Brigadier
General Walter Stauffer "Tabasco Mac"
McIlhenny was born 22 October 1910 in Washington,
D.C. He received his education at Force School and
Central High School in Washington, D.C., and Lane
High School in Charlottesville, Virginia. He later
attended the University of Virginia, also in Charlottesville.
He served two years with the Washington High School
Cadets, and four years in the Virginia National
Guard, attaining the rank of platoon sergeant.
Honorably
discharged from the National Guard on 15 June 1935,
he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and completed
the Platoon Leaders' Class that summer. He was commissioned
a Marine Reserve second lieutenant, 3 December 1936,
with a rank date of 6 November. During subsequent
summer assignments to active duty, he attended the
National Rifle Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio, as an
instructor and shooting member of the Marine Corps
Reserve Rifle Team. He was a member of the 1937
team that won the Hilton Trophy and the A.E.F. Roumanian
Trophy; coach of the 1938 team that won the Roumanian
Trophy; captain of the 1939 team that won the Rattlesnake
Trophy; and winner of the Bronze medal in the National
Individual Rifle Match, which entitled him to the
Distinguished Marksman Badge.
Prior to reporting for extended active duty in World
War II, he was an engineer with the Continental
Oil Company until 1940, when he joined the family
firm, the McIlhenny Company of Louisiana, makers
of Tabasco Sauce.
Called
to active duty as a first lieutenant following the
outbreak of World War II, General McIlhenny served
continuously until December 1945. After completing
The Basic School for Marine Corps Officers at the
Philadelphia Navy Yard, he was assigned to the 5th
Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, at New River
(later Camp Lejeune), North Carolina, and served
with that unit throughout the entire war. In May
1942, he embarked with the 5th Marines for Guadalcanal,
where the 1st Marine Division made its initial landing
on 7 August 1942 under heavy enemy fire.
For
heroism as Executive Officer and later Commanding
Officer of Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines,
during the landing on Guadalcanal and its subsequent
capture and defense, he received both the Navy Cross
and the Silver Star Medal. He also received two
Purple Hearts for wounds received in this campaign,
along with the Presidential Unit Citation that was
awarded to the 1st Marine Division (Reinforced)
for heroism on Guadalcanal.
In
December 1943, he again participated in combat against
the enemy, this time at Cape Gloucester, New Britain,
as the 1st Battalion's Plans and Training Officer.
He served subsequently as Regimental Intelligence
Officer, and 3d Battalion Commander. In September
1944, during the landing on Peleliu, Palau Islands,
he served as Regimental Plans and Training Officer.
Again, he received the Presidential Unit Citation
as a member of the 1st Marine Division (Reinforced).
The unit was awarded the honor for heroic action
in the assault and seizure of Peleliu.
On
his return to the United States in December 1944,
then Major McIlhenny was assigned to Marine Corps
Schools, Quantico, Virginia, where he completed
the Instructor's Orientation Course and served as
an instructor in the Rifle Units Section. He also
completed the Artillery School at Fort Benning,
Georgia, during this assignment.
Relieved
from active duty 26 December 1945, Major McIlhenny
continued his affiliation with the Ready Reserve
in his home state of Louisiana. He organized and
trained Volunteer Training Unit 8-25 in Lafayette,
Louisiana, and commanded that unit until his retirement
from the Reserve. On 1 November 1959, he was placed
on the retired list of Marine Reserve officers and
was advanced to brigadier general by reason of having
been specially commended for heroism in combat.
In
addition to his Marine Corps service, General McIlhenny
was one of the founders of the Marine Military Academy
in Harlingen, Texas, a private military college
preparatory boarding school for boys in grades 8
through 12 that remains the only school in the world
to offer military leadership based on the traditions
of the United States Marine Corps. Under his guidance,
the Marine Military Academy has grown steadily since
1965. He supported the Academy from its very inception
and was one of the original seven co-guarantors
of the loan to establish the school. Many major
projects were undertaken through his leadership
and he is listed as a major contributor to the Academy.
For many years, he served as the President of the
Board of Trustees of the Academy and was the President
Emeritus of the school at the time of his death
However, Brigadier General McIlhenny was perhaps
best known as the president of the McIlhenny Tabasco
Sauce Company, located in New Inberia, Louisiana.
His company's creation of two recipe books under
his direction, The Charlie Ration Cookbook
and The Unofficial MRE Recipe Booklet,
and donation of thousands of bottles of the hot
pepper sauce to Marines serving in Vietnam have
helped make Tabasco a standard fair for those serving
in the field even today.
Brigadier
General McIlhenny passed away 22 June 1985 after
a brief illness. He had made his home on Avery Island,
Louisiana, and was laid to rest there in Grove Cemetery
after a simple military service.