Who served as the 13th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps and was the first Marine to command an Army Division in combat in France in 1918?

• A. John LeJeune
• B. LtGen Lewis 'Chesty' Puller
• C. LtGen Holland Smith
• D. Capt Joseph Fossa

Answer: (A)

The question highlights a Marine who not only led the Marine Corps as its 13th Commandant but also broke ground in World War I by commanding an Army division in combat in France in 1918. John A. Lejeune achieved this distinction. He served as the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps, and in 1918 he commanded the U.S. Army’s 2nd Division as part of the American Expeditionary Forces in France, becoming the first Marine to command an Army division in combat. This combination of high-level Marine leadership and a division-level Army command is what uniquely identifies him. The other figures listed were notable Marines but did not command an Army division in World War I, which is why they don’t fit the description.