Francis Butler Loomis Jr. (June 21, 1903 – December 31, 1989) was a decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps, who reached the rank of major general. He is most noted as executive officer of the 1st Defense Battalion during the Shelling of Johnston and Palmyra and later as Logistic Officer of III Marine Amphibious Corps during Battle of Okinawa. He was the son of United States Assistant Secretary of State, Francis B. Loomis.
Early career
Francis B. Loomis Jr. was born on June 21, 1903, in Washington, D.C., the son of United States Assistant Secretary of State, Francis B. Loomis and his wife Elizabeth Mast Loomis. His family moved to Springfield, Ohio, and Loomis Jr. attended grade school there. He later lived in California and attended high school in San Mateo, before he was appointed to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1920. However problems with pneumonia forced him to resign in 1922.
Following his recuperating, Loomis enrolled at Stanford University and graduated with Bachelor of Science degree in 1924. While at studies, Loomis entered the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps and was commissioned Ensign in the Navy Reserve in 1924. He subsequently entered the Marine Corps and was commissioned second lieutenant on July 21, 1926. As any other newly commissioned Marine officer, he was sent to the Basic School at Philadelphia Navy Yard for officer training course.
Loomis finished the course in February 1927 and sailed for China within Composite Expeditionary Force in April of that year. While in China, he was appointed commander of the machine gun platoon and later was transferred as Student naval aviator to the Marine Observation Squadron 10. He was ordered back to the United States in September 1928 and was assigned to the flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Loomis earned his wings in August 1929 and was assigned to the aviation duty at San Diego, where he remained until January 1931. He was subsequently ordered to the Marine Observation Squadron 9 and sent to Haiti.
However, his sight began worsening and he was declared unfit for aviation duty. Loomis returned to the United States in March 1932 and transferred back to the Marine Corps Ground Units. During September 1932, he was assigned to the 4th Marine Regiment and sailed again to China, where he was stationed in Shanghai until May 1935. Upon his return home, Loomis was assigned to the Marine Corps Schools at Marine Barracks Quantico, where he attended Base defense weapons course. He finished the course in August 1936 and was promoted to the rank of captain at the same time. Loomis was subsequently transferred to San Diego and appointed Machine gun company commander within 6th Marine Regiment. The 6th Marines sailed for expeditionary duties in China in August 1937 and Loomis was stationed in Shanghai as the part of defense forces of the International Settlement during Second Sino-Japanese War.
World War II
He returned to San Diego in April 1938 and was appointed commanding officer of the Marine Detachment aboard the cruiser USS Pensacola. After two years at sea, Loomis returned once more to San Diego in July 1940 and after promotion to the rank of major, he was appointed commanding officer of the 2nd Artillery Group in March 1941. His unit was transferred to Naval Station Pearl Harbor in August 1941 and subsequently disbanded. Loomis was subsequently appointed executive officer of the 1st Defense Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Bertram A. Bone.
At the time of Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, Loomis was on the inspection trip at Johnston Atoll. As senior marine officer present, he assumed command of all forces on the atoll and despite the construction of the fortifications was incomplete, units under his command were able to repel Japanese vessels. For his service in this capacity, Loomis has been decorated with Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V".
Loomis returned to Hawaii at the beginning of August 1942 and was appointed operations officer to the commanding general of the Marine Garrison Force, Major General Harry K. Pickett. He was ordered to the Camp Lejeune in January 1943, promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and took command of the 1st Airdrome Battalion. He moved with this command back to Hawaii in September 1943, and his unit was subsequently redesignated as 15th Defense Battalion in October 1943.