Rathvon McClure Tompkins (August 23, 1912 – September 17, 1999) was a highly decorated United States Marine Corps major general. He saw combat in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and led Marine units during the Dominican Civil War. Tompkins is well known for his part as commander of the 3rd Marine Division during the Battle of Khe Sanh in Vietnam.
During his 36 years of Marine Corps service, Tompkins was awarded the Navy Cross, the United States military's second-highest decoration awarded for valor in combat, for his actions during the Battle of Saipan and the Silver Star for actions during the Battle of Tarawa.
Early years
Rathvon M. Tompkins was born on August 23, 1912, in Boulder, Colorado,. He was the son of Anne Cochran Rathvon (1887–1924) and Howard Richard Kelsey Tompkins (1882–1945). His father served in the 89th Division during World War I, commanding a battery of field artillery and rising to the rank of major.
In the fall of 1925, Tompkins was sent to a private boarding school for boys in South Kent, Connecticut, where he lettered in football and hockey. He planned to attend Yale, but subsequently enrolled at the University of Colorado. Tompkins graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the summer of 1935 and subsequently enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on June 5 of that year. He was subsequently selected for the Reserve Platoon leaders' course at Marine Corps Base San Diego, California during July and August 1935 and commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve on March 25, 1936.
World War II
Tompkins worked three years in a private sector, before he was recalled to active service in October 1939. He was attached to the Reserve Officers Class within the Marine Corps Schools Quantico, Virginia, and graduated during the following month of that year. Tompkins was subsequently sent to San Diego, California, and attached to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, under Lieutenant Colonel John Thomason, as a platoon leader.
Tompkins was promoted to first lieutenant in February 1940 and later appointed 2nd Battalion Personnel officer (Bn-1). During May 1941, his regiment was attached to the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade under Brigadier General John Marston and sailed for Iceland to prevent Germans from occupying the island. Tompkins spent almost eight months with occupation duties in Reykjavík and returned to the United States in March 1942 as a captain.
Upon his return, the 6th Marines was attached to the 2nd Marine Division at San Diego and began preparations for combat deployment. Tompkins was promoted to major in August 1942 and appointed regimental operations officer. He sailed to the Pacific area one month later under the command of World War I hero Colonel Gilder D. Jackson. Tompkins and his unit arrived in Wellington, New Zealand, at the end of October 1942 and began training.
The Marine units from the 1st Marine Division had already fought on Guadalcanal and the 6th Marines, together with the forward echelon of the 2nd Marine Division under Brigadier General Alphonse DeCarre, were ordered to reinforce them on December 26, 1942. They arrived on Guadalcanal at the beginning of January 1943 and took part in the final attack inland and in the Battle of Gifu.
The 6th and 8th Marines encircled the remnants of two Japanese regiments from the 2nd Imperial Japanese Army Division and subsequently killed 642 Japanese troops, capturing only two. After the island was declared secured at the beginning of February 1943, the 6th Marines were ordered to the rear area near the beach for hot showers and some rest. For his service at Guadalcanal, he was decorated with the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V".
The 6th Marines subsequently returned to New Zealand on February 19, 1943, for rest and refit. Besides wounded men from combat, many of Tompkins' men suffered from malaria. It took almost several months to transform them back into an effective combat force. While in New Zealand, Tompkins was transferred to the 2nd Marine Division staff and appointed assistant operations officer. He then took part in the preparing of the division for a new mission, Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands. The Japanese had built a large air base there, and the Allies needed to secure that island for the next advance toward the Marshall Islands.