Odell M. Conoley

Odell M. Conoley was born on November 9, 1913, in Amarillo, Texas, as the son of Orin M. Conoley. He attended local high school and subsequently enrolled the Texas A&M University in College Station. While at the university, Conoley was a member of Marketing and Finance Club, Panhandle Club and also played for Varsity Football team. He also entered the Reserve Officers' Training Corps unit and was commissioned reserve second lieutenant of infantry on May 25, 1935. Conoley graduated with Bachelor of Arts degree in June of that year and subsequently resigned his reserve commission in order to accept appointment as second lieutenant in the Marines on September 11, 1935. He was subsequently ordered to the Basic School at Philadelphia Navy Yard for further officer training and completed the school in May 1936. Conoley was then stationed with 6th Marines at Marine Corps Base San Diego until September 1937, when he sailed for expeditionary duty to China. He served with the American Embassy Guard detachment in Beiping and subsequently with 4th Marines in Tianjin until November 1938. Following his return stateside, Conoley was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and after brief service in San Diego, he was appointed commanding officer of Marine detachment aboard the transport ship USS Henderson in May 1939. While aboard the Henderson, Conoley took part in several cruises with replacements to China, until he was ordered to Parris Island, South Carolina, in August 1940 and attached to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Brigade under Major General Holland M. Smith. He also took part in extended amphibious training in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba during October 1940. ==World War II==

, January 1944. From left to right: LTC Odell M. Conoley (Commanding 2nd Battalion), LTC Lewis B. Puller (Regimental Executive Officer), COL Julian N. Frisbie (Regimental Commanding Officer), LTC Henry W. Buse Jr. (Commanding 3rd Battalion), LTC John E. Weber (Commanding 1st Battalion) and CPT John E. Buckley (Commanding Regimental Weapons Company). After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Conoley was promoted to the rank of captain on December 10, 1941, and appointed 2nd Battalion's Executive officer under famous Lieutenant Colonel Herman H. Hanneken. He was promoted to the rank of major in May 1942 and sailed to the Pacific area at the same time. He was stationed on American Samoa and participated with the 7th Marine Regiment in the intensive jungle training until August of that year, when they were relieved by 22nd Marines and ordered with 1st Marine Division to Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. In this capacity, Conoley commanded personnel of 14 officers, 197 enlisted men and 105 Women Reserves and was responsible for the providing of quick, efficient method of handling and assisting Marines of the Fleet Marine Force, Pacific returning from the Pacific area. Men just back from overseas going through the center are given reclassification interviews, assigned to a duty station in the States, furnished new clothing, issued ID cards, paid and are started on furloughs. Conoley was ordered overseas again in July 1945, when he was attached to the headquarters of U.S. Sixth Army under General Walter Krueger in Philippines. He was later transferred to the headquarters of U.S. Eight Army under Lieutenant General Robert L. Eichelberger in Yokohama, Japan and served as assistant operations officer and liaison officer until January 1947. Conoley was decorated with Army Commendation Medal for his service in that capacity. ==Later service==

, GEN Franklin A. Hart ret., LTG Joseph C. Burger, LTG Lewis B. Puller ret., BG Odell M. Conoley, LTG Thomas Eugene Watson ret., MG James P. Berkeley, MG Clayton B. Vogel ret., MG Robert B. Luckey, LTG Julian C. Smith ret. and GEN Edwin A. Pollock ret. He was ordered to the States in January 1947 and attached as an instructor to the Troop Training Unit, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet under Brigadier General Alfred H. Noble, before he was transferred to the Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C., as operations officer, Operations Section, Division of Plans and Policies. Conoley served next three years in this capacity under Major General Ray A. Robinson, before he was ordered in July 1950 to the course at Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Conoley was later appointed chief of staff, Marine Corps Educational Center Quantico and deputy director of the Marine Corps Educational Center in September 1957. Conoley was transferred to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, in July 1959 and appointed assistant division commander, 2nd Marine Division under Major General Joseph C. Burger. When General Burger was promoted to the three-star rank and appointed commanding general of Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic on October 25 of that year, Conoley assumed temporary command of the division. He held that command until the beginning of November and then reverted to his previous capacity of assistant commander. Conoley was also promoted to the rank of brigadier general for his new billet at the same time. Conoley settled in San Diego and grew orchids and played golf together with his wife France Blanche Lewis Conoley, with whom he had four children. Brigadier General Conoley died on September 1, 1993, and was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. ==Decorations==

Here is the ribbon bar of Brigadier General Odell M. Conoley: ==See also==