Lieutenant General Alan Shapley ( Alan Herreshoff; February 9, 1903 – May 13, 1973) was a United States Marine Corps officer who survived the sinking of the during the World War II attack on Pearl Harbor, and went on to serve with distinction in the Pacific Theater and later in the Korean War. He was awarded the Silver Star for his gallantry on December 7, 1941, and later the Navy Cross for his extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Guam. His last command was as the commanding general of the Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Shapley, who competed in football, basketball and track at the United States Naval Academy, was active in athletics throughout his career. He coached and played on the All-Marine Corps football teams of 1927 and 1928, refereed U.S. Fleet boxing events for three years, and coached or participated in football, basketball, baseball and boxing at most of his duty stations before World War II.
Early life
Alan Shapley was born on February 9, 1903, in Manhattan, New York, to Charles Frederick Herreshoff II (1876–1954) and Elizabeth Harrison McCormick (1886–1938). His mother divorced his father August 1, 1912, in Philadelphia, and – on November 6, 1912, on Mare Island, California – married Lloyd Stowell Shapley (1875–1959), a naval officer, who, among other things, went on to serve as the 26th Naval Governor of Guam, from April 7, 1926, to June 11, 1929.
Alan's early schooling was in Vallejo, California. He was graduated from the Peddie School at Hightstown, New Jersey, in 1922. He then entered the Naval Academy, where he was a star football player. He graduated from the Academy on June 2, 1927, receiving his commission as a Marine second lieutenant. Many of his classmates from the Naval Academy became general officers later: George W. Anderson Jr., Glynn R. Donaho, John C. Munn, Herbert D. Riley, 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, Francis M. McAlister, David F. O'Neill, Henry R. Paige, Samuel S. Jack, Jack P. Juhan, Walter L. J. Bayler, Joseph W. Earnshaw, Harold D. Hansen, Archie E. O'Neil, George H. Potter, Richard P. Ross Jr., Miles S. Newton and Earl S. Piper.
Marine Corps career
After further training at the academy, duty at Quantico, Virginia, and completion of the Marine officers' Basic School at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Lieutenant Shapley sailed for Hawaii in January 1929 to begin almost three years of duty at the Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor. He returned to the United States in October 1931, and served in various capacities at San Diego, California, before taking command of the Marine Detachment aboard the USS San Francisco in January 1934. He was promoted to first lieutenant that same month. Detached from the San Francisco in June 1936, he returned to Quantico where he served as aide-de-camp to the commanding general of the Marine barracks. He was promoted to captain in July 1936.
In June 1937, Captain Shapley entered the Junior Course of the Marine Corps Schools at Quantico. He completed the course in May 1938, and was ordered to San Francisco, California, as aide-de-camp to the commanding general, Department of the Pacific. After serving in that capacity until July 1939, he served as Operations, Training and Intelligence Officer of the Department of the Pacific until May 1940. A month later he departed for Hawaii where he took command of the Marine detachment on the USS Arizona. He was promoted to major in August 1941.
World War II
On December 7, 1941, Major Shapley was the senior marine on board the in Pearl Harbor. The previous day, he had been relieved as detachment commander, but had stayed on the ship to play on the ship's baseball team's scheduled game against the Enterprise team. When a torpedo hit the port bow of the Arizona, Shapley was thrown from the foremast at least 100 feet through the air into the water; he was able to swim to Ford Island and to rescue two shipmates along the way. He was one of eight Marine Corps survivors from the Arizona, becoming the ranking Marine Corps officer in the Pacific at the time. For his gallantry on that day, he was awarded the Silver Star.
Two days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Shapley sailed for San Diego to become personnel officer to the Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in August 1942.