John Thaddeus Walker
Lieutenant General, U.S. Marine Corps

John Thaddeus Walker was born on 15 September 1893 in Texas. The Texas native entered the U.S. Marine Corps in 1917 from Texas A&M College.

Walker, who was Commandant of the San Diego Marine Recruit Depot at the time of his retirement, held the Navy Cross for gallantry in leading the 22nd Regiment in the assault of Eniwetok in World War II.

Navy Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Colonel John T. Walker (MCSN: 0-1205), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of the Twenty-Second Marines (Reinforced), attached to Tactical Group-ONE, FIFTH Amphibious Corps, during the assault against enemy Japanese-held Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands, 18 and 22 February 1944. Placing his command in action against determined and desperate resistance, Colonel Walker led the assault against the Island of Engebi on 18 February. In the fierce hand-to-hand fighting that followed, the Twenty-Second Marines killed the defending garrison of approximately one thousand Japanese, effecting the reduction and capture of the island in about six hours. Four days later the regiment under Colonel Walker's command invaded Parry Island, destroying over a thousand defenders in desperate close-in fighting and capturing the island on which was based the Eniwetok Headquarters of the Japanese Army. By his gallantry in action, his courageous and forceful leadership and his calm disregard for his own personal safety under terrific fire of the enemy, Colonel Walker was directly instrumental in neutralizing an important hostile stronghold, and his distinguished service throughout the operations was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Death and Burial

Lieutenant General John Thaddeus Walker died on 22 February 1955 at the Naval Hospital in San Diego, CA. He was 61. He is interred at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, in San Diego. [The Dallas Morning News, Tuesday, 1 March 1955]

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