William K. Jones | |
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| Birth name | William Kenefick Jones |
| Nickname | Willie K[1] |
| Born | (1916-10-23)October 23, 1916 Joplin, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | April 15, 1998(1998-04-15) (aged 81) Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. |
| Buried | |
| Branch |  United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1936–1972 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant general |
| Unit | 1st Battalion 6th Marines |
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William Kenefick Jones (October 23, 1916 – April 15, 1998) was aUnited States Marine Corpslieutenant general and a highly decorated veteran of three wars. His distinguished career included service as a battalion commander inWorld War II, regimental commander following theKorean War, and division commander during theVietnam War. Jones was awarded the Navy Cross,Silver Star,Bronze Star, andPurple Heart for his valor. His final assignment was as commander of theFleet Marine Force, Pacific. He retired in 1972 after 33 years of active duty.
William Kenefick Jones was born on October 23, 1916, inJoplin, Missouri. He was raised inKansas City, Missouri, where he graduated from Southwest High School in 1933. In 1936, while in college, he joined theU.S. Marine Corps Reserves, attending thePlatoon Leaders' Class inSan Diego, California, during the summers. He graduated with abachelor's degree in 1937 from theUniversity of Kansas.[2]
Jones was commissioned a Reserve second lieutenant on January 31, 1938; was called to active duty on September 29, 1939. He completed the Reserve Officers' Course at Quantico, Virginia, in November 1939; then joined the1st Battalion,6th Marines. He remained with the 1st Battalion for almost six years, including all ofWorld War II. In November 1940, he was integrated into the regular Marine Corps.
In May 1941, he deployed with the 6th Marines for Iceland as part of the1st Marine Brigade. He returned to the United States in March 1942. In Spring 1942, he was promoted to first lieutenant and, shortly after, to captain.
In October 1942, he deployed to thePacific theater with the1/6. He was a company executive officer (XO) with the 1/6 when he participated in theBattle of Guadalcanal. He then served as a company commander and the 1/6 XO. He was promoted to major in May 1943.
In September 1943, he took command of the 1st Battalion, becoming the youngest commander of a Marine battalion.[3] During theBattle of Tarawa, the 1/6 under the then-Major Jones, "engaged more of the enemy in hand-to-hand combat on Betio than any other unit".[4]
During rehearsals for the Tarawa landing, the 1st Battalion practiced landing fromrubber boats, thus earning Jones the title of "Admiral of the Condom Fleet." For the actual landing, 1/6 Marines were carried toward their assigned beach byLCVP landing craft towing their rubber boats. At the reef line, they transferred to the rubber boats and began a 1,000-yard paddle to Green Beach. Once ashore, Jones' Marines began a drive down the island under heavy enemy fire.[1]
He earned aSilver Star and a field promotion to lieutenant colonel for his "gallantry in action" in November 1943 at Tarawa.His citation reads in part:
He fought with valor inBattle of Saipan, for which he received theNavy Cross. His citation reads:
After Tarawa, he fought atTinian andOkinawa.
Jones returned to the States in July 1945 and was assigned to head the Tactics and Techniques Section, ofThe Basic School. Then from May 1947 until June 1948, he served as the Chief of the Infantry Section, Junior School. He then served briefly in Washington, D.C. During this period, after the war, Jones authored, under the pseudonym "Base Plate McGurk", a series of articles providing advice to young officers. The articles were published in theMarine Corps Gazette, then compiled in a book and published by theGazette in 1948.[5]
From August 1948 to August 1950 he served inSweden as assistantnaval attachéfor air at theAmerican Embassy inStockholm.
From August 1950 until February 1952, Jones served as head of the Operations Subsection in the G-3 Section, Division of Plans and Policies, Headquarters Marine Corps. In February 1952, he became head of the Operations and Training Branch. He was promoted in rank to colonel in August 1952. From June 1953 to September 1953, he served as assistant G-3 at Headquarters Marine Corps.
In September 1953, Jones moved toKorea to serve as assistant chief of staff, G-3,1st Marine Division. In February 1954, he took command of the1st Marine Regiment,1st Marine Division – which post he held until his returning to the States in July 1954. For his service inKorea he was awarded theBronze Star.
From 1954 to 1958, Jones was stationed at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico. From 1954 to 1956, served as assistant chief of staff, G-2/G-3. From August 1956 to July 1958, Jones was commanding officer of The Basic School, also serving as a member of the Fleet Marine Force Organization and Composition Board from June 1956 to January 1957.
In July 1958, Jones assumed command of the Recruit Training Regiment,Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. He held this command until July 1960 when he entered theNaval War College inNewport, Rhode Island. Upon completing the course in Naval Warfare, he was assigned tothe Pentagon as Chief, General Operations Division, J-3, Operations Directorate, Joint Staff, Office of theJoint Chiefs of Staff, in July 1961. He served in this capacity until September 1962, when he was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps. On October 1, 1962, he was promoted to brigadier general and appointed legislative assistant to theCommandant of the Marine Corps,General David Shoup.
In March 1964, General Jones assumed command of Force Troops,Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, and Marine Corps Base,Twentynine Palms, California.
Jones served with distinction in two combat tours of duty during theVietnam War. He was sent toSouth Vietnam in December 1965, serving as director, Combat Operations Center, Headquarters, U.S.Military Assistance Command, Vietnam inSaigon. For services during this tour, he was awarded theDistinguished Service Medal. He was promoted to major general in November 1966. He returned the States in December.
From January 1, 1967, to March 1, 1969, he served as deputy director of personnel, Headquarters Marine Corps. For his service during this time, he was awarded theLegion of Merit.
He returned to Vietnam in April 1969, taking command of the3rd Marine Division. The division conducted extensive combat operation near theDMZ from April to November of that year. In November 1969, the 3rd Marine Division wasredeployed toOkinawa, Japan. While in Japan, in addition to command of the division, Jones became the commanding general of theI Marine Expeditionary Force and commander, Task Force 79 of the U.S. Seventh Fleet.
For exceptionally meritorious service from April 1969 to April 1970, as commanding general of the 3rd Marine Division in Vietnam and as commanding general of I MEF on Okinawa, he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal. He was also decorated by the government of South Vietnam, being awarded the National Order of Vietnam, 4th Class, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, and the Chuong My-1st Class Medal.
He returned to the United States in May 1970 as special assistant to the chief of staff at Headquarters Marine Corps. His nomination forthree-star rank was confirmed by theU.S. Senate on May 12, 1970, with promotion effective on July 1, 1970.
On July 1, 1970, he assumed his last duty assignment as commanding general, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, when he relieved LtGenHenry W. Buse Jr. and served in this capacity until his retirement from active duty on September 1, 1972. He was awarded a third award of the Distinguished Service Medal for his service during this assignment.
Jones retired from active duty in 1972, and moved to Alexandria, Virginia.[6] In retirement, he served on the board of directors of the Naval War College.
In 1987, Jones penned the bookA Brief History of the 6th Marines, published by the Marine Corps' History and Museums Division.[7]
LtGen Jones died on April 15, 1998, inAlexandria, Virginia, of a stroke.[8][6]He was buried withfull military honors inArlington National Cemetery.[8] He was survived by his wife, Charlotte Jones, a daughter, and two sons. His son, Hugh M. Jones, preceded him in death in 1965.[6]
A complete list of LtGen Jones' medals and decorations include:
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William K. Jones was the brother ofJames L. Jones Sr. and the uncle of GeneralJames L. Jones Jr., the 32ndCommandant of the Marine Corps. His son Charles Jones is a journalist and the author ofBoys of '67, which tells the story of three Marines who completedthe Basic School in 1967 – Major GeneralRay Smith, Lieutenant GeneralMartin Steele, and his first cousin General James L. Jones Jr. William K. Jones was also the father of Carol Jones Hatton, LtCol William K. Jones Jr., and another son, Hugh M. Jones, who died in 1965. He was the grandfather of ten grandchildren.[9][10]
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