George R. E. Shell

George Richard Edwin Shell (October 20, 1908 – October 30, 1996) was a decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general, who is most noted as the commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines during World War II. He later served as the 9th Superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute.

Early career

Shell was born on October 20, 1908, in Phoebus, Virginia, and later attended high school in Hampton. During the summer of 1927, he entered the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in June 1931. Shell was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps the same month and assigned for officers training to the Basic School at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Shell finished basic training in June 1932 and spent the following months serving at the Marine Barracks in Quantico. He was transferred to San Diego, California, at the end of March 1933 and spent a year of service there. He was attached to the Marine detachment aboard the newly commissioned heavy cruiser USS Astoria in March 1934 and took part in the shake-down cruise in the Pacific Ocean with the stops at Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, Australia and Hawaii. While aboard that vessel, he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant in November 1934.

The 10th Marines remained in New Zealand until November 1943, when they embarked for their new mission, the landings at Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands. The main task was to capture Japanese air base, which could be used for the next advance toward the Marshall Islands. Shell and his battalion subsequently took part in the amphibious landing on Tarawa on November 23.

Shell remained in command of his battalion for the next several months and took part in the amphibious landing on Saipan in Mariana Islands in June 1944. He was wounded by mortar fragments during the night attack on the second day of the battle and evacuated from the island. His wounds requested special care and Shell was ordered back to the United States in July 1944. He subsequently received the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for his leadership of the battalion in the Pacific theater and also the Purple Heart for his wounds. Shell then spent several months in Naval Hospital in San Diego.

Later career

In July 1946, Shell attended Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, and upon graduation in June 1947, was appointed an instructor there. He subsequently received orders for transfer to Washington, D.C., in May 1949, when he was assigned to the Joint Staff of the recently established Joint Chiefs of Staff under General Omar Bradley. While in this capacity, he was promoted to the rank of colonel in August 1949.

While posted to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Shell also served as a member of the Joint Strategic Plans Group, a member of National Security Council Staff or Staff Assistant to the Joint Chiefs of Staff Representative to the National Security Council. He was ordered to Paris, France in February 1951 and appointed Staff Planning Officer in the Policy Branch within Operations Division at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. Shell spent next a year and half in Europe, before he was ordered back to the United States at the end of August 1952.

His next assignment was at Marine Corps Schools Quantico in Virginia, where he served firstly as assistant chief of staff for operations and then as chief of staff. While at Quantico, he also served as a member of the Advanced Research Group, tasked with the development of recommendations on how the Marine air-ground task force should evolve structurally to meet the challenges of atomic warfare and new technologies such as helicopters and jet aircraft. Other members of the group were Thomas J. Coolley, John P. Condon, August Larson Joseph N. Renner, Carson A. Roberts, Samuel R. Shaw, Eustace R. Smoak, William J. Van Ryzin, and Richard G. Weede.

Shell was ordered to the headquarters of Fleet Marine Force Atlantic at Norfolk, where he was appointed chief of staff under Lieutenant General Oliver P. Smith in July 1954. However, Shell left Norfolk during June 1956; he was ordered to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, where he assumed command of 1st Marine Brigade. In his new capacity, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general. Shell died on October 30, 1996, and is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Lexington, Virginia, together with his wife, Alice Reid Cushing Shell (1912–2002).

Decorations

This is the ribbon bar of Brigadier General George R. E. Shell:

1st RowLegion of Merit with Combat "V"Purple Heart 2nd RowNavy Presidential Unit Citation with " service starAmerican Defense Service Medal with Base ClaspAsiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three " service stars3rd RowAmerican Campaign MedalWorld War II Victory MedalNational Defense Service Medal