James Madison
President of the United States from 1809 to 1817 (1751–1836)
James Monroe
James Monroe
president of the United States from 1817 to 1825 (1758–1831)
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
president of the United States from 1849 to 1850
John Tyler
John Tyler
president of the United States from 1841 to 1845
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
president of the United States in 1841

Frequently asked about Alexander Vandegrift

Who was Alexander Vandegrift?
Alexander Vandegrift was United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient and Commandant of the Marine Corps (1887–1973), born in Virginia (1887 – 1973).
When and where was Alexander Vandegrift born?
Alexander Vandegrift was born on 1887-03-13 in Charlottesville.
When did Alexander Vandegrift die?
Alexander died on 1973-05-08.
What was Alexander Vandegrift known for?
Alexander Vandegrift is recorded as a military commander and a military officer.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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