Holcomb, Thomas, 1879-1965

Major General Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps from 1936 to 1944; U.S. minister to South Africa from 1944 to 1948.

Thomas Holcomb (b. Aug. 5, 1879, New Castle, Delaware-d. June 24, 1964), Major General in the U.S. Marine Corps, was commissioned in 1900. He served in the American Expeditionary Force in 1918 as battalion commander and executive officer in the 6th Marines and as commanding officer of Marines at the American legation in Shanghai from 1927 to 1930. He graduated from the Naval War College and the Army War College and served as Commandant of the Marine Corps School in 1935 and 1936. General Holcomb also was Ambassador to the Union of South Africa from 1944 to 1948. He was the first Marine to wear three stars and was promoted to full general, the first Marine to be so honored, when he retired in December 1943.