James Devereux

James Devereux
James P. S. Devereux
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 2nd district
In office January 3, 1951 – January 3, 1959
Preceded by	William P. Bolton
Succeeded by	Daniel Baugh Brewster
Personal details
Born	James Patrick Sinnott Devereux (1903-02-20)February 20, 1903 Cabana, Cuba
Died	August 5, 1988(1988-08-05) (aged 85) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Resting place	Arlington National Cemetery
Awards	Navy Cross
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1923–1948
Rank	Brigadier general
Commands	Marine defense regiment at Wake Island
Battles/wars	Banana Wars World War II *Battle of Wake Island

James Patrick Sinnott Devereux (February 20, 1903 – August 5, 1988) was a United States Marine Corps general, Navy Cross recipient, and Republican congressman. He was the Commanding Officer of the 1st Defense Battalion during the defense of Wake Island in December 1941. He was captured on Wake Island as a prisoner of war, along with his men, after a 15-day battle with the Japanese. After his release in September 1945, he concluded his military career in 1948 and represented the second congressional district of the state of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives for four terms from 1951–1959. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election as Governor of Maryland in 1958.

Devereux was born in Cabana, Cuba, where his father, an Army surgeon, was stationed. In 1910, the family moved to Chevy Chase, Maryland. There, Devereux, one of ten children, rode to the hounds in Rock Creek Park and played polo. At age 10 he obtained a driver's license from the District of Columbia, which had no age requirement at the time.

Devereux also attended the Army and Navy Preparatory School in Washington, D.C., the Tome School at Port Deposit, Maryland, LaVilla in Lausanne, Switzerland (when his parents lived in Vienna, Austria), and Loyola College of Baltimore, Maryland.