JAMES G. MARSHALL, CAPT, USN

James Marshall '32

Date of birth: May 8, 1910

Date of death: June 10, 1951

Age: 41

Lucky Bag

From the 1932 Lucky Bag:

JAMES GILBERT MARSHALL

Nashville, Tennessee

"Jim"

"Hey, you! Where are you from?" A big broad smile comes over Jim's face and he answers:

"Tennessee, sir."

"I thought so."

Although the Chesapeake Bay was the first body of salt water this stalwart son of the Volunteer state had ever seen, it was a lucky day for the "ole Nyvee" when he decided that the life of one of Uncle Sam's "spoiled and pampered pets" would be the one for him. Coming to the Academy direct from Hume-Fogg High School, he expected to find the Academic Departments good ones for a fight. The first month, however, convinced him that he had the upper hand.

He went out for crew his Plebe year, and because of his long arms and strong back had no difficulty landing a seat in the first shell. Unfortunately for Navy crew he had to turn in at the hospital just before the season opened, and that ended his efforts for an "N" with crossed oars.

Because of his physical and mental fitness and a natural ambition for a naval career, we feel that Jim's name should be among those we predict as future admirals.

Crew; Class Football; Radio Club; 2 P. O.

JAMES GILBERT MARSHALL

Nashville, Tennessee

"Jim"

"Hey, you! Where are you from?" A big broad smile comes over Jim's face and he answers:

"Tennessee, sir."

"I thought so."

Although the Chesapeake Bay was the first body of salt water this stalwart son of the Volunteer state had ever seen, it was a lucky day for the "ole Nyvee" when he decided that the life of one of Uncle Sam's "spoiled and pampered pets" would be the one for him. Coming to the Academy direct from Hume-Fogg High School, he expected to find the Academic Departments good ones for a fight. The first month, however, convinced him that he had the upper hand.

He went out for crew his Plebe year, and because of his long arms and strong back had no difficulty landing a seat in the first shell. Unfortunately for Navy crew he had to turn in at the hospital just before the season opened, and that ended his efforts for an "N" with crossed oars.

Because of his physical and mental fitness and a natural ambition for a naval career, we feel that Jim's name should be among those we predict as future admirals.

Crew; Class Football; Radio Club; 2 P. O.

Loss

From the September 1951 issue of Shipmate:

CDR. JAMES GILBERT MARSHALL died on June 10, 1951 as a result of burns from pierside flash fire, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which claimed lives of seven men.
Commander Marshall was born May 10, 1910 in Nashville, Tenn. He holds the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit with V, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Letter of Commendation and the Croix de Guerre.
Commander Marshall was buried in Arlington Cemetery on June 22, 1951. His funeral service was conducted by R. Adm. Stanton Salisbury, Chief of Chaplains. Pall bearers were Capt. K. S. Masterson, Capt. W. T. Zink, Capt. Clayton Simmers, Capt. Gilbert Mitchell, Capt. A. A. Ovrom, Capt. George Wilson, Lt. Cdr. Philip Gutting, Lt. Cdr. Fred Williams and Lt. Cdr. William Arthur, classmates and officers who served with Commander Marshall in Guantanamo Bay.
Commander Marshall is survived by his widow, Mary Emma Allen Marshall and two children, James Allen, age 11 years, and Mary Lee, age 7 years. They are making their home for the present in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The fire occurred when gasoline on the water caught fire involving a Navy motor launch, tug and a Cuban fruit vendor’s boat.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

In his youth, James was known by his middle name Gilbert. He graduated from Hume Fogg high school in 1927. Appearance: Vacant. Familiar Saying: “Whatzis all about?” Favorite Occupation: Attending free lodge banquets. Excuse for Existing: Advertising the DeMolay. Greatest Ambition: To put something over on Miss Dortch. In the Class Prophecy: James spoke so low that the Senate held its breath for fear it might miss something.
On June 7, 1934, he married the former Mary Emma Allen of Chattanooga in Arlington Hall, Ballston, Virginia.
James was teaching mathematics at Annapolis when England declared war. He was immediately ordered to active duty to take part in the lend lease program by delivering ships to England.
From 1945 to 1948, he was a Naval ROTC instructor at Vanderbilt University. He was associate professor of Naval science and executive and battalion officer of the ROTC unit.
His father James was a city policeman, mother Bernice, and brother Ewing was also a city policeman. His father died in February, 1933; his mother in December, 1934.

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Photographs

From his high school yearbook
From the Nashville Banner on June 12, 1951
From the Nashville Banner on July 29, 1934
From The Tennessean on November 29, 1944

Career

He was the executive officer of Navy Reserve Air Base Miami from 1934 to 1937.

He was commanding officer of USS DuPont (DD 152) from Jan 25 1943 - Mar 17 1944. The ship was found to be the cause of a collision near the Brooklyn Navy Yard on March 12, 1943.

James was commanding officer of USS Doyle (DD 494) from Mar 26 1944 - Jun 30 1945.

Silver Star

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Commander James Gilbert Marshall (NSN: 0-71343), United States Navy, for meritorious performance of duty as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. DOYLE (DD-494), in action against the German coastal defenses and troop concentrations in the Bay of the Seine, France, on 6, 7, and 8 June 1944. As a unit of the Close Fire Support Group, the U.S.S. DOYLE closed the range to the beaches and while under enemy artillery fire delivered an accurate and effective fire on enemy artillery and mortar emplacements and on enemy troop concentrations which were firing on our troops on the landing beaches and holding up their advance. Commander Marshall skillfully and efficiently handled his ship and directed the fire of his batteries so that this Fire Support was of invaluable aid to our own forces. The courageous devotion to duty displayed by Commander Marshall reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander 12th Fleet: Serial 9465 (October 10, 1944)
Action Date: June 6 - 8, 1944
Service: Navy
Rank: Commander
Company: Commanding Officer
Division: U.S.S. Doyle (DD-494)

Legion of Merit

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" to Commander James Gilbert Marshall (NSN: 0-71343), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Commanding Officer, U.S.S. DUPONT, while engaged in action against an enemy submarine during 12 - 13 December 1943. Proceeding immediately to the scene of an airplane sighting of an enemy submarine, the U.S.S. DUPONT made contact with the enemy shortly after arriving in the area. Holding continuous contact for seven hours, Commander Marshall delivered several underwater attacks which resulted in severe damage to the enemy. Following the loss of contact after a total of twenty individual and coordinated attacks had been made, Commander Marshall participated in prolonged search and hold down operations which prevented the damaged enemy from escaping on the surface. As a result of the damage inflicted by the series of attacks and the restricting of the enemy to the immediate area by prompt, aggressive action taken during the night when the U-Boat attempted to surface, the submarine, unable to escape, was later relocated, attacked and destroyed. Commander Marshall's aggressiveness, zeal, and determination in attacking and searching for the enemy during two days of intensive operations were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Commander Marshall is authorized to wear the Combat "V".)
General Orders: Commander in Chief Atlantic: Serial 2970 (August 27, 1943)
Action Date: December 12 - 13, 1943
Service: Navy
Rank: Commander
Company: Commanding Officer
Division: U.S.S. Dupont

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.

The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.

The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.

Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.