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National World War II Museum
Honors General Barrow
Hero of Four Wars Receives Silver Service Medallion
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NEW ORLEANS – December 13,
2006: A highly-decorated veteran of four wars received
yet another medal in a prestigious ceremony at The
National World War II Museum in New Orleans. Dr. Gordon
H. “Nick” Mueller, President and CEO of the Museum,
presented General Robert Hilliard Barrow, USMC (Ret)
with the Museum’s Silver Service Medallion “in
recognition of his lifetime achievements in the service
of his country and for his values and integrity
throughout his career.”
General Barrow was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on
February 5, 1922 and grew up on the family plantation in
Rosale, 35 miles from Baton Rouge. Trips to nearby
cities were long and on bad roads. Barrow grew up among
African-American tenant farmers and most of his
playmates were black. There wasn’t much money, but it
was described by one author as a “happy life, a kind of
Mark Twain boyhood, though more Tom Sawyer than Huck
Finn.” In his youth, he became an avid reader – usually
by kerosene light – and developed lifetime passions for
nature, folk music, guitar, blues and jazz. After high
school graduation in 1939, he enrolled at LSU and helped
pay his way through college on the Cadet Corps as a
janitor in the cadet barracks and serving tables in the
Boarding Club.
Some months after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941,
Barrow learned of the Marine Corps’ heroic defense of
Wake Island and was both impressed and inspired. When a
tall Marine Major came recruiting on the LSU campus in
March of 1942, Robert Barrow signed up for Platoon
Leaders Class. He became a Marine and began active duty
in November, 1942. Barrow went on to serve for forty-one
years, including seven tours of duty in the Pacific and
Far East and command in three wars.
Barrow attended recruit training in San Diego and was
retained as a Drill Instructor after his graduation.
While serving on the drill field, he was selected to
attend Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a
second lieutenant on May 19, 1943.
Lieutenant Barrow subsequently was assigned to Asia as
Officer-in-Charge of an American team attached to a
group of Chinese Nationalist guerrillas. He entered
China via India and, after many months of operations
along the periphery of the area held by the Japanese in
central China, his team entered Japanese-occupied
territory and conducted intensive guerrilla operations
for the last seven months of World War II. For this
service, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with
Combat “V”.
During the Korean War, Barrow commanded Company A, 1st
Battalion, 1st Marines in the Inchon-Seoul campaign.
Ahead of his time, Captain Barrow added an “embedded
photographer” to his company – David Douglas Duncan – so
that Company A’s fights in Yongdungpo and Seoul are
preserved for the ages.
In the Chosin Reservoir campaign, Company A seized Hill
1081, ensuring that the 1st Marine Division would reach
the Hungnam plain intact and unimpeded. Captain Barrow
received the Navy Cross for his combat leadership in
holding a pass near Koto-ri on December 9-10, 1950. In
this famous and dramatic action, Captain Barrow led his
company in a daring night attack in a blinding snowstorm
and subzero temperatures.
Shortly thereafter, Lynn Montross, the Corps’ chief
historian and author of a five-volume history on the
Marines in Korea, described Captain Barrow as “the most
outstanding company commander of the war.”
During 1952-53, Barrow headed an American team involved
in covert operations from islands off the China coast,
200 miles North of Taiwan. From 1957 to 1960, he served
as the Marine Officer Instructor, NROTC Unit at Tulane
University in New Orleans and was promoted in 1959 to
Lieutenant Colonel.
In Vietnam, Barrow served as Commanding Officer, 9th
Marines, 3d Marine Division (Rein), and as Deputy G-3,
III Marine Amphibious Force. He received the Army
Distinguished Service Cross for his extraordinary
heroism in Operation Dewey Canyon II. Col. Barrow’s
regiment saw combat action near the DMZ, Khe Sanh,
DaKrong Valley and A Shau Valley. His regiment also
fought back NVA incursions along the Loatian border in
1968-69.
In the 1970s, Barrow rose quickly through the ranks and
was promoted to Brigadier General, then Major General.
He achieved the pinnacle of his illustrious military
career when he was appointed Commandant of the Marine
Corps and served in that role from 1979 to 1983. He
became the first Commandant to serve a four year tour as
a full member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
As Commandant during peacetime, General Barrow is
remembered for his emphasis on quality and standards for
the Corps, for his emphasis on recruiting, improving
relations with the Navy, for the presentation of Marine
Corps amphibious mission, and for the successful
creation of a new amphibious brigade as part of the new
rapid deployment force which he championed. His focus on
rigorous training, discipline and leadership assured
General Barrow’s legacy as one of the best Commandants
of the Marine Corps.
General Barrow retired as Commandant on 30 June 1983 and
returned to his native state of Louisiana. President
Reagan, who spoke at General Barrow's retirement,
appointed him to the President's Foreign Intelligence
Advisory Board and the President's Blue Ribbon
Commission on Defense Management. Upon retirement,
General Barrow was presented with the Distinguished
Service Medal, capping a long list of honors including
The Navy Cross, The Army Distinguished Service Cross,
the Silver Star, three Legions of Merit, The National
Defense Service Medal with one bronze star, The Korean
Service Medal with three bronze stars, The Vietnamese
Service Medal with one bronze star and four Vietnamese
Crosses of Gallantry with Palm. Barrow is the recipient
of Honorary Doctorate degrees from Tulane University.
In presenting the National World War II Museum’s Silver
Service Medallion to General Barrow, Museum President
and CEO Dr. Gordon H. “Nick” Mueller noted, “With such a
long and distinctive career of service to his nation,
and with such an extraordinary number of decorations and
combat citations, General Barrow certainly does not need
another medal. Nevertheless, The National World War II
Museum is proud to recognize General Barrow for his many
lifetime achievements and for his values which are also
enshrined in the mission of this Museum: discipline,
sacrifice, teamwork, courage, loyalty, duty, honor,
ingenuity, devotion to country and the American Spirit.”
The award was presented in the presence of
representatives of every state in the Union during a
gathering of the National Association of State
Treasurers at the Museum, including The Honorable
Randall Edwards of Oregon, President of the Association;
The Honorable Tate Reeves of Mississippi, the incoming
President; and The Honorable John Kennedy, Treasurer of
Louisiana. Other dignitaries included Gen. Dave Paypeck,
representing Marine Forces Reserve Commander Gen Jack
Bergman, and Gen. Dave Mize, former Commander of Marine
Forces here in New Orleans and head of the Mayor’s
Military Advisory Committee.
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