Leonard Baker Cresswell (July 18, 1901 – April 25, 1966) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general. He is most noted for his service as commanding officer of 1st Battalion, 1st Marines during Guadalcanal Campaign. Cresswell later served as commanding general of Troop Training Unit, Atlantic Fleet and completed his career as Director of the Staff of the Inter-American Defense Board.
Early career
Leonard B. Cresswell was born on July 18, 1901, in Lexington, Mississippi, and attended high school in Oxford, Mississippi, before he was transferred to Tupelo Military Institute. He graduated from the institute in summer of 1919 and subsequently enrolled the Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi. Cresswell graduated with bachelor's degree in summer 1924.
Cresswell was commissioned as second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on June 21, 1924, and ordered to the Basic School at Philadelphia Navy Yard for officer's training. He completed the school in June of the following year and was attached to Marine Corps Schools, Quantico as an instructor in Infantry Weapons School. Cresswell remained in that capacity until November of that year and then was ordered to the Marine Barrack at Norfolk Navy Yard, where served until November 1926. While there, he met his future wife, Emilia Field Belknap, daughter of Norfolk Yard Commandant, Captain Reginald R. Belknap. They were married on June 1, 1927, in Christ Church in Norfolk, Virginia.
He was subsequently attached to the Marine detachment aboard the battleship USS Pennsylvania, where he served until April 1928. Cresswell was then attached to the 4th Marine Regiment at Quantico and sailed for expeditionary duty to China in May 1929. He served three years with guard duties at Shanghai International Settlement and returned to the United States in July 1932.
Upon his return, Cresswell served with the Marine barracks at Brooklyn Navy Yard until May 1933, when he was ordered for Senior Course back to the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico. He then served as an instructor at the Basic School at Philadelphia Navy Yard until May 1939, when he was appointed commanding officer of the Marine detachment aboard the battleship USS Maryland. Cresswell was stationed at Hawaii and took part in the several patrol cruises along the West Coast.
World War II
At the beginning of July 1941, Cresswell was promoted to the rank of major and transferred to the staff of 1st Marine Division as adjutant to commanding general, Philip H. Torrey. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, division began with the preparation for deployment to South Pacific and got the new division commander, Major General Alexander Vandegrift in March 1942.
Cresswell was subsequently promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel and appointed commanding officer of 1st Battalion, 1st Marines under Colonel Clifton B. Cates. The 1st Marine Division deployed to South Pacific in June 1942 and remained on New Zealand for few weeks, before moved to Koro Island, Fiji to rehearse for Guadalcanal Operation.
The 1st Marines landed on Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942, and captured nearby airfield during the first day. During the night on August 21, Japanese troops launched a counteroffensive and attacked 2nd Battalion positions between Ilu and Tenaru rivers. Although dense jungle and difficult terrain made it impossible for the tanks assigned to his command to effect a crossing of the river, Lieutenant Colonel Cresswell advanced with his battalion to the other side of the Tenaru and, by the skillful disposal of his men over a large area, attacked the rear of enemy's regiment, succeeded in annihilating the Japanese force between the Ilu and the Tenaru Rivers with a minimum loss to his unit. The Japanese lost almost 770 soldiers killed in action as they attempted to cross the Tenaru River to gain control of the vital Henderson Airfield. Cresswell was decorated with the Navy Cross for his service on Tenaru.
First Marine Division was ordered to Australia for rest and refit in December 1942, and Cresswell was appointed executive officer of 5th Marine Regiment under Colonel John T. Selden in January 1943. His tour of duty in the Pacific ended in September of that year, when he was ordered back to the United States. His old superior, Clifton B. Cates, who was meanwhile promoted to the rank of brigadier general and now served as commandant of the Marine Corps Schools Quantico, requested for Cresswell to be attached to his staff.