Historical Rosters Database
William Peterkin Upshur
Roster ID 4839This is a summary. Contact the Archives for additional biographical information.
| First Name: | William |
| Middle Name: | Peterkin |
| Last Name: | Upshur |
| Suffix: | |
| Affiliation: | Class of 1902 |
| Biography & Genealogy: | William P. Upshur, Class of 1902. Medal of Honor recipient. Major General William P. Upshur was a distinguished officer in the U. S. Marine Corps, serving from 1904 until his death in 1943. During his career, he was stationed at nearly every Marine barracks in the U. S. and overseas in Haiti, Cuba, Santo Domingo, China, France and the Philipppines, as well as on board several ships. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroic service in Haiti in 1915. During World War I he was commander of a military prison at Bordeaux and of a guard camp at Bassens, France. MG Upshur died with four other soldiers in a plane crash near Sitka, Alaska, on July 21, 1943. At the time of his death he was commanding general, Department of the Pacific. Early life and family: Upshur was born in Richmond, VA on October 28, 1881. His parents were John Nottingham Upshur (VMI Class of 1867/NM) and Elizabeth Spencer Peterkin. His brother, Alfred Parker Upshur, was a member of the VMI Class of 1904. Upshur attended Maguire's University School before enrolling at VMI in 1898. He married Lucy Munford in 1904; there were no children. |
| Additional Online Resources: | World War II Pacific Islands Inspection Reports |
