Major General
Joseph Fegan FIRST COMMANDING GENERAL Maj. Gen. Joseph C. Fegan, USMC, who served as a Marine Officer for more than 36 years, was the first commanding general of Camp Pendleton when it was activated in 1942. Born in Dallas, Texas, Nov. 6, 1886, General Fegan was first commissioned as a second lieutenant in January 1909. General Fegan served on foreign duty in Panama (1905-10), in Cuba (1913), in the Philippines (1916-18), in Santa
Domingo (1923-24), and in Haiti (1929-32). He was on active duty at sea on board the USS FLORIDA from 1911 to 1913, and on the USS CINCINNATI in 1917. He served at numerous posts and stations on both the east and west coasts, and from 1924 to 1929 was on duty at Marine Corps Headquarters as Officer in Charge of Recruiting and as Marine Corps Athletic Officer. From 1929 to 1932, he served with the Garde d’Haiti, as Commander of the Department of the North, with headquarters at Cape Haitian. He returned to Marine Corps Headquarters in June, 1933, for duty as Public Relations Officer, in which capacity he rendered highly valuable service. In June 1936, he was ordered to the Naval War College, Newport, R.I., to take the Senior Course at that Institution. Upon completion of the course Maj. Gen. Fegan commanded the Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. In July 1936, he was detailed as Aide to the President on the latter’s official visit to the Governor-General of Canada. Maj. Gen. Fegan commanded the 4th Marine Regiment at Shanghai, China, from August 1938 to December 1939. On his return to the United States, he served as Director of the Marine Corps Reserve at Headquarters, Marine Corps, from January 1940 to January 1941, when he assumed command of the 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California. In 1942, Maj. Gen. Fegan assumed command of the new training base at Camp Joseph H. Pendleton, Calif. In 1944, he transferred to the Department of the Pacific in San Francisco. Placed on the retired list for Marine Corps Officers in August 1945, he was relieved from active duty in December 1945. General Fegan died of injuries received in an automobile accident on May 27, 1949 at Carlsbad, Calif. where he made his home. He was 62 years old. Source: Official Biography, Headquarters, U. S. Marine Corps
Official USMC Photo; photo courtesy of Camp Pendleton Archives 14
CAMP PENDLETON – Celebrating 75 years
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