Melvin Krulewitch

Melvin Levin Krulewitch (11 November 1895 – 25 May 1978) was a major general of the United States Marine Corps Reserve who saw active service in both world wars and the Korean War.

Melvin Krulewitch was born on 11 November 1895 in Manhattan, New York City to Anne & Harry Krulewitch. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University in 1916, enlisted as a private in the United States Marine Corps after his graduation, and went on to serve in the 1st Battalion 6th Marines during the First World War. His battalion was sent to France in late 1917, where they underwent intensive training for trench warfare from French and British instructors, and were transferred to the frontline in spring 1918, by which point Krulewitch held the rank of Sergeant.

In a BBC interview for The Great War in 1964, he recalled his experiences at the Battle of Belleau Wood in June 1918:

"The difficulty with Belleau Wood was you never knew where the front was. Little groups of Americans, little groups of Germans got together to fight each other. And while you were fighting in one direction all of a sudden, without any warning, you’d find there were some Germans to the rear of you and they had to be mopped up. Clean up, mop up, and move ahead; move ahead with the unyielding determination to enforce your will on the enemy; and that was how we moved in Belleau Wood."

Krulewitch's unit later participated in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and by the night of 10 November 1918, they had crossed the Meuse river and made an attack on the opposite bank. However, the marines had suffered heavy losses and when Krulewitch collected the survivors of his unit together, he found that he only had 11 men remaining out of a company of over 200.

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