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#REDIRECT [[James M. Masters Sr.]]
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{{Infobox military person
| name =James M. Masters, Sr.
| image =[[File:James-m-masters-sr--lt-gen-in-dress-blues.jpg|250px]]
| caption =Masters in 1967
| born ={{Birth date|1911|06|16}}
| died ={{Death date and age|1988|08|05|1911|06|16}}
| placeofburial_label =Buried
| placeofburial =[[Arlington National Cemetery]]
| placeofbirth =[[Atlanta]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
| placeofdeath =[[Washington, D.C.]]
| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
| nickname =Jungle Jim, ''El Tigre'' (The Tiger)
| allegiance =[[United States]]
| branch =[[United States Marine Corps]]
| serviceyears =1933-1968
| rank =[[Lieutenant general (United States)|Lieutenant General]]
| servicenumber =77925
| unit =
| commands =[[2nd Battalion 1st Marines]], [[The Basic School]], [[8th Marine Regiment (United States)|8th Marine Regiment]], [[4th Marine Regiment (United States)|4th Marine Regiment]], [[1st Marine Division (United States)|1st Marine Division]], [[3rd Marine Division (United States)|3rd Marine Division]], [[United States Marine Corps Training and Education Command|Development and Education Command]]
| battles =[[World War II]]
| battles_label =Wars
| awards =[[Navy Cross]], [[Navy Distinguished Service Medal|Distinguished Service Medal]], [[Legion of Merit]], [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]]
| relations =John H. Masters (brother), William A. Kengla (brother-in-law)
| laterwork =
}}
'''James Marvin Masters, Sr.''' (June 11, 1911 – August 5, 1988) was a [[United States Marine Corps]] [[Lieutenant general (United States)|lieutenant general]] who during the course of his career served as a [[China Marines|China Marine]], fought in numerous battles in the [[Pacific War|Pacific]] during [[World War II]] and commanded units from platoon to division size. He received the [[Navy Cross]] for his actions during the [[Battle of Okinawa]] and was also a recipient of the [[Navy Distinguished Service Medal|Distinguished Service Medal]]<ref name="OH">Marine Corps Oral History Collection, James M. Masters Sr. Interview Transcript, Interview conducted by [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3101/is_2_54/ai_n29351752/ Benis Morton Frank], August 5, 12, and 20, 1981</ref> during a military career that spanned the 35 years between [[1933]] and [[1968]].<ref>"James Masters, Marine General, Dies at age 77", ''[[The Washington Post]]'', 6 August 1988</ref>.<ref name="navy cross">[[Navy Cross]] citation: [http://www.homeofheroes.com/members/02_NX/citations/03_wwii-nc/nc_06wwii_usmcL.html Navy Cross Awards to members of the U.S. Marines in World War II]. HomeOfHeroes.com. Retrieved 2010-01-07.</ref> He died at his home in Washington, D.C. on 5 August 1988.

==Early life & education==
[[File:James m masters sr (R) with bros. john (L) and youngest william (C).jpg|thumb|upright|left|The Masters brothers: James <small>(right)</small>, John <small>(left)</small>, and William <small>(center)</small>]]

James Marvin Masters (who was designated '[[Sr|Sr.]]' after his namesake father died in 1936) was born 16 June 1911, in [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]. When he was 12 years old, his grandfather (a one-time [[Confederate States Army|Confederate soldier]] in the [[15th South Carolina Infantry Regiment]]<ref name="Jack">{{cite book|last=Masters|first=Jack|title=Masters Family History 1691-1989|isbn=0-9622761-0-3|url=http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=isbn:0962276103|language=Jack}}</ref>) died, and his father moved his wife (Cecilia Hale Masters<ref name="Jack" />) and three sons back to the family farm in [[Anderson, South Carolina]]. There, James would frequently hunt his family's dinner.<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "I love the outdoors. As a youngster I spent every moment I could hunting. I used to come home from school at 2:30 in the wintertime and I was out of the house, hunting until sunset."</ref>

Masters completed high school at Anderson in 1927 at age 16, delivering the [[Valedictorian|valedictory]] speech when he was still only 16, saying, "If we fail to prepare for our role in society, we play falsely with our God, our country, and with the inner man, our conscience."<ref>Original copy of the valedictory speech, in Masters Family library, 1927</ref> Though he had appointments to both the [[United States Military Academy]] and the [[United States Naval Academy]] upon high school graduation,<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "I felt driven, somewhere deep inside me, I wanted to be a soldier, or a sailor, or a Marine. I just had the desire to serve my country in that capacity."</ref> his father thought Masters too young to enter immediately, and insisted that his son attend [[The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina|The Citadel]] for a year.<ref name="schuon">{{cite book|last=Schuon|first=Karl|title=U.S. Marine Corps Biographical Dictionary (1963)|publisher=Franklin Watts, Inc.|date=1st edition 1963|url=http://www.archive.org/details/usmarinecorpsbio017890mbp|accessdate=2010-01-18}}</ref> A cousin, a Naval Academy graduate, encouraged him to attend Annapolis instead of West Point, which he did in 1929.<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "As it turned out, I had a cousin, a Naval Academy graduate, who was a [[Lieutenant (junior grade)]] in the [[United States Navy|Navy]]. He was home on leave, and he talked me into going to Annapolis rather than West Point."</ref> His appointment before the [[Wall Street Crash of 1929]] spared him from the business loss his father incurred.<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "Those were hard times. If I hadn’t gotten my appointment to the Naval Academy, my father would have strained his guts some way or another to give me an education; but it would have been miserably tough on him. He had been a successful businessman in the 1920s, first with [[Met Life]] as Southeastern Manager in Atlanta where I was born, then as the exclusive Southeastern Distributor for old [[Ford River Rouge Complex#Ford Rouge Center|Dearborn Trucks]]. But he lost damn near everything in the Crash."</ref>

During his battleship cruise to the [[Azores]], [[City of Halifax|Halifax]], and [[Bermuda]] in 1932, Masters opted for the Marine Corps, observing "...that really made up my mind, because I’d read so much about Marine camaraderie. And I’d also observed it within Marine detachments on board ship, the close relationship between officers and men."<ref name="OH" /> He found a role model in [[Commandant of the Marine Corps]] [[John A. Lejeune]], who had retired that year.<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "He was gone by the time I came in, but I always admired General Lejeune. Thought he was a gentleman and a scholar, a true leader, and a superb tactician. I never met him, but he was my dream Marine."</ref> Due to the [[Great Depression]], the Academy could only fund commissions for half of the graduating class in 1933, Masters included.<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "When we graduated, we were the poor man’s class. There was only enough money in the military budget to commission the first 50% of us. In 1934, a fixed number of the remaining graduates were asked back to receive their commissions. And in 1935, the balance of the class was asked to return for commissioning. So, there were three sections to my graduating class; 33A commissioned 1933, 33B commissioned in 1934, and 33C commissioned in 1935."</ref>

==Marine Corps Career==
===Early career===
[[File:Bayonet tony biddle training marines, in parris island sc, 1942.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle, Sr.|Biddle]] teaching bayonet techniques in 1942, at age 68.<ref>Official USMC Photo origionally displayed by Frank Trzaska at www.usmilitaryknives.com.</ref>]]
Masters was commissioned as a [[second lieutenant]] on 1 June 1933,<ref name="schuon" /> then reported to [[The Basic School]] at the [[Philadelphia Naval Shipyard]]. The financial difficulties of the time reached him even there.<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "I had only one thing in mind... to be a first class Marine officer. I didn’t worry about the [[Wall Street Journal]]; I didn’t worry about real estate. Hell, I didn’t have any money, any way. I came into the Marine Corps with a pay cut of 15%. My base pay as a second lieutenant was $103.80 a month. So I had to communicate with Mr. Ewing Wall for help every now and then." Wall was founder of the First National Bank of Quantico.<br/>{{cite news|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19701217&id=k2YQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XooDAAAAIBAJ&pg=929,1715197|title=H. Ewing Wall Dies at 71; Founded Bank at Quantico|date=Dec 17, 1970|publisher=[[The Free Lance–Star]]|pages=11|accessdate=18 January 2010}}</ref> One of Masters's instructors, [[Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle, Sr.]] (nicknamed "Bayonet Tony") took the young Marine under his wing to teach him in [[close combat]].<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "Tony was a grand, generous man – I really liked him. He was getting on in years when we went to the Basic School… nearly 60, about 5’10’’, getting a little chunky. And two of his teeth in front were broken off. But he refused to have them fixed because [[Gene Tunney]] had broken them off in a sparring match with him. And Tony was proud of it."</ref><ref name="Do or Die">{{cite book|last=Biddle Sr.|first=LtCol Anthony Joseph Drexel|title=Do or Die, Military Manual of Advanced Science in Individual Combat|publisher=[[Marine Corps Association]]|year=1937|url=http://fliiby.com/file/41489/81blmvoowf.html|accessdate=2010-01-18}}</ref> He graduated in May 1934 in the smallest-ever class: 20 academy graduates and one [[Mustang (military officer)|mustang]].<ref name="schuon" />

Masters was then assigned to the Marine Detach­ment aboard the {{USS|New Mexico|BB-40}}<ref name="schuon" />. Captained by [[John W. Reeves, Jr.]] at the time, the ship was the [[flagship]] of the [[United States Pacific Fleet|Pacific Fleet]], and Masters was soon qualified as a [[Watchstanding|watch officer]]<ref name="OH" /> In July 1935, he joined the 1st Marine Brigade at [[Marine Corps Base Quantico]]. Thanks to the expiration of the then-mandatory marriage waiting-period (for two years after graduation), Masters was free to marry his sweetheart Dorice "Dottie" Mary Kengla,<ref name="Dorice">{{cite web|url=http://www.jackmasters.net/miik.html|title=Masters Family Index|last=Masters|first=Jack|publisher=www.jackmasters.net|pages=I - K|accessdate=18 January 2010}}</ref> who was the sister of his Naval Academy classmate and also newly-commissioned 2nd Lt. William A. Kengla,<ref>[http://www.vrazvedka.ru/main/learning/ruk-b/styers.html William A. Kengla, 'The Short End Technique' from 'Cold Steel' by John Styers, text prepared by Karl Schuon, photographs by Louis Lowery]</ref> on 14 September 1935.

[[File:Lt. william a. kengla - model for lt. col. tony biddle book, do or die.jpg|thumb|upright|left|In the 1937 edition of ''Do or Die'', Lt Kengla <small>(right)</small> demonstrates how to conduct an "unruly captive".<ref name="Do or Die" />]]
James and Dottie maintained a friendship with Tony Biddle and his wife, Cordelia.<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "Cordelia Rundell Bradley Biddle was a delightful woman, who was from wealth and the proper main line society in [[Philadelphia]]. And, she took a fondness to Dottie, my wife. And as I told you, old Tony and I were on close terms and whenever he came down to Quantico he would bring Cordelia down with him in [[Cadillac V-16|this big long black Cadillac]]. Once they were in Quantico for about six weeks - and there wasn't a day that that car didn't pull up to our quarters at 218-C with some sort of gift for us. For instance, Cordelia dropped by one morning about 10 o'clock and Dottie was still house cleaning - this was in September, starting to get a little chilly - and when Dottie came to the door in a light housecoat, Cordelia said, 'My dear, you must be freezing.' Dottie said, 'No Mrs. Biddle, I'm fine.' Next day Cordelia came down and brought Dottie a beautiful quilted housecoat. The Biddles would drive up together at cocktail hour, couple of bottles of [[Johnnie Walker]] Black Label or something like that. Well, good God, I wasn't able to drink anything better than beer at that time of life. Pay was $103.80 a month. They were lovely people. Very generous."</ref><ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "One day Tony said to me, 'Young fellow, I want you and Mrs. Masters to come to dinner with Mrs. Biddle and me, I'll send the car down to Quantico for you at 6 o'clock, and you can join us for dinner at seven.' So Dottie and I spruced up with our best civilian bib and tucker and the Cadillac drove up. Christ, it was about two city blocks long and we jumped in it, were driven to the [[Ritz-Carlton]] in [[Washington D.C.]], went in, and were escorted to Tony and Cordelia and guess who? The [[John H. Russell, Jr.|Commandant of the Marine Corps and Mrs. Russell]]! Goddamn, I near choked on my Adam's apple. But, after we had a drink, one drink before dinner, we went in, had a beautiful dinner, soup to nuts, wine to liquors. During the course of the meal someone brought up a subject and the Commandant remarked that it concerned him... and Cordelia reached over and patted him on the knee; and she said, 'Sonny, don't you worry about little things like that.' I damn near fell off my chair."</ref> In 1937, Biddle wrote a combat manual entitled ''Do or Die'',<ref name="Do or Die" /> noting in the dedication: "During the period of his service as instructor, the writer enjoyed the able assistance of Lieutenant James M. Masters, USMC, and Lieutenant William A. Kengla USMC. The two latter named gentlemen were formerly pupils of the writer in Individual Combat at the United States Marine Corps Basic School for Officers: they are both fine swordsmen. Being of inventive genius, Lieutenants Masters and Kengla devised several excellent new forms of attack and defense, as shown in this treatise."<ref name="Do or Die" /> Biddle's bayonet techniques can still be seen in [[Marine Corps Martial Arts Program|skills]] taught in [[United States Marine Corps Recruit Training|recruit training]] today.

After the [[Fleet Landing Exercises]], which saw the {{USS|Arkansas|BB-33|6}} landing [[1st Battalion 5th Marines]] at [[Culebra, Puerto Rico]] during January to May 1936, Masters became Personnel, Intelligence, and Communications Officer for the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Brigade. He was promoted to [[first lieutenant]] in July 1936.<ref name="schuon" /> In August of that year, Masters assumed duties in the Headquarters Company, and began to express his desire to grow in [[leadership]].<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "My real desire was to become an honest to God leader. I got my start as a young adult at the Academy where I was a platoon leader. I liked the relationship with human beings - trying to figure them out, getting the best response from them in a tactical situation. And now, looking back, I think my career is marked by the leadership theme."</ref> In December, he became an [[aide-de-camp]] to [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]] James J. Meade, the brigade commander.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/archive/wapa/indepth/extcontent/usmc/pcn-190-003130-00/sec1.htm|title=From Makin To Bougainville: Marine Raiders in the Pacific War|last=Hoffman|first=Major Jon T.|year=1995|pages=1|accessdate=18 January 2010}}</ref>
<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "He was a delightful old gentleman, who'd joined the Marine Corps at the turn of the century. He was not socially inclined, so my social duties only required that I go to lunch with him occasionally. And, when we'd go to lunch where there was drinking, he'd always pass the drink to me and say, 'Take care of this, young man.' By that he meant that I should drink it. Well, I poured many of them down the palmetto."</ref> The brigade was soon transferred to the [[West Coast of the United States]], where Masters was detached from the unit for reassignment to the [[4th Marine Regiment (United States)|Fourth Marine Regiment]] in [[China]].

===China===
[[File:W.h.rupertus-and-j.m.masters-sr-with-wives-bound-for-shanghai-on-uss-polk-1937.jpg|thumb|Lt Masters and wife <small>(center)</small> with LtCol Rupertus and wife <small>(right)</small> aboard the China-bound SS ''President Polk''<ref name=rupertus_family>Used with permission of the Rupertus family</ref>]]In February 1937, Masters and his wife departed from the [[Wilmington, Los Angeles, California|Wilmington neighborhood]] of [[Los Angeles]] on the liner SS ''President Polk'' for [[Shanghai]], a trip he shared with First Lieutenant [[Victor H. Krulak]], [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] [[William H. Rupertus]], and their wives.<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "We went from Wilmington to [[San Francisco]] to [[Honolulu]] and then across to Shanghai. There were only three Marines on board. 1stLt Masters, 1stLt [[Victor H. Krulak|[Victor H.] Krulak]], and LtCol [[William H. Rupertus|[William H.] Rupertus]]."</ref> Because Dorice and Rupertus's wife Alice had gone to school together, James earned his senior's trust and was offered a position in the elder's future command: [[1st Battalion 4th Marines]].<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "Her [[maiden name]] was Alice 'Sleepy' Hill, daughter of a naval officer. Alice 'Sleepy' Rupertus she became. And she was a beautiful, charming girl - 20 to 25 years younger than Bill Rupertus. My wife Dorice and Sleepy Rupertus had gone to school together – and there was a closeness between them because of it… a closeness that influenced the relationship among all 4 of us. And, before long, Lt. Col. Rupertus told me, 'I want you to be my Lieutenant, I'm getting the [[1st Battalion 4th Marines]].' Well, what could I say: 'I’d be delighted, Colonel,' I replied. But, I was just a green 1st Lieutenant then, didn’t know my way around [[Jack Robinson (mythical person)|Jack Robinson]]. And, when we neared China about 2-3 days out, Dottie informed me, for the first time, about another relationship that might well trump the relationship we had with the Rupertuses."</ref>

[[File:James-m-masters-sr-(far-right)-and-wife(below)--socializing-with-rupertuses-and-other-marines-in-shanghai-1937-1938.jpg|thumb|left|Masters and wife <small>(far right)</small> with Rupertus and wife <small>(at left)</small>, partying with other Marines at the French Club in Shanghai<ref name=rupertus_family>/></ref>]]
In 1937, Charles F. B. Price commanded the Regiment in China;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://users.idworld.net/wlldggr/usmc4-08.htm|title=4th Marines Small Unit Histories|year=2008|work=History and Museums Division, U.S. Marine Corps|publisher=Jack E. Turner|accessdate=19 January 2010}}</ref> Price’s wife Dolly was [[Godparent|godmother]] to Dorice, and this connection got Masters a prime assignment.<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "And that sealed the deal of where I’d start my career with the [[China Marines]]. When I reported into the regiment, old Charlie Price said to me, 'Young man, I'm going to give you a job where you can get to know the city and the [[Orient]]. I'm going to make you editor of the [[Walla Walla]] newsweekly magazine – and Assistant Athletic Officer of the regiment attached to the regimental HQ.'"</ref> He worked for LtCol Francis I. Fenton in the regiment's deputy Athletic Officer and Club Officer,<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "I loved the ground Frank walked on. He was a diamond in the rough, though – tough and foul-mouthed. He could tear up the Queen and all her guards. But he was a loveable person – and one of the greatest baseball fans you’ve ever seen."</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jcs-group.com/military/war1941navy_mar/1945okinawa2.html|title=Stories From Okinawa|last=Wukovits|first=John|date=May 2006|publisher=Something About Everything Military|accessdate=19 January 2010}}</ref> and became editor for the regiment's newsweekly magazine, the [[Walla Walla]], purportedly meaning "much talk" in [[Chinese language|Chinese]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chinamarine.org/Reference.aspx|title=Reference|publisher=chinamarine.org|accessdate=19 January 2010}}</ref><ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "I've got a complete file of all the Walla Wallas that were published during my watch out there. They bound them all and gave them to me before I left China. All things considered it was a good publication. It gives a good picture of what Marine life in China was like. But, it also contained a lot of 'in family' jokes that made it difficult to understand to anyone who wasn't there. I did the proof reading, and I let all things go through - as long as they weren't vulgar or smutty."</ref>

Masters and his wife enjoyed an active social life through the Spring and early Summer - in the company of other Marines and members of the English-speaking community in Shanghai.<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "The first time I was in China (February 1937 to November 1939) Dottie and I were young, and, except for acquiring a life-long appreciation of [[Chinese cuisine|Chinese food]], we didn't have the sense to try to understand the Orient, get to know the Chinese. We mostly socialized with Marines, other Americans in the [[Shanghai International Settlement|International Settlement]]. Our social life was active, but exclusively within the English-speaking crowd. The Shanghai Volunteer Corps was the source of a lot of socializing, but we weren’t elbow-rubbing close with them - though we did make a few close friends among the British. Brian Brayne-Nicholls was one of them. He was a very fine officer, got to be [[Rear admiral#United Kingdom|rear admiral]] - was a protégé of [[Mountbatten]]. Brian and his wife Wendy became life-long friends with Dottie and me. Another fine officer, our own Ronnie Wilde used to date Wendy before she was married. And she was one of the most charming ladies you ever saw. We shared many happy times."</ref>

But, the lively social scene unraveled on 7 July 1937, when the [[Marco Polo Bridge Incident]] signaled the beginning of the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]]. In mid-August 1937, the Chinese attempted a bombing raid on the Japanese Fleet. The raid was ineffectual, a few bombs even strayed into the [[Shanghai International Settlement]], killing civilians. But it gave Masters his first ‘taste’ of combat, and he soon arranged to be given a command: a platoon and later Company F, under [[2nd Battalion 4th Marines|2nd Battalion]] commander [[Roswell Winans]].<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "I went to Charlie Price and said, 'I'm a Marine, let me be where the fighting is.' After some wrangling, he sent me on [[List of United States Marine Corps acronyms and expressions#T|TAD]] to 2nd Battalion, which was commanded by [[Medal of Honor]]-awardee Roswell Winans.

"Roswell was a real character, and he decided to put me to the test – giving me a platoon in one of his companies. We were down on the [[Suzhou Creek]] at that time, and he began to raise hell about lax security in my platoon. I knew our security to be as good if not better than other platoon areas, so I decided to put the bite on the old man. I instructed every man in my platoon, 'Nobody moves through this area at night, not even the Regimental Commander, without me being summoned to make a personal identification.'

"Well, Roswell came down that night and my men stopped him cold. They came and got me, and I identified him. He appeared to be a little grumpy, but he didn't say anything. About 3 hours later, he tried again, got stopped cold again, and I had to identify him again. Next morning, he sent for me. He was sitting behind his desk when I arrived, and he reached down in his desk and pulled out a bottle of [[Old Grand-Dad]] and two drinking glasses, which he filled. He said, 'Young man, you're going to do all right. Let's have a drink together.' Well, it was about 8:30 in the morning and I said, 'Colonel, I don’t drink when I'm on duty.' He said, 'The hell you don't! Suppose I order you to?' I said, 'Colonel, I'd have to disobey your order'. He said, 'Well all right young man, I'll take one for both of us.' And he downed his glass.

"From then on, I could do no wrong with old Roswell Winans. And first chance he got (in December 1937), he gave me command of rifle Company F… me, a [[1st lieutenant]] - the only 1st lieutenant in command of a Company in the 4th Marines at the time. Captain [[Wallace M. Greene|Wally Greene]] had rifle Company E. And George McCloud [sic] had the machine gun company."</ref> Despite being stationed in the [[Suzhou Creek]], his platoon never directly engaged [[Japan]]ese troops,<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "My platoon was never in a direct fire fight with Japanese troops, but we were in the hottest part of the Soochow Creek area - and observed a lot of fierce across-the-street fighting between the Chinese and Japanese forces."</ref> but witnessed the [[Defense of Sihang Warehouse]].<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "The Chinese holed up right across from my platoon front in one of the [[godown]]s, at the corner of Weilan Road and Soochow Creek. That final night, Japanese Regular Army troops brought 75mm field pieces up beside the godown wall and began firing right into the place. The surviving Chinese troops would wait until the Japanese paused their fire, and then they’d run across the street into the British sector, where they were safe. It was a helluva night, we were right on the scene… though none of us ever got our [http://www.military.com/forums/0,15240,117847,00.html Soochow Creek Medals] for it."</ref> After defending Americans from Japanese harassment until September 1938,<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "We had [[Double Ten Day|days like 'double ten'; 10th of October]] – a Chinese celebration day. And the Chinese had all those flags up, and the rodents [out-of-uniform Japanese troops] would come into the sector, trying to tear down as many of these flags as they could. But, if the rodents ever came into his sector, the old man [ [[Clifton B. Cates]] ] would raise holy hell – and waste no time getting his Marines to chase them out. One time, when I was his adjutant, he sent me sprinting after one of the Japanese troop trucks. When I managed to pull it over, the old man came puffing up a few seconds later. 'You got him, Jimmy, good work. Now, throw the bastards out of here.' He was a great man, too. I tell you, I loved him."</ref> he was temporarily assigned to the {{SS|President Coolidge}}, in [[Shanghai port]] to supervise the security during loading of the gold and silver bullion that belonged to [[Chase Bank]].

[[File:James-m-masters-sr--wife-dottie-masters--new-parents--shanghai-china--august-1939.jpg|thumb|James Sr. and his wife Dorice just after the birth of James Jr.]]On 16 August 1939, Dorice gave birth to a son, James Jr., who earned the nickname "Champ" after a a slightly-inebriated suggestion from [[Bruno Hochmuth]].<ref name="Dorice" /> The following month, Masters Sr. was promoted to [[Captain (United States)|captain]].<ref name="schuon" /><ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "When I made captain, I figured I had only one rank to go before I got to be God. I thought [[Major (United States)|major]] was as high as normal human being Marines ever got to be."</ref>

===Interim===
[[File:James-m-masters-sr-(standing)-beside-franklin-roosevelt-in-warm-springs-ga-1940.jpg|thumb|left|Masters <small>(standing)</small> and his Marines with President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] at [[Warm Springs, Georgia|Warm Springs]]]]
In November, he returned to the United States,<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "There was no question in my mind that we were going to have trouble with the Japanese ourselves, someday soon. I was pretty young and not thinking too deeply about it, but I was apprehensive."</ref> and was assigned to [[Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.]], again under William Rupertus until June 1940.<ref name="ANC">{{cite web|url=http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jmmasterssr.htm|title=James Marvin Masters, Sr.|last=Patterson|first=Michael Robert|date=18 January 2009|publisher=[[Arlington National Cemetery]]|accessdate=19 January 2010}}</ref> In March 1940, he became a company commander in the Marine Guard detachment at [[President of the United States|President]] [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'s [[Little White House|personal retreat]] at [[Warm Springs, Georgia]], under the command of LtCol Charles T. Brooks, and became close to the president during an extended retreat.<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "In March of 1940, I took a very carefully hand-picked company down there – with mess hall provisions for ourselves and the [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]]. The overall detachment commander was Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Brooks. He was Bill Rupertus's executive officer at the Marine Barracks. Charlie was a real gentleman. Never raised his voice, I never saw him get angry with anybody. He had a health problem at the time, but he didn't let that interfere with his duties, I assure you.

"We all went down about a week before President Roosevelt was due to arrive. But with about 3 days to go, he came down with intestinal flu. And that wracked him up for about a month. So rather than bring us back to the Barracks and send us back again, they kept us there - and we had several weeks of recreation. Played golf, hiked through the hills with the troops. It was delightful.

"When the President was fully recuperated, he came down, arriving on the midnight train. They sent an old battle-axe touring car to pick him up and we gave him the full guard treatment. He and Mrs. Roosevelt sat down in that touring car and just watched us. It was a beautiful thing.

"Every day the President went down swimming in the Warm Springs pool. He would drive down there himself, and hoist himself out of the car into a wheelchair - he was a beast from the waist up - and roll himself into the swimming pool. And, always polite, always had a word to all the Marines. I stood by his car while he got out. I'm telling you, he made quite an impression on me. And, in three days that man looked like a youngster again. He had the most remarkable recuperative powers.

"I made a few rather warm friends in the Secret Service. The head of the Secret Service detachment at the time was an old gentleman by the name of [Edmund William] Starling. Colonel Starling was a real operator. He had arrived down there the day after we arrived. He came down into our camp and he treated me just like a son. And I felt like I was related to him. He said, 'You want to go out and check the outlying security with me, Sonny?' I said, 'Yes, sir.' He made a sweep of the radius of about 40 miles and he checked out everything in that radius. And, of course, it checked out, but he left no stone unturned. The Secret Service detail and the whole of President Roosevelt's entourage were extremely dedicated to him; extremely close. They thought he was the savior reincarnate. No question about it.

"The President could charm the snake out of a tree. But, he had that little [[1937 Ford#1940|old Ford convertible]] down there; that had all the things on the wheel that you could shift. And he'd get out and drive around these country roads down there, and of course, the Secret Service would follow him in a [[Cadillac Series 70#1938-1941|big black Cadillac]]. All of a sudden, he'd come to a side road, and he was gone. Half the time, he'd end up down in our camp. And he'd say, 'Well, I gave 'em the slip again, young fellow.' Oh, he loved to give them the slip. What a charmer, he was.

"I got invited 3 times [to the president's cocktail hour]. And, he made quite a ceremony out of it. Had all the condiments and everything in front of him on a little low table. And boy, you had to drink his [[Old Fashioned]], he was an Old Fashioned's perfectionist. He even muddled the sugar himself. The bitters and everything. He was the [[majordomo]] in person at the bar. And, he wouldn"t mind having a few snorts himself!

"I never saw much of [[Marguerite LeHand|Missy LeHand]] or [[Samuel Irving Rosenman|Judge Rosenman]]. But I saw [[Harry Hopkins]] on a number of occasions. He was in and out visiting. He looked very ill, even at that time. His son was a Marine, wounded during [[World War II|WWII]].

"[ [[Eleanor Roosevelt]]'s] personal appearance was on the plain side. But, she was a very dignified and charming woman. I didn't sense a close warmness between the two of them. They seemed to be mutually respectful and dependent on one another, rather than personally intimate.</ref> At one point, the guards performed [[United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon|silent]] [[exhibition drill]] for the president and patients <ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "Our original silent drill was not nearly as complicated as it is now, but it started with us, in Warm Springs. We made a few maneuvers right and left, forward and backward, and did some manual of arms with it. And, the President loved it. He brought all the kids at [[Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation|the Foundation]], the [[Poliomyelitis|polio]] victims, to watch us, from in and around the big pool. We’d been putting on other shows every afternoon for the kids. And, we thought our silent drill would be a little something to arouse their interest a bit more. They were very enthusiastic anyway. But when we put that on, they damn near jumped out of their wheelchairs."</ref> at the [[Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation]].

In June 1940, Masters served briefly again at MCB Quantico during the [[Officer Candidates School (United States Marine Corps)|Officer Candidates School]]'s Platoon Leaders Course. In September, he was assigned to [[Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island|Marine Corps Base, Parris Island]] in [[South Carolina]], as a battery commanding officer with the [[Marine defense battalions|4th Defense Battalion]]. He and his family were transferred with the battalion to [[Guantanamo Bay Naval Base]] in [[Cuba]] in February 1941. In November, they embarked on board the {{USS|Henderson|AP-1|6}} with the battalion for [[Pearl Harbor]], [[Hawaii]]-–the week before the [[Attack on Pearl Harbor|surprise attack]] there.

===World War II===
[[File:James M Masters Sr - a Major on Johnston Island 1942.jpg|thumb|upright|Masters as a [[Major (United States)|major]] in 1942]]
The Masters family arrived in Pearl Harbor on 1 December 1941.<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "The last 4 nights going into Pearl we sailed in black-out conditions. So, things were a little tense, but we arrived safely. From Camp Catlin, where we stayed for a couple of days in tents, we went to stay with [Robert C.] 'Slash' and Betty McGlashan, just up the road from Pearl."</ref> As the air attack raged on the Sunday morning of December 7, James was slowed by gawking sight-seers on the road to Pearl, and couldn't make it to his post until the attack was over.<ref>"General James Masters, decorated Marine", ''[[The Washington Times]]'', August 6, 1988.</ref><ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "I was tossing [my son] in the air -- and I heard this booming. I hollered in to Slash. I said, 'Slash, what the hell is going on here?' And Slash said, 'Oh, the goddamned [[United States Army|Army]], they’re always on some sort of maneuvers.' Well, I got up to see for myself, and I went out on the front porch and I saw these bursts of anti-aircraft fire. And, I looked a little higher and I saw a plane flying over, with the [[:File:Japan Air Self-Defense Force roundel.svg|red ball]] on it. And I roared back into the house. I said, 'Army maneuver hell, the Japs are here, Slash. Let's get going.' In a few minutes, we were on our way down to Pearl Harbor. But, where ordinarily it would have taken us 15 minutes to get there, it took us an hour because of the sightseeing crowds that were on the road approaching Pearl Harbor – everybody was out to see what was going on... it was unbelievable. We got down there, got down to Camp Catlin but by that time, there wasn't much we could do. The attack was over. It was a horrible, horrendous mess. And, of course, the attack knocked the guts out of the Navy. They really didn't get their composure back until the Battle of Midway. That battle was a turning point of the War, because we destroyed the greater portion of the Japanese aviation corps at the time."</ref> President Roosevelt declared war the next day, and Masters embarked aboard the {{USS|Mahan|DD-364|6}}<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "The skipper of the Mahan was a fellow named Roger Simpson. He was a real tiger - and he liked Marines. He took us down to Johnston. We were loaded to the gills with supplies... sitting ducks. We had a couple of submarine scares; and old Roger Simpson filled the ocean with depth charges. He raised some debris once, but we never knew if we had a submarine attack or not."</ref> enroute to and in command of the first reinforcements for [[Johnston Island]] on Christmas Day, not to see his family again for more than two years.<ref name="schuon" />

Masters would remain at Johnston Island until November 1942, receiving a [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] for his service there, as well as a promotion to [[major (United States)|major]] in May. Shortly after Masters' promotion, Admiral [[Chester Nimitz]] paid a visit to Johnston, boosting morale.<ref>[[#cite_note-OH-1|Oral History Collection]]: "Admiral Nimitz had come through, in late May or early June. He was a delightful fellow and very, very competent. He held a meeting with all the officers, and told us that the Battle of Midway was coming up. And, though he didn't get into detail, he assured us that he'd be ready. And he was. Because at that time (after we broke the Japanese code) we were reading all their mail like nobody's business. And we knew everything about the Japanese task force coming in toward Midway."</ref>

Masters then returned to Pearl Harbor to join the 10th Defense Battalion in November 1942. Later, as [[executive officer]] of the battalion, attached to the [[I Marine Amphibious Corps]], he served in the [[Solomon Islands campaign|Solomon]] and [[Russell Islands]]. He was promoted to [[lieutenant colonel (United States)|lieutenant colonel]] in April 1943. In August of that year, he commanded [[2nd Battalion 1st Marines]] briefly in [[Australia]] prior to bringing the unit into combat again from December 1943 to February 1944 at the [[Battle of Cape Gloucester]], again under the command of Rupertus, the Commanding General of the [[1st Marine Division (United States)|1st Marine Division]]. In March 1944, he returned to the United States for duty at [[Headquarters Marine Corps]] with the [[Staff (military)|Division of Plans and Policies, G-3]]. In September, he was detached for duty at Pearl Harbor, and on [[Guam]], [[Saipan]], and [[Tinian]].

In November 1944, Masters was transferred to the [[7th Marine Regiment (United States)|7th Marine Regiment]] and began serving as executive officer at [[Pavuvu]]. From April to June 1945, he fought in the [[Battle of Okinawa]], where he earned the Navy Cross for manning a vital [[observation post]] under heavy attack during the assault on Dakeshi Ridge.<ref name="ANC" />

===Post-war===
[[File:James-m-masters-sr--lt-gen-in-olive-drab-uniform.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Masters in 1967]]
Masters returned to China in October 1945 as the [[military intelligence|Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2]] for 1st Marine Division at [[Tientsin]] until he returned to the United States in March 1946. He was again assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps where, in May 1946, he began a two-year assignment in the [[Inspector General#U.S. Military|Inspection Division]]. In May 1948, he was ordered to the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, serving as executive officer, and later, commanding officer of the Basic School. He was promoted to [[colonel (United States)|colonel]] in August 1949. In September 1950, he was transferred to [[Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune|Camp Lejeune]] in [[North Carolina]], to assume command of the [[8th Marine Regiment (United States)|8th Marine Regiment]], [[2nd Marine Division (United States)|2nd Marine Division]] for 18 months. He attended the [[National War College]] from August 1952 to June 1953, then became a member of the Joint Strategic Plans Group, for the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]], for two years.

In August 1955, Masters took command of the [[4th Marine Regiment (United States)|4th Marine Regiment]], [[3rd Marine Division (United States)|3rd Marine Division]], at [[Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay]], Hawaii until he was named [[Fleet Marine Force, Pacific]] Liaison Officer to the [[United States Pacific Fleet|Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet]] in June 1956. While serving in this capacity, he was promoted to [[brigadier general (United States)|brigadier general]] in July 1957. He returned to Headquarters Marine Corps as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2 in September 1957. He was assigned additional duty as [[Inspector General]] of the Marine Corps in June 1960, and was promoted to [[major general (United States)|major general]] the following month. He continued in the post until July 1961.

[[File:Lt.gen.-james-m-masters-sr--attendee-at-marine-general-officers-symposium-1967.jpg|thumb|right|Lt. Gen. Masters <small>(front row, 4th from left)</small> with many other notable Marines at the USMC General Officers Symposium, July 1967<ref>Used with permission of Hillary Masters Lee</ref>]]Masters assumed command of 1st Marine Division at [[Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton]], California, on 31 July 1961, until June 1962, when he became the commanding general of the base. He returned to Okinawa in May 1963 to command 3rd Marine Division. He then commanded Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island from 19 June 1964 to 15 June 1966. Promoted to [[lieutenant general (United States)|lieutenant general]] on 1 July 1966, he was assigned duty as Commandant, [[United States Marine Corps Training and Education Command|Marine Corps Schools, Quantico]]. In January 1968, Marine Corps Schools was redesignated Marine Corps Development and Education Command, and Masters's title was changed to "Commanding General".

Masters was presented the [[Navy Distinguished Service Medal]] by Commandant [[Leonard F. Chapman, Jr.]] during his retirement ceremony at Quantico, 28 June 1968. He died at his home in Washington, D.C. on 5 August 1988.<ref name="ANC" />

==Awards & honors==
A complete list of his medals and decorations includes:<ref>Official portrait circa 1966: [[:File:Masters JM.jpg]], taken from [[United States Marine Corps History Division]] [http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/Masters_JM.htm website]</ref><center>
{|
|-
|colspan="2" align="right" |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy Cross ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|colspan="2" align="left" |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy Distinguished Service ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|other_device=v|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=award-star|other_device=v|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Commendation ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=NavyPres.gif|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=China Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=American Defense Service ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=5|type=service-star|ribbon=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Army of Occupation ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Order of the Cloud and Banner 1st.gif|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=noribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|} </center>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|
|[[Navy Cross]]
|[[Navy Distinguished Service Medal]]
|
|-
|[[Legion of Merit]] w/ [[valor device]]
|[[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]]
|[[Commendation Medal|Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal]] w/ 1 [[award star]] & valor device
|[[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Navy Presidential Unit Citation]] w/ 1 [[service star]]
|-
|[[China Service Medal]] w/ 1 service star
|[[American Defense Service Medal]] w/ [[medal bar|Base clasp]]
|[[Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal]] w/ 5 service stars
|[[World War II Victory Medal (United States)|World War II Victory Medal]]
|-
|[[Navy Occupation Service Medal]]
|[[National Defense Service Medal]] w/ 1 service star
|[[Order of the Cloud and Banner]]
|Korean Order of Service Merit, 2nd class
|-
|}

===Navy Cross citation===
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross to
<center>James M. Masters<br/>Lieutenant Colonel<br/>U.S. Marine Corps</center>
for service as set forth in the following citation:
<blockquote>
For extraordinary heroism as Executive Officer of the Seventh Marines, First Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the assault on Dakeshi Ridge, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, from 10 to 12 May 1945. On 10 May, when the advance of the Regiment was checked by a strong hostile force, Lieutenant Colonel Masters unhesitatingly went forward of the front lines on reconnaissance and obtained information concerning the Japanese and unfamiliar terrain which enabled a successful attack to be made the following day. On 11 May, he established an advanced observation post in the only possible position on the front lines from which the attack that day could be observed and directed and, despite unusually heavy casualties at the post from intense enemy mortar and small-arms fire, continued to man it and report information vital to the capture of desperately defended Dakeshi Ridge, Moving the observation post forward again on 12 May, he advanced under intense hostile fire to the Ridge before that ground had been completely seized by assault troops and, although the Japanese continued to inflict heavy casualties on his force, persevered in his mission to observe the enemy and terrain, thus securing information which aided materially in the formulation of successful plans for continuing the attack. His inspiring leadership, courage and unremitting devotion to duty throughout were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.<ref name="navy cross" /><ref name="ANC" />

==See also==
{{USMCportallink}}
{{portal|World War II}}
*[[List of notable United States Marines]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
{{Marine Corps}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/Masters_JM.htm|title=Lieutenant General James M. Masters, Sr., USMC (deceased)|work=Who's Who in Marine Corps History|publisher=Marine Corps History Division|accessdate=18 January 2010}}
*[http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jmmasterssr.htm ''James M. Masters Sr.] interred at [[Arlington National Cemetery]]
*''World War II: A Compact History'', by Colonel R. Earnest Dupuy (1969) - Hawthorn Books, Inc. [http://catalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local&BBID=4088662&v3=1 Library of Congress Card Number: 73-85433 LOC Search: 73085433]

<!-- comment out articlespace data
{{Persondata
|NAME = Masters, James M., Sr.
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
|SHORT DESCRIPTION = United States Marine Corps general
|DATE OF BIRTH = June 16, 1911
|PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
|DATE OF DEATH = August 5, 1988
|PLACE OF DEATH = [[Washington, D.C.]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Masters, James}}
[[Category:1911 births]]
[[Category:1988 deaths]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery]]
[[Category:People from Anderson, South Carolina]]
[[Category:People from Atlanta, Georgia]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Navy Cross]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (United States)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps generals]]
[[Category:United States Naval Academy alumni]]
[[Category:United States Naval Academy graduates]]
[[Category:Articles created via the Article Wizard]]
[[Category:United States military personnel of the Boxer Rebellion]] -->

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