William John Whaling (February 26, 1894 – November 20, 1989) was a highly decorated Major general in the United States Marine Corps and an expert in jungle warfare during the Pacific War.

[3][4] The 6th Marine Regiment was ordered to the trenches in the Verdun sector in March 1918 and Whaling then took part in the Battle of Belleau Wood in June that year, where he was gassed.

[5][6][3] Upon the Armistice, Whaling participated in the Occupation of the Rhineland, Germany, where he befriended future general Gerald C. Thomas during his service in the 75th Company.

[3] Following his return stateside, Whaling was attached to the Marine barracks at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Maine and during his service, he became a member of the National Pistol Team and was promoted to first lieutenant on June 4, 1920.

[3] He quickly gained the reputation of a great shooter and thus represented the United States on the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, where he finished in 12th place in the 25 m rapid fire pistol competition.

[7] Whaling was transferred to the West Coast in October 1924 and attached to the headquarters, Department of the Pacific in San Francisco under Major General Wendell C. Neville.

Whaling participated in the numerous jungle patrols against bandits under Augusto César Sandino and returned to the United States in May 1929 for new assignment.

Due to the escalating situation in Europe during the ongoing combat operations, he led his regiment during the intensive training in Cuba until the end of September, when he was ordered as an observer to Hawaii.

He rushed to the parade ground, where he witnessed tens of incoming Japanese fighters and bombers attacking Hickam Field and Navy Yard.

[3] Whaling was subsequently summoned to Washington, D.C., by Commandant Thomas Holcomb and after he reported the events at Pearl Harbor, he was called as a witness to the Roberts Commission, which investigated the wrongdoings of Admiral Husband E. Kimmel and Lieutenant general Walter C. Short.

[3][9][10] He was promoted to the capacity of executive officer, 5th Marine Regiment under Colonel LeRoy P. Hunt at the end of March 1942 and spent following months with intensive training in order to prepare his unit for combat deployment to South Pacific.

It was subsequently ordered back to the frontlines and participated in the encirclement and annihilation of the remnants of Japanese 4th Infantry Regiment near Point Cruz between November 1–4, 1942.

Whaling was succeeded in command of 1st Marines by Colonel Chesty Puller on February 28, 1944, and ordered to the United States under rotation policy.

[5][6][17] Following his return to the United States in April 1944, Whaling briefly served at the Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C., before he was ordered to Camp Pendleton, California.

[18][19][20] Whaling then embarked for the Pacific area and joined the headquarters of 6th Marine Division under Major General Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr., whom he knew from his service at New Britain.

The Sixth Marine Division embarked for Okinawa at the beginning of April 1945 and general Shepherd quickly found an appropriate assignment for Whaling.

Japanese forces resisted stubbornly from log-revetted bunkers and occasional concrete emplacements, and from machine gun, mortar, and artillery positions concealed in ravines and in caves on the heights.

During the following two months, Whaling and his troops conducted guard duties in order to maintain peace and assisted local authorities in preventing disease and starvation of the civilians.

[2] Whaling was subsequently assigned as chief of staff of the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and served in this capacity until the end of June 1949.

[2] At the end of April 1951, Whaling's old friend and former superior, Gerald C. Thomas, was given a command of 1st Marine Division, which was already deployed in Korea since summer 1950.

He was responsible for the recruit training on the West Coast until September that year, when Major general John T. Walker, more senior in rank assumed command of the depot and Whaling was appointed his deputy.

Though his forces were widely dispersed during this phase of the campaign, he unhesitatingly exposed himself to direct hostile fire among the most advanced elements of his Regiment, thereby obtaining maximum coordination which resulted in crushing the last enemy resistance.

By his conspicuous bravery in personally directing assault units, Colonel Whaling contributed materially to the seizure of the desperately defended Sugar Loaf Hill.

His aggressive and inspiring leadership during the subsequent landing on Oroku Peninsula was an important factor in the successful reduction of one of the most heavily fortified Japanese strongholds encountered.