Charles A. Doyen

Charles Augustus Doyen (3 September 1859 – 6 October 1918) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general and the first recipient of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

Charles Augustus Doyen
BGen Charles A. Doyen
Born(1859-09-03)September 3, 1859
Concord, New Hampshire
DiedOctober 6, 1918(1918-10-06) (aged 59)
Quantico, Virginia
Place of burial
Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service1881–1918
Rank Brigadier general
Commands held5th Regiment
4th Brigade, 2nd Division(RA)
2nd Division(RA)
Battles/warsWorld War I
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal

Biography

Born in Concord, New Hampshire, Brigadier General Doyen was a member of the Naval Academy class of 1881, later commissioned second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He organized and commanded the 5th Marine Regiment in World War I, and in France took command of the 4th Brigade, 2d Division, composed of the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments and the 6th Machine Gun Battalion. From 26 October to 8 November 1917, he served as commanding general, 2nd Division (United States), the first Marine officer to command a U.S. Army division. He returned to the United States, dying of influenza during the height of the global pandemic on 6 October 1918 at Quantico, Virginia.[1] The 4th Brigade went on to win a historic victory in Belleau Wood. Brigadier General Doyen's contribution to these victories was recognized by the posthumous award of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the first to ever be awarded.

Namesake

Two ships have been named USS Doyen for him.

Footnotes
  1. "BRIG. GEN. C.A. DOYEN DIES OF INFLUENZA; Commander Who Trained Marines That Checked Advance on Paris, Succumbs at Quantico".

References

Attribution
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

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