Brigadier General Evans F. Carlson
U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps

Background
Evans Fordyce Carlson was born on February 26, 1896 to parents Rev Thomas Alpine Carlson and Joetta Viola (née Evans) Carlson in Sidney, New York as the middle child with Charles Dana Carlson born 1899 and Thomas Olney Carlson born 1905. In 1910, he ran away from home in Vermont.

U.S. Army Service
In 1912, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Philippines and Hawaii. During 1916, discharged as a first Sergeant. Less than a year later, he returned to Army service and participated in the Mexican punitive expedition. During World War I, served in France and was wounded. In May 1917 commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. During December 1917 promoted to the rank of Captain in the field artillery. Afterwards, he served in Germany with the Army of Occupation. In 1921, again discharged from the Army.

U.S. Marine Service
In 1922, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) as a private. In 1923 commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. .Carlson served at MCB Quantico then sent to Culebra, Puerto Rico for five months. Next, assigned to the Pacific Fleet on the west coast. In 1925, he was assigned to NAS Pensacola for flight training but subsequently returned to ground duty.

In 1927 sent to Shanghai for the first time and returned two years later. During 1930, promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant and sent to Nicaragua and earned the Navy Cross for leading twelve Marines in combat against 100 bandits in a night attack against his garrison. In 1931 commended for his role after an earthquake in Managua and for duties as Chief of Police during 1932 and 1933.

In 1933, returned to U.S. and served as executive officer of the Marine Corps Detachment in Warm Springs, Georgia and became closely acquainted with U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his son James Roosevelt. Afterwards, assigned to the 4th Marines in Shanghai then transfered to to the Marine detachment, American Legation in Peking (Beijing) and served as an adjutant and studied the Chinese language. In 1936, returns via Japan to Quantico and attends Marine Corps Schools and studies International Law and Politics at George Washington University (GWU) in Washington, D.C.

During 1937, he returned to China to resume study of the Chinese language and as a Chinese military observer and studied Japanese tactics against them. In China, he met Edgar Snow in China and read his book Red Star Over China. This encounter led him to visit the Chinese communist troop headquarters in northern China, where he met Chinese Communist leaders such as Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping. In 1938 departs China and was commended by the commander in chief of the Asiatic Fleet for his service. In 1939, he resigned his commission as a captain in order to be free to write and lecture about the threat of Japanese aggression. In 1941, he returned to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) and was recommissioned with the rank of Major.

World War II Service
During 1942, promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel became the Commanding Officer (C.O.) of the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion a newly formed unit a new combat organization with the influence of Captain James Roosevelt who advocated for the creation of the Marine Raiders as a commando force for special operations. He also pioneered organizing of his raiders into ten Marine squads comprised of three man fire teams with a BAR, Thompson and M1 rifle.

On August 8, 1942 the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion Company A and Company B are embarked aboard USS Nautilus (SS-168) and USS Argonaut (SM-1) that depart on a three week special troop transport mission bound for Makin Island.

On August 17, 1942 at 3:30am the submarines surfaced and the Marines used rubber rafts to land on Makin. Ashore, the "Makin Raid" destroyed installations, disrupt the enemy and divert reinforcements to Guadalcanal. After killing 83 Japanese and destroying installations, ships and two flying boats. By midnight on August 18, 1942, the surviving Marines returned to the submarines and Carlson was photographed after the raid aboard Nautilus. For his service, he earned a second Navy Cross.

On November 4, 1942 the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion "Carlson's Riders" (less detachments) under Col. Carlson landed at Aola. On November 6, 1942 at dawn Carlson's Raiders departed Aola on a patrol dubbed "Carlson's Patrol" (The Long March or Long Trek Patrol) via Asamana then inland along a jungle trail via the Reko River then to the Lunga River. For his service on Guadalcanal, he earned a third Navy Cross.


In 1943, served as a technical advisor for the Hollywood movie Gung Ho!: The Story of Carlson's Makin Island Raiders released December 1943.

He subsequently returned to the Pacific campaign and participated in the Battle of Tarawa in November 1943, as an observer, and was cited for volunteering to carry vital information through enemy fire from an advanced post to division headquarters. During the Battle of Saipan in 1944, he was wounded while attempting to rescue a wounded enlisted radioman from a front-line observation post, and was awarded a second Purple Heart (5⁄16-inch gold star in lieu of second Purple Heart).

On July 1, 1946 Carlson retired from military service due to physical disabilities from his wounds on Saipan and was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and retired to Brightwood, Oregon.

Awards
Carlson earned the Legion of Merit for his service with the 4th Marine Division on Saipan during 1944. He also earned the Navy Cross with two gold stars. The first in Nicaragua, the second for the Makin Raid and third for Guadalcanal. He earned the Purple Heart with gold star, the first during World War I and second on Saipan during 1944.

Memorials
On May 27, 1947 died at age 51 due to cardiac ailment at Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Oregon. On June 4, 1947 buried at Arlington National Cemetery at section 11 site 653.

Relatives
Peggy Tatum Carlson (wife married 1944)
Evans C. Carlson (son died 2005)

References
USMCU Brigadier General Evans F. Carlson (biography)
Hall of Valor - Evans Fordyce Carlson
Arlington National Cemetery (ANC Explorer) - Evans Fordyce Carlson (grave photos)
FindAGrave - BG Evans Fordyce Carlson (photo, grave photo)

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