Otto Lessing
Marine Corps Reserve | Service Number O-3946
May 18, 1904
as Otto Adolf Bernhard Lessing
in Munich, Germany
Otto Eduard Lessing (d. 1942)
Maria Wilhelmina (Dilg) Lessing
Urbana High School (1920)
University of Wisconsin-Madison (1924)
Engineer
Standard Oil Company
July 18, 1924 – December 27, 1924 (Regulars)
February 5, 1929 (Reserve)
June 28, 1944
from H&S Company, 20th Marines
August 3, 1944
Transferred to 20th Marines
February 6, 1946 (resigned from active duty)
With Marine Corps Reserve through 1964
Fallbrook, CA – address of wife, Mrs. Celeste (Gavin) Lessing
Service & Campaigns
Appointed a second lieutenant in the regular Marine Corps upon graduation from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Assigned to active duty 18 July 1924 and accepted commission 21 July 1924 at Marine Barracks Navy Yard Philadelphia. Under instruction at The Basic School through December 1924; completed training, and resigned Regular commission effective 27 December 1924.
Joined Volunteer Marine Corps Reserve on 5 February 1929 from Fresno, California. On inactive duty through July 1930, at which time attached to 417th Company, 19th Marines in Linden, New Jersey. Appointed commanding officer on 30 September 1930. Duty with 19th Marines and 4th Battalion, Fleet Marine Corps Reserve in Linden, Jersey City, and Elizabeth through 1940. Resigned from active duty “due to an advancement in his civilian status” on 16 May 1940; transferred to Volunteer Marine Corps Reserve and assigned to 15th Reserve District, Coco Solo, Canal Zone (Panama).
Ordered to active duty 27 December 1941; reported to Marine Barracks, Naval Operating Base Coco Solo for duty on 12 January 1942. On 21 April 1942, transferred to HQ Detachment, The Training Center, Quantico, VA, for duty as detachment officer through summer 1942. Reassigned to Engineer School, TC New River as head instructor of Road and Landing Field Construction Course, duty there through spring of 1943. Promoted to lieutenant colonel and transferred to Headquarters Battalion, Camp Pendleton, California.
In fall of 1943, took command of Second Battalion, 20th Marines (Pioneers) at Camp Pendleton. Participated in the battle for Roi-Namur, January-February 1944.
Outfit: HQ/1/24th Marines
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
MOS: Battalion Commander
Important Events:
June 28, 1944 – attached from HQ Company, Second Battalion, 20th Marines
July 4, 1944 – appointed commander of First Battalion, 24th Marines, relieving LtCol. Austin R. Brunelli
Received Bronze Star Medal for “excellent leadership of a Marine battalion which frontally attacked and captured a series of Japanese defensive positions.”
Outfit: HQ/1/24th Marines
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
MOS: Battalion Commander
Important Events:
August 3, 1944 – relieved of command and returned to duty with 20th Marines
Campaign Narrative
Appointed executive officer of 4th Engineer Battalion at Camp Maui. Requested transfer from Fourth Marine Division in protest over relief from duty. Transferred to Headquarters Fleet Marine Force, Pacific for duty on Board of Awards through spring of 1945. To HQ and Service Battalion, III Amphibious Corps, for duty as engineering officer, shore party officer, and battalion executive officer.
Returned to United States on 15 October 1945; detached to await relief from active duty. Released on 6 February 1946 and placed on inactive duty with General Service Unit, 3rd Reserve District.
Individual Decorations
Medal
Bronze Star
Campaign
Saipan
Citation
Full citation needed
Shortly after this, Colonel Lessing showed up. He spotted the ponchos. “Buck,” he said, “what’s this?”
“Colonel,” I answered, “that’s the bodies of the first three men who tried to move into the area I told you about. We just don’t have to end up putting what’s left of my company into ponchos because someone back on the beach is a nut.”
So Colonel Lessing picked up the phone and called back to the beach. He was obviously asked how things were going where we were. “Not so good,” he said. “I’m staring at three Marines who are covered with ponchos because of that stupid order I tried to get changed. I hate waste.”
That was it. In the movies Colonel Lessing would be a big hero, as he was to me, but in the real world he was relieved of his command. I don’t know if he’s still alive, but if he is, I’d like him to know I salute him.
I was fortunate to be friends with General Lessing during his visits to Houston, Texas, for meetings with firms working on petroleum projects in the 1960’s. If there is any additional information or other photos of the general, I would much appreciate.
My name is John Robbins and I live in Houston, Texas.
My email is john4252@gmail.com
February 21, 2022
Thank you.
met the General late 1980s —
sharp as ever ! overnite had a typewritten report on rebuilding a refinery ! didntknow till years later that he was the engineer for the island bases that my dad visited.
Old soldiers never die — they just seem to fade away! Thank u.