OFFICE OF THE MAJOR GENERAL COMMANDANT—ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR’S
DEPARTMENT.
Maj. Gen. Commandant George Barnett was the Major General Commandant
of the United States Marine Corps during the entire period of
the World War. Originally appointed on February 25, 1914, he was
reappointed on February 25, 1918, for a second term of four years.
On September 29, 1918, Maj. Gen. Commandant George Barnett,
accompanied by Brig. Gen. Charles L. McCawley, sailed from New York
on board the _Leviathan_, arriving at Brest, France, October 7,
1918. The object of the visit of the Major General Commandant to
France was an inspection of all the Marines serving with the American
Expeditionary Forces, but he fell a victim to the influenza epidemic
which prevented him from carrying out his plans. He departed from
Paris, December 7, 1918, sailed from Brest, December 9, 1918, on
board the _Leviathan_, and arrived in the United States, December 16,
1918.
Brig. Gen. John A. Lejeune was the Assistant to the Major General
Commandant from December 14, 1914 to September 26, 1917, when he
was transferred to Quantico, Va., to command the Marine barracks.
Brig. Gen. Charles G. Long relieved Brig. Gen. Lejeune and has acted
as Assistant to the Major General Commandant from that date to the
present.
Activities directly under the office of the Major General Commandant
such as personnel, target practice, and aviation, were carried on
efficiently during the war. The Planning Section was established on
December 24, 1918.
Brig. Gen. Charles H. Lauchheimer was the Adjutant and Inspector of
the United States Marine Corps, with station at Headquarters, during
the World War. He became seriously ill, was admitted to the hospital
on July 10, 1919, where he died on January 14, 1920. Col. Henry C.
Haines assumed the duties of Acting Adjutant and Inspector on August
3, 1919, and upon the death of Brigadier General Lauchheimer was
appointed the Adjutant and Inspector.
A great amount of additional work was caused by the large increases
and by the war, but the personnel of the Adjutant and Inspector’s
Department performed their duties with efficient satisfaction.