Leo J. Dulacki
Leo J. Dulacki | |
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III MAF 1st Battalion, 7th Marines | |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards |
Leo John Dulacki (December 29, 1918 – January 4, 2019) was a highly decorated lieutenant general in the United States Marine Corps. During his 32 years of active service Dulacki held several important intelligence assignments including service in Moscow and Helsinki. He finished his career as director of personnel/deputy chief of staff for manpower at Headquarters Marine Corps.[1][2]
During World War II he served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hornet, which was sunk in October 1942. He later commanded the Marine infantry battalion in Korea, where he was wounded and subsequently decorated for his bravery; he also served two tours of duty in Vietnam.[1][2][3]
Early career and World War II
Dulacki was born on December 29, 1918, in
Dulacki resigned his reserve commission in order to accept an appointment as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on September 2, 1941. Dulacki was subsequently ordered to
Dulacki served aboard the Hornet during the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo in April 1942 and was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant in September of that year. He was aboard when the carrier participated in the Battle of Midway in June 1942, and later when it was sunk during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands on October 26, 1942. He was rescued by escorting destroyers and sent to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii where he was promoted to the rank of captain in March 1943. Dulacki assumed command of the Marine detachment aboard the newly commissioned light aircraft carrier USS Belleau Wood and took part in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands and Mariana and Palau Islands campaigns during 1944. He was promoted to the rank of major in January 1944. Dulacki subsequently took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, during which Belleau Wood was severely damaged by a kamikaze in October 1944.[1][2][3]
Belleau Wood sailed for Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, California, for repairs in November of that year and Dulacki was detached from the ship in early 1945. He was then ordered to Kansas City, Missouri, as officer in charge of the local Marine Corps recruiting office.[1]
Postwar service
Dulacki served in Kansas City until the summer of 1947, when he was ordered to the Junior Course at the Marine Corps Schools,
Upon graduation in October 1949, Dulacki was ordered to Washington, D.C., and attended the Strategic Intelligence School. He was then ordered to Finland and served as Assistant Naval Attache at the American Embassy in Helsinki. During his service there, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in January 1951 and received the Commander's Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland by the Government of Finland.[1][2]
Dulacki was ordered to
He relinquished his command and joined the Korean Truce negotiations team under Rear Admiral John C. Daniel. Dulacki then participated in the Truce talks at Panmunjom on July 27, 1953, and the repatriation of disabled prisoners of war. He distinguished himself in this capacity and received a second Bronze Star Medal.[1][7]
Dulacki returned to the United States in August 1953 and attended the Senior Course at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico. He graduated in June 1954 and assumed duty as instructor, Intelligence Section at the Schools under Lieutenant General
During the difficult years of the Cold War, Dulacki left for Moscow in June 1958 and joined the American embassy in Moscow as assistant naval attache and then as naval attache. While in Moscow, he was promoted to the rank of colonel in November 1959 and received the Legion of Merit for his service in that country.[1][2][8]
Upon his return to the United States in June 1961, Dulacki was attached to the
Vietnam War
Dulacki was ordered to
He served in that capacity until the end of January 1966 and received a second Legion of Merit with a
Dulacki returned to the United States in May of that year and received a third Legion of Merit for his service with the 3rd Marine Division. Following his return stateside, he assumed duty at
Dulacki returned to South Vietnam in June 1969 and assumed duty as operations officer of the III MAF under Lieutenant General
For his service with III MAF during his second tour in Vietnam, Dulacki was decorated with the
Following his return, Dulacki assumed command of the 4th Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California and was again responsible for the training of Marine reservists. He was promoted to the rank of major general on August 17, 1970, and held command of the division until March 1973.[1]
Dulacki then briefly served at Headquarters Marine Corps as Inspector General of the Marine Corps, before he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general on May 14, 1973, and appointed director of personnel/deputy chief of staff for manpower. He retired from the Marine Corps after almost 32 years of active service on January 1, 1974, and received his second Navy Distinguished Service Medal at his retirement ceremony.[1][2][3][8]
Retirement
Dulacki settled in Carlsbad, California, and was active in several organizations. He served as a member of the board of trustees at the Kosciuszko Foundation between 1974 and 1989, and later in the same capacity with the Devil Pups Youth Foundation until 1990. He also held additional duties as an advisory board member at the National Armed Forces Museum, Smithsonian Institution, and as an honorary trustee of the San Diego Paderewski Society. He was also active in the Marine Corps Oral History Program and received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Paul X. Kelley in June 1986.[13] [2][3]
Dulacki was awarded the Alumni Merit Award from his alma mater, Creighton University in 1974 and was inducted into the Attache Hall of Fame of the Defense Intelligence Agency in 1990. His high school, Omaha South High School inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2013.[2][3] He died on January 4, 2019, at his retirement home in Sun City West, Arizona, at the age of 100, six days after his birthday.[14]
Decorations
A complete list of the general's medals and decorations include:[8]
1st Row |
Navy Distinguished Service Medal with one 5⁄16" Gold Star
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2nd Row |
Combat "V" and three 5⁄16" Gold Stars
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Combat "V" and one 5⁄16" Gold Star
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Joint Service Commendation Medal
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Navy Commendation Medal
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3rd Row |
Purple Heart | Navy Presidential Unit Citation with one star | Navy Unit Commendation | American Defense Service Medal | ||||||||||||
4th Row |
American Campaign Medal | Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two 3/16 inch silver and two bronze service stars
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World War II Victory Medal
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National Defense Service Medal with one star | ||||||||||||
5th Row |
Korean Service Medal with three 3/16 inch silver service star | Vietnam Service Medal with four 3/16 inch bronze service stars | Order of the Lion of Finland, rank Commander | Korean Order of Military Merit, 5th Class
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6th Row |
National Order of Vietnam, Knight | Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Bronze Star
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Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation | Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
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7th Row |
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
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Philippine Liberation Medal with one star | United Nations Korea Medal
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Vietnam Campaign Medal |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Leo J. Dulacki Papers – USMC Military History Division". USMC Military History Division. Archived from the original on August 5, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "The Notable Poles – Leo J. Dulacki". poles.org. Notable Poles Websites. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Omaha South High School Alumni Association – Leo J. Dulacki". omahasouthalumni.com. Omaha South High School Alumni Association Websites. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
- ^ "Dulacki Leo J".
- ^ "The Bluejay – Yearbook of Creighton University, Class 1941". The Bluejay – Yearbook of Creighton University, Class 1941. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
- ISBN 9781475928051. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
- ^ "Clothes-Ripping Red Captives Riot at Release – San Bernardino Sun, Volume 59, Number 208, 2 May 1953". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f "Valor awards for Leo J. Dulacki". valor.militarytimes.com. Militarytimes Websites. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
- ^ "U.S. Marines in Vietnam: An Expanding War – 1966" (PDF). USMC Military History Division. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
- ^ "Camp Pendleton 13th Regiment Has Desert Firing Exercises – San Bernardino Sun, 15 May 1969". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
- ^ Smith, Charles. U.S. Marines In Vietnam: High Mobility And Standdown, 1969 (PDF). USMC Military History Division. pp. 345–7. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
- ^ Cosmas, Graham. U.S. Marines In Vietnam: Vietnamization And Redeployment, 1970–1971 (PDF). USMC Military History Division. pp. 345–7. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
- ^ "Fortitudine 16, Part 1 - Eleven Distinguished Marines Speak for the Record, pages 27-28" (PDF). marines.mil. Marines Websites. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
- ^ "Retired Lt. Gen. Leo Dulacki, an Omaha native who fought in 3 wars, dies at 100". January 8, 2019.