Randolph C. Berkeley

Randolph was born on the 9th of January, 1875, in Staunton, Virginia, where he was also raised and he attended and graduated from Potomac Academy in 1891. He joined the US Marine Corps in 1898 and was a Second Lieutenant during the Spanish-American War and he received an honorable discharge on the 9th of January, 1899, before returning three months later as a First Lieutenant. When Randolph was deployed to Vera Cruz for the Mexican Campaign, he was a Major in command of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Advanced Base Regiment and his actions earned him the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:

For distinguished conduct in battle, engagements of Vera Cruz, 21, 22 April 1914. Maj. Berkeley was eminent and conspicuous in command of his battalion, was in the fighting of both days, and exhibited courage and skill in leading his men through action. His cool judgment and courage, and his skill in handling his men in encountering and overcoming the machine-gun and rifle fire down Cinco de Mayo and parallel streets account for the small percentage of the losses of marines under his command.

Randolph received the Medal of Honor on the 4th of December, 1915 and he was stationed in Guam in command of the Marine Barracks until November 1917, when he then served at the Marine Barracks in New York City and Charleston, South Carolina until 1919. He served in various positions in Haiti, New York City, Norfolk, and Quantico before completing the Field Officers Course and studying at the Army War College in 1926. Randolph commanded the 1st Regiment at Quantico for two years before commanding the 11th Regiment in Nicaragua, where he received the Navy Cross for his actions with “important pacification problems in connection with an insurrection in that country”.

When he retired in January of 1939, he had reached the age of 64 which was the oldest you could be and had been promoted to the rank of Major General after 41 years of service. Randolph had married twice, first to Carrie who died giving birth to their son James, and then to Bessye, who gave birth to their son Randolph Jr. Both sons would join the Marine Corps and become officers; James retired as a Lieutenant General having served in World War 2 and the Korean War, and Randolph Jr retired as a Colonel. Randolph Carter Berkeley died on the 31st of January, 1960 at the age of 85 and he is buried with Bessye in Arlington National Cemetery: Section 3, Grave 1767-SH.