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.
On November 20, units of the 2nd Marine Division landed on Betio Island in South Tarawa under heavy enemy machine gun and mortar fire. Tompkins landed on Red beach on D-Day and was informed that: elements of a Marine battalion were pinned under Betio Pier by continuous Japanese machine gun, sniper and intermittent cannon fire and that numerous casualties were helpless in the water, Major Tompkins unhesitatingly braved the savage bombardment to swim to a native skiff and returning under the blasting salvos of deadly fire rescued three wounded men from the treacherous waters under the pier and transported them to a Higgins boat, subsequently proceeding to a reef off the beach where he evacuated four additional casualties from a damaged landing craft. By his daring initiative resolute fortitude and persevering efforts in the face of overwhelming odds, Major Tompkins saved seven Marines from almost certain death.
Tompkins was decorated with the Silver Star for his acts of valor at Tarawa and also received promotion to the rank of lieutenant colonel in December 1943. The 2nd Marine Division suffered heavy casualties, with 1,009 dead and another 2,101 wounded and was ordered to Hawaii for rest and refit. Tompkins remained in the capacity of assistant operations officer under new division commander Thomas E. Watson, who joined the 2nd Division in April 1944.
The 2nd Division conducted intensive training in order to prepare for an upcoming operation in the Marianas Islands. The capture of the Marianas could provide a new air base that could be used for attacks on Japan.
The main assault on the island of Saipan began on June 15, 1944, and Tompkins landed on the same day. On June 17, Lieutenant Colonel Guy E. Tannyhill, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, 29th Marines, which was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, was wounded by an enemy sniper and evacuated. Tompkins subsequently assumed command of the battalion on the same day and promptly reorganized the heavily depleted unit. His new battalion was located in a swamp area and pinned down by enemy snipers and gun emplacements. Tompkins made a hasty reconnaissance of the front lines and subsequently ordered his men and several tanks to the attack. During the attack, his troops captured vital objectives and overrun Japanese strongpoints according to plan.
During the fierce fighting on July 3, Tompkins was hit by the fragments of enemy shell and subsequently evacuated to the United States. For his heroism in combat on Saipan, Tompkins was decorated with the Navy Cross, the United States military's second highest decoration awarded for valor in combat. He also received the Purple Heart for his wounds.
Tompkins' wounds were so serious that he spent next five months in the Naval Hospital in San Diego, California. Tompkins was released from the hospital at the beginning of February 1945 and after the brief vacation at home, he was attached to the Division of Plans and Policies at Headquarters Marine Corps under Brigadier General Gerald C. Thomas.
Postwar career In January 1947, Tompkins was ordered to London, England, and assigned to instruction at Joint Services Staff College. Upon the graduation, Tompkins served as naval observer within the Office of the U.S. Naval Attaché in London and later as an instructor at School of Combined Operations. His tenure in Europe ended in April 1948, when he was ordered to the staff of Marine Corps Schools, Quantico as Chief of Infantry Section at Amphibious Warfare School. While at Quantico, Tompkins was appointed an instructor within the Tactical Operations Group, Combined Arms section, and received promotion to the rank of colonel in February 1951.
In August 1951, Tompkins was ordered to Washington, D.C., and attached to the War Plans section, Joint Strategic and Operations Group within Joint Chiefs of Staff under General Omar Bradley. Within this assignment was responsibility for the coordination of communication and interaction between the various United States armed forces.
Tompkins was transferred to Korea in June 1953 and attached to the staff of the 1st Marine Division under Major General Randolph M. Pate. At the time of his arrival, the 1st Division was stationed along the U.N. lines and was tasked with the fortifying the outposts cities in the defensive line.
During the night on July 24, Chinese forces launched a massive attack in the Outpost Esther sector and broke through the lines. The 5th Marines subsequently repelled the enemy attack. Tompkins was then appointed commanding officer of the 5th Marine Regiment on August 2, but the Korean Armistice Agreement was already in effect. His regiment then served as the defense force of the Korean Demilitarized Zone and took part in several training and athletic programs in order to improve morale and combat preparedness.
Tompkins was relieved by Colonel Elby D. Martin on February 1, 1954, and transferred to the division staff as an intelligence officer. Tompkins was ordered back to the States in July and received his second Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" for his service in Korea.
Upon his return stateside, Tompkins took the Senior Course at Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, beginning August 1954. He graduated in June 1955 and was appointed to the staff of the Naval War College as assistant head of Strategy and Tactics Department. Tompkins later promoted to the head of this department and also served as senior Marine member on the staff of the college.
In July 1957, Tompkins was ordered to Camp Pendleton, California, to assume command of 1st Marine Service Battalion (Reinforced), 1st Marine Division. His battalion consisted of an engineer company, signal company, military police company, ordnance company, supply company, transport company and several Marine ammo platoons. Tompkins was then appointed the division's operations officer in December 1957 and served in this capacity until March 1958.
Tompkins was subsequently ordered to Okinawa, Japan, and appointed chief of staff, 3rd Marine Division under Major General David M. Shoup. An unusual situation came up when General Shoup was ordered to the United States for new assignment and there was no assistant division commander at the same time. Tompkins, although only a colonel, assumed temporary command of the division on April 2, 1959. He was relieved by Brigadier Lewis C. Hudson on May 8 and resumed his duties as chief of staff.
Although Tompkins was not promoted to general's rank immediately, he had drawn attention to himself. He was ordered stateside in June 1959 and subsequently appointed head of Military Personnel Procurement Branch, Personnel Division at Headquarters Marine Corps under Major General August Larson, director of personnel. In June 1960, Tompkins was appointed assistant director to General Larson and finally promoted to the rank of brigadier general one month later.
Tompkins left Washington in September 1962 for an appointment as assistant division commander, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Tompkins served under Major General Frederick L. Wieseman, and when the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred in October 1962, he was deployed with the division to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He returned with the division to the United States in December.