Earl Hancock Ellis

Biography

Colonel Earl Hancock Ellis took his place among the Marine Corps' thoughtful strategists, translating experiences on Mexico's border and in the Caribbean into hard-won insights for the emerging role of amphibious operations. His studies of Pacific geography and war plans emphasized the need for readiness far from home shores, and he was respected for the clarity and courage with which he shared those lessons.

At the time of his passing in 1923, the service paused to honor an officer whose foresight helped chart a course for the Corps in the decades ahead, and his memory endures among those who study the scholarship he left behind. He now rests among fellow patriots at Arlington National Cemetery, where visitors recall a Marine who kept watching the horizon even in peace.