John C. (John Carsten) Chapin

Born in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, in 1920, John C. Chapin studied at St. Paul’s School and graduated from Yale University in 1942 with honors in history. He was commissioned that same year and served as a rifle platoon leader in the 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division, seeing action in World War II and being wounded during the assault landings on Roi-Namur and Saipan.

After those combat wounds, he was transferred to the Historical Division at Headquarters Marine Corps, where he wrote the first official histories of the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions. He later earned a master’s degree in history from George Washington University, and over the years became known for accessible military history, including many Marine Corps monographs and the book Uncommon Men: The Sergeants Major of the Marine Corps.

Chapin also worked for the Episcopal Church for about 20 years in Michigan and Washington, D.C., later served as a special assistant to George Romney at HUD, and was active for many years as a trustee of the Philatelic Foundation. He died in Manchester, Vermont, on August 14, 2008, at age 87.