Who was the only Marine General to command an Army Division in combat?

• A. Archibald Henderson
• B. Samuel Nicholas
• C. William Ward Burrows
• D. John A. Lejeune

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is recognizing a rare cross-branch leadership assignment in U.S. military history: a Marine general who commanded an Army division in combat. John A. Lejeune, who later became the Commandant of the Marine Corps, served with the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I and was given command of the Army’s 2nd Division in the field. Under his leadership in France, this division fought as part of the Allied effort in major engagements during 1918, making Lejeune the only Marine general to command an Army division in combat. This stands out because Marines typically lead Marine units or operate under Marine command structures, whereas the Army’s divisions were usually commanded by Army officers. The other figures listed were prominent Marine leaders in various capacities or earlier figures who did not hold command of an Army division in combat, so they don’t fit the scenario described.