This Military Service Page was created/owned by
CWO2 Philip E. Montroy
to remember
Marine LtGen James Breckinridge.
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Contact Info
Home Town Memphis
Last Address Summit Point, West Virginia
Date of Passing Mar 02, 1942
Location of Interment Lexington National Cemetery (VA) - Lexington, Kentucky
LtGen Breckinridge retired from the USMC on October 1, 1941. He returned to his home in the Shenandoah Valley. Upon his death in 1942, as per his wishes, he was buried in the Breckinridge family section at Lexington National Cemetety in Lexington, Kentucky.
In 1945 the U.S. Navy launched the USS General J.C. Breckinridge (AP-176) in his honor. The USMC named Breckinridge Hall at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico and later the James Carson Breckinridge Professional Library at the Marine Corps University as a tribute to his efforts to prepare the next generation of Marines for World War II.
Other Comments:
LtGen Breckinridge was from a very wealthy and historically noteable family. His father, Clifton Rhodes Breckinridge, was a former U.S. Congressman (1888-1897) and U.S. Minister to Russia (1894-1897). His grandfather, John C. Breckinridge, was the former Vice President of the United States (1857-1860) and Secretary of War for the Confederate States of America. His great-great grandfather, John Breckinridge, had served as a U.S. Senator (1800-1805) and as the U.S. Attorney General (1805-1806).
LtGen Breckinridge, like Maj. Earl "Pete" Ellis, foresaw the coming hostilities in the Pacific and used his position at the Marine Corps Schools to write and develop training programs to enhance U.S. Marine Corps amphibious warfare capabilities.
Spanish-American War/Manila Campaign
From Month/Year
July / 1898
To Month/Year
August / 1898
Description Manila, 31 July - 13 August 1898. The Manila campaign was a sequel to the first naval engagement of the war. On 1 May 1898 a small American squadron under Comdr. George Dewey completely destroyed a Spanish naval force in Manila Bay. To take the city of Manila, Dewey needed ground forces; he therefore sent a request to Washington for 5,000 troops. Meanwhile he blockaded the port and encouraged Filipino insurgents, led by Emilio Aguinaldo, whom Dewey had brought from exile in China, to besiege the city pending the arrival of American troops. Aguinaldo, who had previously led an insurrection against Spanish rule, hoped for recognition of his Philippine Republic. While waiting the arrival of ground forces, Dewey was faced with delicate diplomatic problems as English, German, and French naval forces arrived, ostensibly to protect their nationals in the islands, but also to be on hand to pick up any loose territory in case the United States decided against taking control after the collapse of Spanish power.
