During the British Naval bombardment of Alexandria in the summer of 1882, Littleton Waller commanded U.S. Marines in the U.S. Naval landing force landed to protect the American consulate and American citizens. A ten-day standoff ended with the arrival of a four thousand-man British relief force. During Admiral Dewey’s naval battle of Manila Harbor in the Spanish-American War, after the Spanish ships had been destroyed, Waller was awarded the now-obsolete Specially Meritorious Service Medal for his work to rescue survivors. That award was similar to the subsequent Navy and Marine Corps Medal and Waller is the only-known Marine Corps Recipient. He was court martialled and acquitted for actions during the Philippine Insurrection where he led an ill-fated expedition across the island of Samar. He retired in 1920 as a Major General. His son, Littleton W. T., Jr., also served 40 years in the Marine Corps earning the Navy Cross and 3 Silver Stars in WWI, and retiring as a Major General. Another son, J.B.W. Waller, retired as a Navy Rear Admiral and his third son achieved the rank of Colonel of Marines.