Edward Walter Snedeker (February 19, 1903 – May 5, 1995) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of lieutenant general. He was decorated with the Navy Cross, the United States military's second-highest decoration awarded for valor in combat, for his service as commanding officer of 7th Marine Regiment during the Battle of Okinawa in June 1945. He completed his career as commandant of the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico on July 1, 1963. Early career Edward W. Snedeker was born on February 19, 1903, in Peoria, Illinois, as the son of Albert Henry Snedeker and Mabel A. Kennedy. His family later moved to Benkelman, Nebraska, and he attended high school there in 1922. Snedeker subsequently received appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, and during his years there, he competed in track, boxing and football. He graduated on June 3, 1926, with bachelor's degree and was commissioned second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on the same date. Many of his classmates were later promoted to the general officer ranks: Arthur H. Butler, Russell N. Jordahl, Nels H. Nelson, Elmer H. Salzman, Thomas A. Wornham, Roy M. Gulick, Kenneth W. Benner, Hartnoll J. Withers, James S. Russell, Laurence H. Frost, C. Wade McClusky, Robert B. Pirie, Charles L. Carpenter, Tom Hamilton or Henry C. Bruton. As any other new officer, Snedeker went first to the Basic School at Philadelphia Navy Yard for officer training. He completed the school in the spring of 1927 and was attached to the newly activated 11th Marine Regiment at Marine Barracks Quantico, Virginia. His regiment was then ordered to Nicaragua to support government units against rebel bandits under Augusto César Sandino. Snedeker spent three months there as a member of 1st Battalion, before his unit was ordered to Cap-Haïtien, Haiti at the end of August 1927. He was ordered back to the States in August 1929 and attached to the Communications Officers' course at Army Signal School at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. Snedeker graduated in June 1930 and subsequently was ordered back to Haiti in January 1931. He was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant in October of that year and participated in the patrols against Cacos bandits until May 1933. Snedeker then attended post-graduate course in applied communications at the Naval Postgraduate School then at Annapolis, Maryland, and graduated with master's degree in 1936. He