Charles C. Krulak
Charles C. Krulak | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | Chuck |
Born | Quantico, Virginia, U.S. | March 4, 1942
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/ | United States Marine Corps |
Years of service | 1963–1999 |
Rank | General |
Commands held | Commandant of the Marine Corps Marine Corps Combat Development Command Marine Forces Pacific 2nd Force Service Support Group 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines |
Battles/wars | Vietnam War Gulf War
|
Awards | Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Bronze Star Medal (3) Purple Heart (2) |
Relations | Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak (father) |
Charles Chandler Krulak (born March 4, 1942) is a retired
Early life and education
Krulak was born in
Marine career
After his commissioning and graduation from
Krulak's staff assignments included: operations officer,
Krulak was assigned duty as the deputy director of the
On June, 29, he was promoted to general and assumed duties as the 31st commandant on June 30, 1995. He was relieved on June 30, 1999, by General James L. Jones.
In 1997, Krulak became a Life Member of the Sons of the Revolution in the State of California.[1]
Silver Star citation
Citation:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Charles Chandler Krulak, United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Commanding Officer of Company L, Third Battalion, Third Marines, Third Marine Division, during combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 3 June 1969, during Operation Virginia Ridge, Company L was occupying ambush positions near the Demilitarized Zone west of Con Thien when the Marines came under a heavy volume of mortar fire and sustained several casualties. Although seriously wounded himself, Captain Krulak unhesitatingly left his covered position and, thinking only of the welfare of his men, fearlessly maneuvered across the fire-swept terrain to ensure that his Marines were in effective defensive locations and capable of repelling an expected ground attack. Shortly after the initial mortar attack, the Company was subjected to a second intense mortar barrage. Realizing that the determined enemy soldiers had accurate range on the Marine emplacements, and unwilling to incur additional casualties, he commenced maneuvering his men to an alternate location. Simultaneously, undaunted by the fierce barrage, Captain Krulak fearlessly moved to a dangerously exposed vantage point from which he pinpointed the principal sources of hostile fire and skillfully coordinated fixed-wing air strikes and supporting artillery fire on the enemy positions, silencing the fire. By this time, both the platoon commander and a platoon sergeant of one of his platoons had been seriously wounded. After repeatedly exposing himself to the relentless fire to supervise the evacuation of the casualties, he then personally led the platoon back to the main body of his Company across 3,000 meters of rugged mountain terrain to another patrol base and, although weak from loss of blood and the pain of his injuries, steadfastly refused medical evacuation until the arrival of another officer on the following morning. By his courage, dynamic leadership, and inspiring devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Captain Krulak minimized Marine casualties and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.
Personal life
Krulak received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 1996. The Golden Plate was presented by Awards Council member and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General John M. Shalikashvili, USA.[2]
Krulak joined
Following the takeover of English football club Aston Villa by MBNA Chairman Randy Lerner in August 2006 and as of September 19, 2006, Krulak joined the board of Aston Villa as non-executive director where he posted on several fans forums. Krulak was generally referred to as "The General" by fans on these boards.
Krulak also serves on the boards of
Krulak was elected as the 13th President of Birmingham–Southern College in Birmingham, Alabama on March 21, 2011, and retired June 1, 2015. He received an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters from Birmingham-Southern College. The Krulak Institute for Leadership, Experiential Learning, and Civic Engagement at Birmingham-Southern College is named for him.
Krulak was the Vice Chair of the Sweet Briar College Board of Directors. He joined the Board in the Summer of 2015.[7]
Awards and decorations
General Krulak's decorations and medals include:
Defense Distinguished Service Medal w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster[8] | |||||||||||||||
Navy Distinguished Service Medal w/ 1 gold award star[8] | Army Distinguished Service Medal[8]
|
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal[8]
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Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal[8] | ||||||||||||
Silver Star[8] | award stars
|
Purple Heart with gold star | Meritorious Service Medal | ||||||||||||
Navy Commendation Medal
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Combat Action Ribbon | Presidential Unit Citation w/ 1 service star
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Navy Unit Commendation | ||||||||||||
Meritorious Unit Commendation | National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service star | Vietnam Service Medal w/ 6 service stars | Southwest Asia Service Medal w/ 3 service stars | ||||||||||||
Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/ 2 service stars
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Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with palm, silver star, & bronze star
|
French Legion of Honor , Commander
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Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
| ||||||||||||
Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation
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Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
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Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | ||||||||||||
Presidential Service Badge | Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge | Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
|
Legacy
Krulak famously referred to the "Strategic Corporal" and the Three Block War as two of the key lessons identified from the deployments in Somalia, Haiti and Bosnia. These concepts are still considered vital in understanding the increasing complexity of modern battlefields.
Krulak explained some of his warfighting philosophy in an interview with
Family
Krulak is married to Zandi Meyers from Annapolis. They have two sons: CAPT David C. Krulak, the former Commanding Officer for Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan[9] and Dr. Todd C. Krulak, PhD., a retired freelance rave DJ who is now a professor at Samford University; and five grandchildren: Capt Brian Krulak (USMC), Katie, Mary, Matthew, and Charles. He is the son of Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak Sr., and the younger brother of Commander Victor H. Krulak Jr, Navy Chaplain Corps and Colonel William Krulak, United States Marine Corps Reserve.[10] Krulak's godfather was USMC general Holland McTyeire "Howlin' Mad" Smith.[11]
Notes
- ^ "GOLDEN STATE PATRIOT - Newsletter of the California SR".
- American Academy of Achievement.
- ^ "Charles C. Krulak". ConocoPhilips. Archived from the original on 2006-05-21. Retrieved 2006-09-19.
- ^ "Phelps Dodge Elects Charles C. Krulak to Board of Directors". Phelps Dodge. December 7, 2005. Retrieved 2006-09-19.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "General Charles C. Krulak Elected to Board of Directors of Union Pacific Corporation". Union Pacific. January 26, 2006. Retrieved 2006-09-19.
- ^ Board of Directors, Hope for the Warriors, archived from the original on 2011-11-13, retrieved 2011-11-04
- ^ Board of Directors, Sweet Briar College, archived from the original on 2015-07-19, retrieved 2015-07-16
- ^ a b c d e f "Charles Chandler Krulak". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
- ^ "Krulak Gets Promoted to Captain".
- ^ Coram, Robert (2010). Brute: The Life of Victor Krulak, U.S. Marine. Little, Brown & Co.
- ^ "New Marine Commandant Named at Iwo Jima Ceremony". Associated Press.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
- "General Charles C. Krulak, USMC (Retired)". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2011-03-12. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
External links
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Krulak, Charles C. and Joseph P. Hoar (2007-05-17). "It's Our Cage, Too" Torture Betrays Us and Breeds New Enemies". Washington Post. p. A17. Retrieved 2007-12-10. Editorial on the use of torture.
- Krulak, General Charles C. (USMC Commandant of the Marine Corps) (1998-05-16). ""Legacy of Valor: FMF Corpsmen and Medical Personnel", Commencement Remarks for the Uniformed Services University at the DAR Constitution Hall". Archived from the original on 2008-01-06. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
- Krulak, Gen. Charles C. (January 1999). "The Strategic Corporal: Leadership in the Three Block War". Marines Magazine.
- Interview on April 2007 Discusses about leadership