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Commandants
of the U.S. Marine Corps |
|
35. James
F. Amos |
Brief Bio and
Portrait |
State of Birth: |
ID |
Dates: |
B. 12 Nov 1946 |
|
Period Served: |
22 Oct
2010 - present |
Initial Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final Rank: |
General |
34. James T. Conway |
Brief Bio and
Portrait |
State of Birth: |
AR |
Dates: |
B. 26 Dec 1947 |
|
Period Served: |
14 Nov 2006 - 21 Oct 2010 |
Initial Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final Rank: |
General |
|
33.
Michael W. Hagee* |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
VA |
Dates: |
B.
1 Dec 1944 |
|
Period
Served: |
14
Jan 2003 -
13
Nov 2006 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
|
32.
James L. Jones |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
MO |
Dates: |
B.
19 Dec 1943 |
|
Period
Served: |
1
Jul 1999 - 13 Jan 2003 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
|
31.
Charles C. Krulak* |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
VA |
Dates: |
B.
4 Mar 1942 |
|
Period
Served: |
1
Jul 1995 - 30 Jun 1999 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
|
30.
Carl E. Mundy, Jr. |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
GA
|
Dates: |
B.
16 Jul 1935 |
|
Period
Served: |
1
Jul 1991 - 30 Jun 1995 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
|
29.
Alfred M. Gray, Jr. |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
NJ
|
Dates: |
B.
22 Jun 1928 |
|
Period
Served: |
1
Jul 1987 - 30 Jun 1991 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
|
28.
Paul X. Kelley |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
MA
|
Dates: |
B.
11 Nov 1928 |
|
Period
Served: |
1
Jul 1983 - 30 Jun 1987 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
|
27.
Robert H. Barrow |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
LA |
Dates: |
B.
5 Feb 1922 |
D.
30 Oct 2008 |
Period
Served: |
1
Jul 1979 - 30 Jun 1983 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
|
26.
Louis H. Wilson, Jr. |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
MS |
Dates: |
B.
11 Feb 1920 |
D.
21 Jun 2005 |
Period
Served: |
1
Jul 1975 - 30 Jun 1979 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
|
25.
Robert E. Cushman, Jr.* |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
MN
|
Dates: |
B.
24 Dec 1914 |
D.
2 Jan 1985 |
Period
Served: |
1
Jan 1972 - 30 Jun 1975 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
|
24.
Leonard F. Chapman, Jr. |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
FL |
Dates: |
B.
3 Nov 1913 |
D.
6 Jan 2000 |
Period
Served: |
1
Jan 1968 - 31 Dec 1971 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
|
23.
Wallace M. Greene, Jr.* |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
VT |
Dates: |
B.
27 Dec 1907 |
D.
8 Mar 2003 |
Period
Served: |
1
Jan 1964 - 31 Dec 1967 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
|
22.
David M. Shoup |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
IN
|
Dates: |
B.
30 Dec 1904 |
D.
13 Jan 1983 |
Period
Served: |
1
Jan 1960 - 31 Dec 1963 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
When
Pate was due to be relieved, the President nominated
Major General Shoup for a two-year term as he had
done with General Pate. The Senate in confirming the
nomination, however, invoked the four year provision
of the 1913 law and fixed Shoup's tenure as 1960-1964.
(Hearing on H.R. 8189, 3 September 1959.)
|
21.
Randolph McCall Pate |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
SC
|
Dates: |
B.
11 Feb 1898 |
D.
31 Jul 1961 |
Period
Served: |
1
Jan 1956 - 31 Dec 1959 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
The
President in 1955 appointed Lieutenant General Pate
to a two-year term as Commandant; in 1957, however,
Pate's tenure was renewed for another two years.
|
20.
Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr. |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
VA
|
Dates: |
B.
10 Feb 1896 |
D.
6 Aug 1990 |
Period
Served: |
1
Jan 1952 - 31 Dec 1955 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
|
19.
Clifton B. Cates |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
TN
|
Dates: |
B.
31 Aug 1893 |
D.
4 Jun 1970 |
Period
Served: |
1
Jan 1948 - 31 Dec 1951 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
|
18.
Alexander A. Vandegrift |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
VA
|
Dates: |
B.
13 Mar 1887 |
D.
8 May 1973 |
Period
Served: |
1
Jan 1944 - 31 Dec 1947 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Lieutenant
General |
Final
Rank: |
General |
The
Act of 21 March 1945 (59 Stat. 29) permitted the President
to appoint the Commandant to the rank of general.
When Vandegrift was promoted on 4 April 1945, to rank
from 21 March of that year, he became the first Marine
to serve in the rank of general. The Act of 21 March
1945 was restricted in effect to "six months after
the termination of the war in which the United States
is now engaged. . . " Hostilities had not yet been
officially terminated when, by the Act of 7 August
1947 (61 Stat. 880), the rank of Commandant was permanently
fixed as general.
|
17.
Thomas Holcomb |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
DE
|
Dates: |
B.
5 Aug 1879 |
D.
24 May 1965 |
Period
Served: |
1
Dec 1936 - 31 Dec 1943 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Major
General |
Final
Rank: |
Lieutenant
General |
The
Act of 20 January 1942 (56 Stat. 10) provided the
rank of lieutenant general for the Commandant, and
Holcomb was accordingly promoted to rank from that
date. The same act provided that the office henceforth
should be known as "Commandant of the Marine Corps."
Holcomb was advanced to general on the retired list
effective 1 January 1944--the first Marine ever to
hold that rank.
|
16.
John H. Russell, Jr.* |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
CA
|
Dates: |
B.
14 Nov 1872 |
D.
6 Mar 1947 |
Period
Served: |
1
Mar 1934 - 30 Nov 1936 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Major
General |
Final
Rank: |
Major
General |
|
15.
Ben H. Fuller* |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
MI
|
Dates: |
B.
27 Feb 1870 |
D.
8 Jun 1937 |
Period
Served: |
9
Jul 1930 - 28 Feb 1934 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Major
General |
Final
Rank: |
Major
General |
|
14.
Wendell C. Neville* |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
VA |
Dates: |
B.
12 May 1870 |
D.
8 Jul 1930 |
Period
Served: |
5
Mar 1929 - 8 Jul 1930 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Major
General |
Final
Rank: |
Major
General |
|
13.
John A. Lejeune* |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
LA
|
Dates: |
B.
10 Jan 1867 |
D.
20 Nov 1942 |
Period
Served: |
1
Jul 1920 - 4 Mar 1929 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Major
General |
Final
Rank: |
Major
General |
Lejeune
was the first Commandant reappointed after the expiration
of a fixed term.
|
12.
George Barnett * |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
WI
|
Dates: |
B.
9 Dec 1859 |
D.
27 Apr 1930 |
Period
Served: |
25
Feb 1914 - 30 Jun 1920 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Major
General |
Final
Rank: |
Major
General |
|
11.
William Biddle |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
PA
|
Dates: |
B.
15 Dec 1853 |
D.
25 Feb 1923 |
Period
Served: |
3
Feb 1911 - 24 Feb 1914 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Major
General |
Final
Rank: |
Major
General |
From
the time of Major General Elliott's retirement until
his own appointment, Biddle served as Acting Commandant
in his personal rank of colonel, 1 December 1910 -
2 February 1911. During Biddle's tenure, the term
of Commandant was fixed for the first time at four
years, "unless sooner relieved," by the Act of 19
December 1913 (38 Stat.3).
|
10.
George F. Elliott |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
AL
|
Dates: |
B.
30 Nov 1846 |
D.
4 Nov 1931 |
Period
Served: |
3
Oct 1903 - 30 Nov 1910 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Brigadier
General |
Final
Rank: |
Major
General |
The
Act of 13 May 1908 (35 Stat. 166) provided for the
post of "major-general commandant, in lieu of the
present brigadier-general commandant." Accordingly,
on May 1908, Elliott was promoted to major general.
|
9.
Charles Heywood |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
ME
|
Dates: |
B.
3 Oct 1839 |
D.
26 Feb 1915 |
Period
Served: |
30
Jan 1891 - 2 Oct 1903 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Colonel
|
Final
Rank: |
Major
General |
By
the Act of 3 March 1899 (30 Stat. 413) the post of
Commandant was again raised to that of brigadier general;
Heywood was promoted as of that date. The Act of 1
July 1902 (32 Stat. 1368) accorded the Commandant
the rank, pay, and allowances of a major general in
the army. This act, however, specifically provided
that should a vacancy occur in the office "on the
expiration of the service of the present incumbent,
by retirement or otherwise, the commandant of the
Marine Corps shall thereafter have the rank, pay,
and allowances of a brigadier-general." Thus, Heywood's
final rank must be considered to have been personal
in character.
|
8.
Charles McCawley |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
PA
|
Dates: |
B.
29 Jan 1827 |
D.
13 Oct 1891 |
Period
Served: |
1
Nov 1876 - 29 Jan 1891 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Colonel
|
Final
Rank: |
Colonel |
|
7.
Jacob Zeilin |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
PA
|
Dates: |
B.
16 Jul 1806 |
D.
18 Nov 1880 |
Period
Served: |
10
Jun 1864 - 31 Oct 1876 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Colonel
|
Final
Rank: |
Brigadier
General |
The
Act of March 1867 (14 Stat. 174) provided that "the
commandant of the Marine corps shall have the rank
and pay of a brigadier general of the army." This
law was repealed by the Act of 6 June 1874 (18 Stat.
216) when the office of Commandant was returned to
the rank of colonel when and if a vacancy occurred.
Thus, Zeilin retained his rank of brigadier general
but his successor was slated to be a colonel.
|
6.
John Harris |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
PA
|
Dates: |
B.
20 May 1790 |
D.
12 May 1864 |
Period
Served: |
7
Jan 1859 - 12 May 1864 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Colonel
|
Final
Rank: |
Colonel
|
Between
the death of Harris and the appointment of Zeilin,
Major Augustus S. Nicholson, the Adjutant and Inspector,
served as Acting Commandant from 13 May - 9 June 1864.
|
5.
Archibald Henderson |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
VA
|
Dates: |
B.
21 Jan 1783 |
D.
6 Jan 1859 |
Period
Served: |
17
Oct 1820 - 6 Jan 1859 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Lieutenant
Colonel |
Final
Rank: |
Colonel
|
By
authority of the Act of 30 June 1834 (4 Stat. 32)
the rank of Commandant was raised to colonel. On 4
March 1843, Henderson was commissioned brigadier general
by brevet for his services during the Florida Indian
Wars. Subsequently, he was commonly referred to as
Brevet Brigadier General Henderson. This was a personal
rank in the nature of a decoration for gallantry.
It had nothing to do with the office of the Commandant
- less, in fact, than the personal rank held by Heywood.
In this connection, it should be noted that, in official
correspondence, Henderson usually signed himself "Col.
Commdt".
|
4.
Anthony Gale |
Brief
Bio and Portrait |
State
of Birth: |
Ireland
|
Dates: |
B.
17 Sep 1782 |
D.
1843 |
Period
Served: |
3
Mar 1819 - 16 Oct 1820 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Lieutenant
Colonel |
Final
Rank: |
Lieutenant
Colonel |
|
3.
Franklin Wharton |
|
State
of Birth: |
PA |
Dates: |
B.
23 July 1767 |
D.
1 Sep 1818 |
Period
Served: |
6
Mar 1804 - 1 Sep 1818 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Lieutenant
Colonel |
Final
Rank: |
Lieutenant
Colonel |
Between
Wharton's death and Gale's appointment, Brevet Major
Samuel Miller, the Adjutant and Inspector and Brevet
Major Archibald Henderson served as Acting Commandant,
2-15 September 1818 and 16 September 1818 - 2 March
1819, respectively.
|
2.
William Ward Burrows |
|
State
of Birth: |
SC |
Dates: |
B.
16 Jan 1758 |
D.
6 Mar 1805 |
Period
Served: |
12
Jul 1798 - 6 Mar 1804 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Major |
Final
Rank: |
Lieutenant
Colonel |
When
Burrows was appointed under authority of the Act of
11 July 1798 (1 Stat. 72) he was not known technically
as "Major Commandant." It was not until 1 May 1800,
when Burrows was promoted to "Lieutenant Colonel Commandant"
under the Act of 22 April 1800 (2 Stat. 29), that
there was an alliance of rank and position for the
head of the Marine Corps.
|
1.
Samuel Nicholas |
|
State
of Birth: |
PA |
Dates: |
B.
1744 |
D.
27 Aug 1790 |
Period
Served: |
28
Nov 1775 - Aug 1783 |
Initial
Rank as CMC: |
Captain |
Final
Rank: |
Major |
The
resolution of the Continental Congress on 10 November
1775 provided for a colonel to command two battalions
of Marines authorized, but the highest rank received
by any Marine during the Revolution was that of major.
Samuel Nicholas was appointed "Captain of Marines"
on 28 November 1775, and promoted to major on 25 June
1776. Because of his senior status among other Marine
officers of the Revolution, he is numbered as the
first Commandant. The year 1781 saw Major Nicholas'
return to private life. By the summer of 1781 there
were only three Marine captains and three lieutenants
on active duty, and overall organization had ceased
to exist.
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*
Naval Academy Graduate
Reference
Branch
USMC History Division
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