Earl Cecil Long (November 4, 1883 – August 19, 1983) was a decorated officer in the United States Marine Corps who reached the rank of major general.

He was subsequently attached to the Marine detachment aboard USS Denver and sailed to Nicaragua to fight rebel troops under General Luis Mena.

[1] Long continued to serve aboard the USS Denver and participated in operations off the Mexican Coast during the ongoing Occupation of Veracruz in Mexico.

He returned stateside in December 1914 and after one month Christmas leave and was assigned to the newly created 4th Marine Regiment under Colonel Joseph H. Pendleton.

His new unit subsequently sailed in expeditionary duty in Dominican Republic in June 1916, following the Coup d'état there led by the nation's Secretary of War Desiderio Arias.

Long was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant in October 1916 and assigned to Marine detachment aboard USS Charleston, which participated in the escort of the convoys carrying the first troops of the American Expeditionary Force to France during World War I.

[1] The 3rd Marine Brigade was formed there under Brigadier General Smedley Butler and sailed to China in May 1927, where he participated in the defense of the Shanghai International Settlement.

[2][5] He served in this capacity until the end of January 1946, when he took over the command of the Department of the Pacific, relieving Major General Julian C. Smith on February 1, 1946.