Compass Points - John Sayen

Giving to Corps and Country

Compass Points - John Sayen

Giving to Corps and Country

May 26, 2024

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On this Memorial Day weekend, we honor those who have given the last full measure of devotion. There are so many from every armed service who, throughout their lives, gave so much and yet receive so little recognition. They are truly the unsung heroes. While they are gone now, their dedication and devotion live on.

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A recent Compass Points post, “Flip a Coin?” discussed one example of an unsung hero, the late John Sayen. While he is gone now, his dedication and devotion to Corps and Country live on. Sayen did not die in combat, he gave all through a lifetime of service. He left a legacy that includes his long years researching and writing his seminal work: "Battalion: An Organizational Study of the United States Infantry."

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The life of John Sayen was remembered recently in an eloquent eulogy by Compass Points reader, Douglas C Rapé.

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In Remembrance of John Sayen

By Douglas C Rapé

Permit me to add some comments about John Sayen. I found out that John Sayen passed away in 2018. I was interested in locating him to get his thoughts on FD-2030 and only stumbled on the fact he had died.

In October 1974 I reported to TBS Class 3-75 at Quantico. One of my classmates was John Sayen. John was probably 6”4, lanky, cerebral and introverted. His room was a few doors down. He didn’t look like he shaved yet. I later learned that he was younger than the class, as was I and Tom Peeler. We were 21 years old. We had one other guy who was a year younger too but his name has faded from my memory over the years. John was not the typical fire breathing Lieutenant. He was fit but it took endless hard work. He was not athletic. His father was a prominent Doctor in Philadelphia. John wanted to be an infantry officer. I had no idea there was anything but, unless you were an aviator.

John and I had regular after hours conversations. Over the course of these it became clear that he was a student of history and had a deep insight on the Marines in the Pacific and war on the Eastern Front. Our conversations on weaponry, tactics, doctrine and training would last late into the night. He was clearly brilliant. I had met few people well versed in the German Soviet war 1941 to 1945. We both believed it might be the most dangerous conflict the US would ever fight if it came to that. John and I discussed everything from small arms to grand strategy in a peer confrontation. We did not neglect discussing insurgencies, partisans and guerrilla warfare, weapons, combat load, unit organization etc.

John did not join us in our liberty runs to Washington DC or partying. It held no interest for him. He had no interest in sports cars, sports, hunting or fishing. Nor did he display the intensity many of us had from an excess of testosterone and the limited judgment that put a cocky chip on our shoulders. While we were reading John Fairbain and practicing knife fighting, he was doing a deep analysis of battalion operations in Korea.

There were times when I came in from a night on the town and John would knock on the door: “Doug, on day three in the Battle of Kursk why do you think that LAH did not break through to the south….” and drop a map on the floor. We would pour over the map asking questions about number of tanks available, ammunition stocks, fuel availability, air support etc. Around this time the secrets of the Enigma Codes were being revealed and John was intrigued. So was I. We even discussed one night if the USMC might let us go interview Generals in England, the US, and Germany.

When the MOS selections were revealed, John was designated Artillery. That seemed like the right MOS for John and I secretly applauded our SPC for his analysis of the skills and potential of his Lieutenants.

Saigon fell the day before my TBS class graduated and I lost track of John. He did not come to the 2nd Mar Div after Artillery School. I had hoped he would.

Careers, assignments, priorities and distance crippled communications before email. I last spoke with John in 1992 as we discussed his career options when I was at HQMC. I encouraged him to leverage his grasp of history, brilliant mind, focused analysis and devotion to work in the Marine Corps Schools and professional development. It was the last time we spoke in person. I vaguely remember that we emailed once or twice in the 1995-98 time frame. I remember a congratulatory email in 1998 when I took command of 25th Marines. That was 25 years ago.

John’s skills, devotion, and intellect might have been better appreciated in the British or Prussian military where they tended to be more tolerant of the brilliant even eccentric who did not fit the mold. I believe conditions in that arena have been made worse by the Officer Fitness Report changes implemented in the early 1990’s. The focus shifted from character, potential, unique skills and strengths to metrics and laundry lists of achievements of questionable value.

John Sayen was a great Marine that our Corps, for many reasons, did not properly leverage during his active-duty service. He is not alone. I often reflect on the talent we overlooked or discarded in favor of self-promoters and grand standers.

I do not believe John ever married. If he did not marry I am certain he had no children. He is buried with his mother and father in Philadelphia.

I feel some guilt for not staying in touch. 2001-2018 was a busy time for me. It is no excuse. John was like many great Marines. He devoted his life to our Corps and nation for few rewards. I know he never asked for much and got even less, other than the knowledge that he made innumerable individuals better and our Corps better. I hope he knew that in the end.

-- Douglas C Rapé

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On this Memorial Day weekend, Compass Points honors all those from every service who have given all to the Nation. Compass Points also thanks Douglas C Rapé for his poignant remembrance of John Sayen and Sayen's legacy that includes the authoritative work, "Battalion: An Organizational Study of the United States Infantry."

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Compass Points -- Flip a Coin?

The story before the story.

May 20, 2024

https://marinecorpscompasspoints.substack.com/p/compass-points-flip-a-coin

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The Tactical Notebook

Battalion: An Organizational Study of the United States Infantry

By John Sayen

tacticalnotebook.substack.com/p/battalion-an-organizational-study?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email