Louis Metzger

Louis Metzger (November 18, 1916 – July 28, 2005) was a decorated United States Marine Corps officer who attained the rank of lieutenant general. He held combat leadership roles in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam and is credited as one of the primary architects of the Marine Corps' armored vehicle force in World War II. Metzger also formed and commanded the 1st Armored Amphibian Battalion during that conflict at age 27.

Early life and education

Louis Metzger was born on November 18, 1916, in San Francisco, California, to Louis M. Metzger and Lillian Baddeley Metzger. His father died in 1926 when Metzger was 9 years old. Metzger later attended Stanford University and was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity there. and assumed command of the battalion a month later. He was also awarded the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for his service during the Battle of Okinawa,

Vietnam War

Metzger served two tours of duty in the Vietnam War. For his first tour, he was ordered overseas in January 1967 as the commanding general of the 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade. He later served as assistant division commander for the 3rd Marine Division. He was awarded a gold star in lieu of an additional Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" for operations against enemy combatants that occurred on October 29, 1967. During his time as the foreman, the jury indicted C. Arnholt Smith for his role in the collapse of U.S. National Bank. In 1979, he was appointed by the court as the trustee of MB Financial, a bankrupt, San Diego–based investment firm. He was also appointed as the permanent bankruptcy trustee for J. David & Co., a La Jolla–based investment firm that was forced into bankruptcy by its investors. He also served as the chairman of the board for the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, and wrote numerous articles for military journals.

Personal life

Metzger married Jane Thornton, with whom he attended Stanford University, in August 1942. and Peter are former Marine officers. Peter is also a former CIA intelligence officer who served as a Marine military aide in President Ronald Reagan's White House. Peter's son and Louis's grandson (Peter Metzger II, also a former Marine officer and the fourth in their family) currently serves in Donald Trump's presidential administration on the National Security Council. Jane died of cancer in 1994 after 52 years of marriage. Metzger remarried in 1995 and remained so until his own death from congestive heart failure on July 28, 2005, at the age of 88. He was buried at El Camino Memorial Park in San Diego.