Francis M. McAlister
Francis Marion McAlister (March 29, 1905 – September 2, 1965) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general. He distinguished himself several times during World War II and later received the Silver Star for gallantry in action in Korean War. McAlister concluded his career as commanding general of Department of the Pacific. Early career Francis M. McAlister was born on March 29, 1905, at Houck, Arizona, but his family later moved to Mississippi. He attended Mississippi Heights Academy at Blue Mountain and following graduation in 1922, he spent a year at Mississippi State College, before he entered the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. Following the four years of studies, McAlister graduated on June 2, 1927, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on the same date. Many of his classmates became general officers later: George W. Anderson, Jr., Glynn R. Donaho, John C. Munn, Herbert D. Riley, Alan Shapley, John Thach, Clarence E. Coffin, Samuel H. Crittenden Jr., Marion L. Dawson, Timothy F. Donohue, Thomas J. Hamilton, Herbert L. Hoerner, William P. Chilton, Alexander M. Kowalzyk, William L. Knickerbocker, Leland R. Lampman, William H. Leahy, William F. Royall, Willard A. Saunders, Brooke Schumm, Samuel S. Jack, Jack P. Juhan, David F. O'Neill, Henry R. Paige, George H. Potter, Walter L. J. Bayler, Joseph W. Earnshaw, Harold D. Hansen, Archie E. O'Neil, Richard P. Ross Jr., Miles S. Newton and Earl S. Piper. He was ordered to the Basic School at Philadelphia Navy Yard for his officer training and after finishing the instruction in January 1928, he was assigned to the 11th Marine Regiment under Colonel Robert H. Dunlap at Norfolk, Virginia. His regiment had been recently reactivated and attached to the 2nd Marine Brigade under Brigadier General Logan Feland. The 2nd Marine Brigade subsequently sailed to Nicaragua and participated in the operations against rebel forces under Augusto César Sandino in the vicinity of Corinto. McAlister distinguished himself and received the Nicaraguan Presidential Medal of Merit with a Diploma from the Government of Nicaragua. The 11th Marines were ordered stateside in August 1929 and subsequently deactivated. After a brief stay at Marine Corps Base Quantico, McAlister was assigned to the Marine detachment at President Hoover summer camp near Criglersville, Virginia, in September 1929. He remained in this capacity until the end of October 1932, when he received orders for another tour of expeditionary duty. McAlister was assigned to the 4th Marine Regiment under Colonel Emile P. Moses and sailed for China. While there, he participated in the guard duties at Shanghai International Settlement and was promoted to first lieutenant in November 1933. One month later, McAlister was appointed commander of the Marine detachment aboard the gunboat USS Asheville. This vessel had already served within Special Service Squadron, Asiatic Fleet in the Chinese waters and was tasked with the "protection of American lives and property". He finally returned stateside in June 1935, when he was assigned to the